300
I
lopped off the span of my natural life since fir.t revelled in the prospect of a railway ride from Kowloon to Canton, and I haven't been able to procure my ticket yet. It may be hoped that the Chinese-Portuguese syndicate will not emulate the masterly inactivity of the British and Chinese Corporation. But I hae me doots."
88
4
per
The terms of the agreement do not form very attractive reading for prospective Portuguese investors. The Chinese Government is to get 30 cent. of the profits if they exceed 6
per cent. on the capital after placing 3 per cent. to credit of sinking fund, and at the end of fifty years the property is to be handed over to the Chinese Government without any indemnity to the Company if the capital invested is fully if not redeemed by the sinking fund; the Chinese Government will pay only the bring 80 much is necessary to amount of the sinking fund up to amount of the invested capital. One clause precludes the Portuguese Government from interfering with the affairs of the Company under any pretext whatever, while another provides for a final reference of disputes to the Chinese High Authorities and the Minister of Portugal at Peking. It is altogether a curious agreement Take Clause III. The capital, it is declared will be subscribed in equal proportions by Portuguese and (hinese subjects, and in the
+
Chinese
administration Chinese and Portuguese share- But Portu- holders must have equal rights. guese shareholders are to include merchants residing at Macao and Chinese merchants naturalised as foreign subjects." As Bret Harte said-
For ways that
are vain
are
dark and tricks that
The Heathen Chinee is peculiar. The Portuguese negotiators appear to have been completely outwitted. That railway might become an entirely Chinese concern in five years, or for the matter of that from the very start if "Chinese merchants residing at Macao are to be recognised as Portuguese shareholders
No, Angelina; I should be venturing out of my depth if I were to attempt to describe. the feminine or even masculine modes worn during this gay and giddy week just past. You re- member the incident in Gilbert's opera The Princess, when Blanche, speaking of those masked and masculine girls in the College,
declares to Melissa:
8
I placed before their eyes Some Cluny lace- they called it Valenciennes Hemming is stitching-so at least they say- A gusset is a gore-a tuck's a flounce-- Merino's cotton-linen's calico- Poplin is silk and rep is corduroy !
men be unto all This, Angelina, must warning. Besides, though many years have passed, I retain a torturing recollection of the consequences of a lapsus calami in one of my first essays in journalism wherein I unwittingly declared that a lady at a social function wore cretonne instead of crépon! My knowledge of the subject has not greatly improved in the years which have since rolled by. I have, in truth, avoided the subject as being one of those things that no man can ever hope to understand, and so
I pray thee have me excused from a dissertation on the subject. I am better amused by listening to the comments of ladies on others' efforts.
I did last week, at the instigation of a friend, venture to make a suggestion that the practice
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
SUPREME COURT.
Friday, 18th November.
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE SIR H. S. BERKELEY (CHIEF JUSTICE).
A CLEAN CALENDAR.
Hon. E. H. Sharp, K.C. (Acting Attorney, General) addressed His Lordship. He had great pleasure in saying that there were no cases for trial, and thought that they ought to regard the occasion as one to be proud of, as showing the diminution of crime. It was some considerable time since there was a maiden Fessions, though for some time past the calendar had been very short. The previous month there had been only two small cases.
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[November 28, 1904. had received only 85,450 in payment. There- fore $1,295, reduced to $1,000 to come within Summary Jurisdiction, was still due to them. This, however, was contested. The case was remanded,
Monday, 21st November.
IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR MR. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (PUISNE JUDGE.)
CHAN 80 V. A. CASEY.
This was an action brought by the steward of the s.8. Chu Kong, to recover $167.40, alleged to be owing to him on account of drinks and food supplied to the defeudant-captain of the steamer-the chief engineer and the chief officer.
Mr. P. W. Goldring (of Mr. G. K. H. Brutton's office) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Dixon (of Mr. John Hastings' office) for the defence.
Mr. A. Seth (the Registrar) said that so far as he had been able to ascertain, this was the sixth occasion of the kind since the establish ment of the Colony. According to ancient custom, it had been the practice on such occasions to present the presiding Judge with a pair of white gloves in token of the spotless innocence of the whole population. He was proud to say that the pleasant duty devolved on him on this occasion. He felt sure he was joined by the whole community in hoping that His Lordship might long be spared to receive September the captain handed him over the
many such tokens during his judicial career,
Mr. Seth then presented His Lordship a pair of white gloves in a handsomely carved oaken
casket.
His Lordship said he need hardly say that it was a matter of the grotest satisfaction for eceive such a him, as presiding judge, to memento. It could be taken as an indication of the greatest value to the community as # a mrked whole, because it showed such diminution in the crime statistics of the Colony. It had lessened till it reached such a point when there was no casa fr trial at one of the Se sions. Such instacces were remarkable wherever they occurred, but particularly in a p'ace like Hongkong, where there was a fast moving criminal population. He thought the fact that there was no case for trial could be looked upon as a tribute to those responsible for the law and order of the Community; and to the authorities for the m thod (deportation) He they had of dealing with criminals. thought the result of removing these persons had been shown to be for the public good. It
gave him great pleasure to receiva, from Mr. Seth's hands, the token. He thought they
congratulate very heartily
could all residents.
te
The Court was adjourned sine die. [A maiden Sessions was held for the first time in the history of the Colony in August 1873, Mr. when Chief Justice Smale presided. Lister, the Sheriff, presented His Lordship with a pair of gloves. A similar ceremony took place in January 1877, when Mr. M. S. Tonnochy, the Sheriff, presented Chief Justice Sir John Smale a pair of gloves. The next occasion was in February 1891, Mr. Goodman (now Sir W. M. Goodman) being Attorney- General at that time, and Sir James Russell, Chief Justice. Mr. Sangster (then Deputy Registrar) presented white gloves to Chief Justice Fielding Clarke in January 1892; and Mr. J. W. Norton Kyshe (Registrar) to Dr. J. W. Carrington (Chief Justice) in 1896.] IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION.
(PUISNE JUDGE).
KWONG UN FIRM V. WONG KUM HAK AND OTHERS. Plaintiffs in this case sued defendants for
of wearing hats at such gatherings as the BEFORE HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH practice dances in St. George's Hall for the forthcoming ball in honour of St. Andrew was an inconvenience alike to the ladies and their I was convicted of rashness at once. partners. This will explain:
"You appear to f. rget, my dear Banyan. that ladies' millinery will not stand the crushing in a cloak ro m that men's hats get.-Yours, &c.-LADY-IN-WAITING TO THE GODDESS OF FASHION
19
You see, my untrained intellect never presented this aspect of the question. I have some more of the sam- purport, but if these letters are piled one on the other, I perceive that I too may be crushed. ·
BANYAN,
$1,000, alleged to be owing to them as balance of account for coal supplied. The defendants were Wong Kum Hak (trader of No. 20, Salt Fish Street, Hongkong), and Ho Chak Shan, Tang Chak Hing and Tang Tsuk U (traders). Mr. O. D. Thomson (solicitor) appeared for the plaintiff firm, and Mr. P. W. Goldring (solicitor, of Mr. Brutton's office) for the defen-
dants
•
The plaintiffs alleged that they had supplied defendants with coal to the value of $6,745 and
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Plaintiff said he was steward of the river steamer Chu Kong. He messed the officers for $30 a head, and made what he could out of it, receiving по wages. The captain's boy On the 14th mana:ed the bar for the captain.
bar, because he had been complaining that he 110, m ke any money as it was. could stock then was valued at $121.
The
On the 1st October the captain paid his account -that was 890 for board ($30 a head for the captain. chief engineer and chief officer) and extra for liquor, the whole amounting to $156. From this sum 812 was taken off on account of liquor taken over, and also $30 for two cases of whisky. On the 23rd Octob-r the chief officer's boy complained to him that the chief officer beat him, and the pantry boy complained that the captain beat him. He told the captain that he must not strike the boys, and the captain replied that if he did not like it he could leave. He went. The captain then owed him $167.40.
The captain's and chief officer's liquor books were put into court.
Plaintiff said the chief officer would not give All the him his book he said he had lost it. same he had an account. On the 24th October he put in the account. The captain said he would pay him in the afternoon, but when he went to receive his money the captain was ashore. On the 25th October he went on board the ship. but the captain said "I do not owe you any money, or know you; you must not be on my ship or I will get yon arrested."
Cross-examined, witness said he had bought nothing from Fook and Company, but the cap- The cap- tain did before he took over the bar.
tain did not hand him $85.44 in the presence of the chief engineer, and tell him to pay Fook and Company's bill. Before he went on the Chu Kong he had been on the Pak Kong, and other river steamers. He was not discharged from his last ship on account of robbing the bar, but because he was losing money on supplying the provisious. When he first joined the Chu Kong he had nothing to do with the bar. The captain's boy sold liquor for his master. The captain guaranteed the chief officer and chief engineer. He did not run the bar for the captain, but on his own account.
The pantry boy gave corroborative evidence. Mr. Dixon said that the man, in order to succeed in his claim, must show that these drinks and refreshments belonged to him; he submitted that the bar belonged to the captain.
Defendant stated that the bar belonged to him, and he had given the plaintiff $85.44 which he had not accounted for; and which he had had to pay a second time,
After further evidence His Honour gave the plaintiff judgment for 869 owing to him on account of food, but would not countenance the drinks-it had not been proved that the defen- dant owed him money for these. He allowed plaintiff costs.
[The plaintiff was arres'ed last Friday on a charge of embezzling 885.44 from the defendant in this case, but as Captain Casey did not appear to prosecute he was released from gäol" on Monday.]