306
Reserve, · Reserve Accounts have been increased by the sum of Tls. 581,351.63 and now stand at Tls. 1,381,553,37.
Surplus. The Surplus over and above Paid-up Capital, Reserve, and Exchange and Investment Fluctuation Account now amounts to Tla. 301.069.05.
Your Company's Auditor, Mr. A. R. Leake, has completed his audit for the year and has attached his certificate, All securities have been placed in his hands for examination.
In accordance with the articles, Mr. Lee Yung-sa retires, but being eligible offers himself for re-election.
J. A. WATTIE,
Managing Director.
NEGLECTING
JOHN FORD,
Chairman,
DUTY.
Robert Dower, Master of the British steamer Kensington, charged William Fleming, Chief Officer, before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Police Court on May 10, with neglecting his duty on board the said vessel
His Worship asked if there was a possibility of settling the matter out of Court, but Mr. Hayes (of Messrs. Johnson. Stokes and Master) for the prosecution, said he did not think so. There was no animosity between the Captain and Chief Officer, but the Kensington was to be engaged for running between Hongkong and Mexico, and in this business it was essential that officers of the vessel should be strictly sober, and according to the Captain the defendant was not.
His Worship thought the section of the Marine Shipping Ordinance under which the prosecution was proceeding meant disobedience of lawful commands or neglect of duty.
Mr. Hayes pointed out that it was defendant's duty not to be drunk, and as the Chief Officer had handed the Captain his certificate on one or two occasions and told him he could do what he liked with it, that went to show that he was neglecting his duty.
Defendant, asked what he had to say, stated that he had always done his duty, and the Captain's story to the contrary was only a concoction.
His Worship-Do you wish to be discharged. Defendant-It is a matter of indifference to me, but my state of health is such that I will be unable to prooved on this voyage.
His Worship intimated that he would go u with the case.
Captain Dower, sworn, stated: On the 19th February I was called from my bed half an hour after midnight, and found the Chief Officer in the cook's room very intoxicated, and when I told him to go to bed he used most insulting language towards me. On the 8th May I gave defendant an order to transfer some wood from one part of the 'tween decks to another,
He
did not do this but threw it in a slovenly way down the hold. In the afternoon of the same day be was again under the influence of liquor He banged his certificate on the saloon lable, and told me I could do what I liked with it. On Mr, Guiterrez from the shipping office arriving on board the defendant handed him his certificate, telling him he could present it to the Board of Trade, as he (defendant) had no more use for it. On Mr. Guiterrez remons- trating with him, he picked it up and walked away. I logged him that day.
Cross-examined by the Chief Officer-I did not blackguard you in any way whatever. You did not obey my order on Tuesday.
Andrew Forsyth, Chief Engineer, said: I cannot say the Chief Officer was intoxicated on Tuesday. I heard the Captain read over the entry in his log to the Chief Officer, and signed the log, but only as a witness. My signature does not bind me as stating that defendant was drunk. All I heard the defendant say, when the entry in the log was read to him, was that he was ill and wanted to see a doctor.
Second Officer Soutar stated that defendant appeared to be slightly under the influence of liquor on Tuesday, but his state was not such as to affect his work in any way. Bo far as he knew, defendant had not been drinking to excess of late.
At this stage the case was adjourned until after the tiffin hour, as the defendant wished the doctor who attended him called as a witness.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[May 15, 1905.
MR. J. W. KEW INTERVIEWED.
Dr. Gröne gave evidence as to examining the THE SHIPPING WATER SUPPLY. defendant, whom he found to be suffering from drepsy and weakness of the heart. Possibly this state of health might have been caused through excessive drinking, but defendant told. him that with the exception of gin, which he took for h's health's sake, he was a moderate drinker. The Chief Officer, when he examin d him, was unfit for work.
His Worship cousidered proceedings should have been taken under the Marine Shipping Act, and the case tried by a court of Enquiry.
Mr. Hayes stated that this would have been done had the ves-el been remaining in port, but as she was leaving immediately there was not time. However, the Captain was willing to discharge him provided he took himself out of the Colony and paid his own passage home, or. if His Worship convicted him, he could be sent home as a distressed British sam in, and the amount of his passage money taken out of the £36 owing to him.
Defendant was willing to take his discharge and
go to En land provided the owners would pay his pas-age.
The Captain said the owners would not do this.
His Worship said the evidence did not satisfy him that defendant had neglected his duty. With
reference to the question of incapacity, it would be necessary to hold a court of inquiry into his conduct to discharge him. The summons would, therefore, be dismissed
As the importance of Hongkong as a shipping port now marches with that of London, the Government is recognising the necessity of supplying vessels in port with pure and whole- some water, and is taking every precaution to several exemplary cases against junkmasters for insure an uncontaminated supply. To this end watering ships from doubtful streams have been tried before magistrates at the Police Court, and penalties have been inflicted. The beaconlight and expeditions supplies, is that of the Hoog- to which ships are attracted, however, for pure
kong Steam-water Boit Company; and in order to glean au insight into the working of this company, a Daily Press representative on Saturday called on the energetic manager, Mr
J. W. Kew.
Asked as to the fleet of the company, Mr. Kew stated: his now numbers nine boats, and a tenth is under cons ́ruction. A new
boat, built by Messrs. Macdonald and Co., put into commission. This is fitted with a which carries about 240 tons, has recently been pump capable of delivering between forty to fifty tons per our, and is divided by steel bulkheads into water tight compartments. Every precaution is taken to see that the water, with our new boats we will be able to cope when on board, is not contaminated in any way? with the increasing demand, and accelerate the supplying of vessels.
A CIGAR FACTORY IN HONGKONG. deliver government filtered water from the
La Competidora Oriental Cigar Factory started in Kowloon recently by Messrs. J. ď. dos Remedios and Co., of 34, Queen's Road Central, is now placing its cigars on the local market. The cigars are made from the Manila leaf by expert Filipino cigar mikers brought over from Manila for the purpose, and a the brands put on the market, while comparing favourably with the best makes of the Manila factories, have a substantial advantage over them in price, there would appear to be a future before the factory.
A representative of the Daily Press looked in at the factory in Mcdonnell Road, Kowloon, on Saturday and saw the operatives at work. On the ground floor there were stored a number of ales of well-s-asoned tobacco leaves imported from Manila. On the floor above experts were sorting the leaves and Chinese women were dividing each leaf by deftly removing the central stem. Half a leaf suffices to wrap a cigar. Ascending another flight of stairs Filipinos were to be seen at work making cigars, and on the topmost floor, the cigars were being sorted into claro and maduro, and boxed ready for the market.
Four well-known brands are at present being
made-Londres, High Life, Perfectos and Reina Victorias-and the Factory is also making ci arettes from Manila tobacco. The smoker
is a notoriously prejudiced person in the matter of "mokes" and it may take som little time before the demand will over-tax the present resources of the Factory; but the results so
and very encouraging promoters of the enterprise have good reason to feel confident of future prosperity an
far have been
success.
the
STRANDING OF A WEST RIVER
STEAMER.
Telegraphic information was received on the 7th May by Messrs. Banker & Co., that the Chinese steamer Wo Kwai, 325 tons, trading between Hongkong and Wuchow, struck the Joss House Rook about two miles below Wu- chow on the forenoon, of the 6th instant, and had to be beached. According to the latest information to hand, she is full of water, and much of her cargo is damaged. The Wo Kwai left Hongkong on the 3rd instant on her usual run with a full cargo consisting of piece goods, yarn and sundries which were fully covered by insurance. Mr. Banker, the manager of Messrs. Banker & Co., the agents of the steamer, and a salvage party with divers and pumps left yesterday evening for the scene of the accident
|
As to the supply, continued Mr. Kew, we
sp. cially constructed reservoir at Laichikok, and shipping people see the advantage of being provided by our boats, not only on account of their unapproachable cleanliness, but also by reason of the despatch with which our powerful stenm
pumps put the water on board. Our craft lying alongside a vessel des not retard the working of cargo in any way, whereas if a junk is lying alongside for some hours, the loading or unloading of cargo is considerably hampered. Further, the water- supplying junks are built of pine, aud their holds are not properly laid off to insure the water being kept clean.
The Government having made it compulsory for junks to supply water from the Government source of supply only, ought consistently to enforce oleanliness on these junk waterboats.
There are ab ut one hundred junks, large and small, supplying water, and in numerous osses they supply other junks and launches. The company supplies water cheaper than any other port in the East where boats are in vogue, and amongst our numerous clients, said Mr. Kew, are H. M. Navy, Messrs Butterfield and Swire, Messrs Jardine Matheson and Co., The P. & 0). S. N. Co., The Canadian Pacific Co., Messrs Dodwell and Co., Messrs Marty and Co., French Mail Line, The Java, China and Japan
The
S. S. Co., The China Merchants 8 N. Co., The Hamburg-America Line, Messrs Gibbs, Livings- ton and Co., The China and Manila S. S. Co., The Douglas S S. Co., Messrs D. Sassoon and Co, The Nippon Yusen Kaisha and the Aus- trian-Lloyds 8. N. Co.
HARBOURING BEACHCOMBERS.
Detective Sergeant Sullivan, P.S. 27, charged Cheung Man San, before Mr. G. N. Orme at the Police Court on 13ht May, with keeping an eating house without a licence at No. 62, Queen's Road Central, first floor. Defendant was also obarged with keeping an unlicensed boarding house for Europeans of the beachcombing class.
Some months ago the defendant applied to the Court for the necessary licences, but owing to his alleged previous bad record, these were refused. Notwithstanding the refusals, defen- dant has since carried on his business without licences. It will be remembered that on the occasion of the holding up of the Chinese Club in Jervois Street, the defendant allowed two of the robbers to enter his house at 2 a.m., aud they were found there by the polios at 6 a.m.
His Worship inflicted a fine of $100 on the first count, $25 on the second, and ordered him to discontinue the business, at the same time hinting that it might be as well for him to clear out of the colony.
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