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Government. It is not so long since that the Commissioner of Customs at Ichang, Mr. F. 8. UNWIN, made a report which included an exposure of the abuses of revenue collecting in China by native col- lectors. In the case of the Ching-chou Ch'ao Kuan, an institution under the Board of Works, the effect of allowing the Com- missioner to control the collection of port dues on junks, and duties on timber, was an immediate increase of over twelve thou sand taels, and in the following year (1903) an increase of twenty-five thousand tacls over the average amount previously accounted for by the native staff. This does not necessarily mean that more had been collected, but that less, or rather no, squeeze
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At "had been deducted. Shasi it was the same. When the dishonest native system was supplanted by the honest HART administration in 1902-3, Mr. C. C. | STUHLMANN, the Commissiouer there, was able to report an immediate increase of thirty per cent. If it were not that the phrase "integrity of China" really implies integrity of Europe," it would be the obvious duty of the foreigner, acting on the principle of the greatest good of the greatest number, to step in and purify China, only allowing the Chinese to resume charge of their national heritage when they have learned the lesson of pure government and got rid of the classes who at present make the masses suffer terrible impositions.
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HONGKONG
JOTTING.
ap-
12th December Dorothy" made her positively last pearance at the City Hall on Saturday night. The audience was thin. The performers all showed the improvement due to the practice and familiarity, but many of them looked bored. The chorus, or parts of it, atoned by being obtrusively frisky. Most of the lady performers received enormous bouquets, "Priscilla" (Mrs. Hall-Wright) receiving seven or eight. There is no need to write more of individual per- formances.
For the benefit of "Jane," who takes "Dorothy's" place, copies of Kipling's comment on Hongkong theatricals should be handed rouud. He says:-
K
They have amateur theatricals and they quarrel and all the men and women take sides and the station cleaved asunder from the top to the bottom. Then they become reconciled and write to the local papers condemning the A Isn't it touching ? local critic's criticism. lady told me these things one afternoon, and I nearly wept from sheer homesickness. And then, you know, after she had said that he was obliged to give the part to the other, and that made them furious, and the races were so near that nothing could be done, and Mrs. said that it was altogether impossible. You understand how unpleasant it must have been, do not?''Madam,' I said, 'I do. I have been there before. My heart roes out to Hongkong. In the name of the Great Indian Mofu-sil I salute you. Henceforward Hong- kong is one of Us, ranking before Meerut, but after Allahabad, at all public ceremonies and parades.' I think she fancied I had sunstroke."
you
It is whispered that ther have been heart- burnings over "Dorothy," and that the stage. manager has several new grey hairs.
The exodus from the Colony in the Spring will be an unusually large one. Among those who are bidding us farewell are Mr. D. R. Law, Mr. R. C. Wilcox, and Mr. Newman Mumford (who has accepted a transfer to Constantinople), while among those who are leaving on a holiday are the Colonial Secretary (Mr. May), Mr Gompertz, Mr. Tomkins, Mr. E. W. Mitchell, Mr. F. Smyth, Mr. Wendt, Mr. Hinds and several other well-known residents and their families. On one homeward-bound steamer I am told that there will be at least twenty Hongkong children.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND I was asked recently how it is that such a well-known street as the Rialto does not figure in the Streets Directory of the Colony. The answer is that the section of Queen's Road extending from Ice House Street to the Hong- kong and Shanghai Bank, which is the district sometimes referred to as the Rialto, has not been officially christened so. As all the world knows, the Rialto is the business centre of Venice to which reference is frequently made in Shakespeare's play the Merchant of Venice, as for example:
Many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me About my monies and my usances.
The Beachcomber Question has been cropping up again both here and in Shanghai for con sideration, and opinions are as strongly divided as ever as to whether any official action should be taken in the matter, Personally, I think that so long as we permit the dumping of indigent persons in the Colony the only suggestion worth considering is whether a labour bureau for casuals should not be established. The man of good character who is willing to work need not starve in Hongkong or sleep in the streets; the difficulty such men have is to ascertain just where to make their application for work. We all know the Beachcomber fairly well, and I doubt if five per cent, of those who beg at our street corners could accurately be described as "sober, honest and industrious," Ships which bring Chinese lunatics into the Colony to be a charge on the Colonial treasury are now liable to a penalty, and it seems to me that the only way to effectually stop the beachcomber nuisance is to extend the principle of this legislation.
The Band of the West Kent Regiment which played in the Public Gardens last week appears to have already made a reputation for itself in Hongkong and I have no doubt when it is n xt privileged to play in the Public Gardens there will be a much larger attendance of the general public to listen 10 it.
I hear that the Peak Tramway Company are opposing the new Peak Tramway Bill which has passed its second reading and is now being considered clause by clause in Committes. The existing Company, I understand, offer opposition to the terminus of the new line being at Victoria Gap.
BANYAN.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the 15th inst., the members present being:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.
H18 EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL VIL- LIERS-HATTON, C.B. (Genera Officer Com manding the Troops).
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Mr. L. A. M. JOHNSTON (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hon. Mr. P. N. H. JONES (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Captain L. A. W. BARNES-LAWRENCE, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. SIE C. P. CHATER, KT., C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK.
Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON.
Hon. Mr. GERSHOM STEWART. Mr. S. B. C. Ross (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I
have the honour to lay on the table Financial Minutes Nos, 54, 55 and 56, and move that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The Hon. COLONIAL TREASURER-I beg to second the motion.
The motion was carried.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I beg to bring up the report of the Finance Committee, No. 13, and move its adoption.
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[December 17, 1904 The Hon. COLONIAL TREASURER-I beg to second the motion.
The motion was carried.
PAPER.
The on. COLONIAL SECRETARY—Sir, I have the honour to lay on the table a paper being a report by Professor Thorpe, F.R.S., on his examination of samples of cheap spirits purchased in Hongkong. The origin of this report, Sir, is that in 1898 a Commission was appointed here to enquire into the question of alcoholic liquors, their soundness and otherwise. It was reported, among other things, as various analyses have shown, that these cheap liquors did not contain deleterious substances, and'contained less fusel oil than genuine spirits. The repert on to say the evidence collected here showed that drunkenness was due rather to the
went
quantity than to the quality of the liquor consumed. In spite of that report questions have from time to time arisen as to the quality of the liquor sold in public houses. To put the matter entirely at rest five samples of the cheapest quality of liquor sold in public houses frequented by soldiers, sailors, and people of that class, in the Colony were obtained and sent home with the request that they might be analysed by the highest { analytical authorities in the United Kingdom. This report is the result of that analysis and members will see that it entirely confirms previons analyses made by the Government Analyst of this Colony.
QUESTIONS.
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The Hon. Mr. SHEWAN asked the follow-
ing questions, standing in his name:—(1.) With regard to Buoys and Lights, will the Government take into consideration the advisa- bility of having the present fairway marked at night by Automatic Light Buoys? (2) Are the present two small white lights in the Capsuimun Pass adequate (3.) If not, what steps have the Government taken to replace them by better?
The Hon. HARBOUR MASTER-Your Ex- cellency, - The replies to the three questions put by the Hon. Member of the Chamber of Commerce are taken in order as follows:- (1) Yes. (2) No. (3) A red light similar to that displayed by the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs at Amhurst Point has been ordered for Ma Wan Island.
ADJOURNMENT,
H. E. the GOVERNOR-The Council Meeting stands adjourned till after the conclusion of the meeting of the Finance Committee.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the Hon. Colonial Secretary presiding. Financial Minute No. 54.-H. E. the Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $500 in aid of the vote Botanical and Afforesta- | tion Department, Other Charges, for Tree
Planting.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY - This excess expenditure is due to the planting of trees and the removal of a nursery at Kowloon to make room for a building site.
The vote was agreed to.
Financial Minute No. 55.-H.E., the Gover- nor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,000 in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services for Coals for Offices.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY-This vote does not show any real excess in expenditure. The excess is over the approved estimates, but the estimates are under what they ought to have been, as there was a similar excess last year,
The vote was agreed to.
Financial Minute No. 56.-H.E. the Gover- nor recommended the Council to vote a further sum of $300 in aid of the vote Fire Brigade, Other Charges, for Repairs to Engines, Hose, &e, and Gratuities.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY-This ex- cess was due to the long period of intermittent water supply, and extra work by fire-engines.
The meeting of the Finance Committee was then adjourned; and the Council Meeting was resumed, H.E. the Governor taking the chair.
The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I have the honour to report that at the meeting just held of the Finance Committee the follow- ing votes, namely Financial Minutes Nos. 54, 55 and 56, were considered by the Finance Committee and unanimously adopted. I beg