détóber 1, 1906.j
SEQUELS OF THE TYPHOOŃ.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
(Daily Press, September 29th.) To think justly-to banish preconception and emotion-to see into the centre of a vexed question-to perceive that modicum of virtue which exists in hateful things-to recognise the conceivable partial rightness of an enemy-this is without exception the most difficult task in the world. We fear that it is not becoming any easier as the days pass. The re-action against sentimen talism, which colonists have experienced when viewing recent aspects of life in the home-land, has not led to the removal of the beam in our own eye. We are thinking of Shanghai and its recent shooting sensa tion, which has caused as much interest throughout the Far East as the famous Carew case did. The desire to think justly
205
THE SHANGHAI SHOOTING CASE. | him, she appeared to have deceived him to the extent of going to deceased's 'rooms for an immoral purpose. There was other evidence of her being of a flighty dis position". The woman, save for loss of reputation, goes unpunished. The man, who took a life and wounded her, gets off with eighteen months' imprisonment. The man who suffered the extreme pénâlty, what was his "crime"? According to the evidence, he had done absolutely nothing for which he could be lawfully called to account. There was no ground for either civil or criminal proceedings against him, He merely entert sined a widow who, being her owa mistress and of mature age, voluntarily went to him. The law's chief duty is to protect our lives, liberty, and goods. It promises to fail at Shanghai, if such sheer sentimentalism is to rule the roost. Law was designed to substitute for the unfettered sway of passion, the more deliberate rule of reason. Shanghai seems to prefer passion. It must be only a section of it: there is surely a leaven of sane mind there which will resist such dangerous sentimentalism.
(Daily Press, September 28th.) The situation in Hongkong as concerning the relations of the European community and the Chinese sufferers by the recent typhoon can only be described as extraor- dinary. It is also very puzzling, and the riddle is so hard that we have shrunk from any attempt to solve it. Complaint is so rife, however, that it becomes a positive duty to try to get the whole scene into focus. First we have a wave of sympathy which causes an immediate concern for the fate of the poorer Chinese water-side popu- lation. Merchants and others, who are also heavy sufferers, promise or pay subscriptions, and the Government offers to double the amount forthcoming from private philan- thropic sources. Not to permit any racial misconception, we should point out that Chinese merchants have also shown generous feeling. In a day or two, the business community, both European and Chinese, finds that its losses by the typhoon are not final. Already hampered and handicapped, it found itself victim to the rapacity of the very working class whose sufferings had just enlisted its heartfelt sympathy. The law of supply and demand in normal times affects rates without being unduly felt. At a time of public crisis, it may be carried too far. Judging by the general murmur of resentment stirring business circles, it is being carried too far now. It is inevitable that to some extent this will check the flow of charity. Already men are suggesting that the need for relief is not really so great; that most of the junks and sampans were owned by wealthy merchants or clans, and not by the people who worked them. They say that the survivors who have been unconscionably "squeezing" the business of the port in its hour of need can well afford to look after their own confraternity; and they point out that in numerous instances the people are incapable of appreciating foreign charity at its true value, as evidenced by bogus or excessive claims made upon it. All this is bound to discourage philanthropy. We hope, never- theless, that subscriptions will flow in sufficient to meet genuine needs. Many are past help, as we know, and there must be many women and children left without bread-winners. The very obvious needs of these need not be too closely scrutinized; they are not to blame if their luckier brethren think it right to "bleed" the hand that feeds them. For the rest, the administrators of the relief fund may be trusted not to compensate the losses of the wealthy, or to reward the dishonest. After all, we cannot decently hold inquisitions with regard to the morals, of fellow creatures in pain and want. We understand there is much of this, which is, indeed, only to be expected, and therefore intending subscribers should not be unduly affected by the resentment referred to, lest they punish the innocent for the guilty. Meanwhile, the lighter-men, cargo-coolies, and other indispensable servants of the trade of the port are doing their hest or worst-to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Whether any check can be imposed upon their extortionate practices is a question for the legislators; if anything can be done, it should be done quickly.
80
to banish emotional or sentimental bias may make us appear censorious, but we are bound to point out that Shanghai has not shown up well in its latest experience. We read that when the JUDGE rose after pro- nouncing sentence "the spectators could restrain their feelings no longer. The Supreme Court rang with cheers for accused, clapping, and other forms of applause. Someone shouted
|
At the offices of the Public Works Depart ment on September 24th, Garden Lot No. 29, situated near Inland Lot No. 1711, Bowen Road, was let by public auction sale. The lot contains 10,700 square feet and carries an annual Crown rent of 324. The upset price was $535. It was bought by Mr. Young Sai-ngam for $555.
(4
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on the, 27th instant in the Council Chamber at 2.30 p.m.
PRESENT:
GOVERNOR, SIR
HIS EXCELLENCY THE MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G. Commanding the Troops).
Hoa. COLONEL DARLING, R.E. (Officer
Hoa. Mr. T. BERCOMBE SMITH (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Sir H. S. BERKELLY, K.C. (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treas-
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captaiu-Super- intendent of Police.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK.
Hoo. Mr. B. A. HEWETT. Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous mesting were read and confirmed.
'three cheers for Hyndman,' which were immediately given, and his friends gathered round him and insisted on shaking hands". We do not propose to criticise the jury for deciding that what Petor Hyndman saw minimised the heinousness of bis killing the seducer of his promised bride. They did as they were told. What we draw attention to, as a somewhat alarming symptom, is the way in which public opinion or public sentiment seems to bave crept in to the scales of justice. Extracts from the Shanghai papers show how the case was prejudged. One says,
Sympathy has been almost entirely on theurer). side of Hyndman throughout, and the verdict of the Jury, after a long and patient sitting, will meet with general approval". And then we encounter this extraordinary solicitude for the pain in the slayer's little finger! "The accused bore up well through- out the trial; only once did he show any signs of breaking down-when he was in the witness box and relating his affection for Mrs. Kose. Hyndman's evidence undoubtedly made a very good impression, as it differed so little from the story he had told Inspector McDowell within half an hour of the crime. He still had his wounded finger bandaged and bis expression some- times showed how keenly he was suffering" Either the writer had his tongue in his cheek, or he was referring to mental suffering The most notable comment, however, referring to the "crime" of the slain man, shows what sort of sentiment was behind the popular concern. A contempor. ary which very properly pointed out that the code "of the individual" should not be permitted to oust the "code of the State", immediately revealed how far its own feeling was barbaric and instinctive. It said, referring to the man who was shot dead, "the first man's crime is a peculiarly aggravating one, and the law's punishment invariably strikes those who are affected by the crime as altogether inadequate and unsatisfactory". If there was any "crime", beyond the shooting itself, it was that of the woman who deceived, or is said to have deceived, the man she was to marry. Of her the Judge was quite plain-spoken:
She was a woman of whom oue could not
A very
speak with very great respect. short time after the death of her husband she seemed to have become betrothed to accused, and while engaged to him, and apparently on very affectionate terms with
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table financial minutes No. 65 to 72 and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded.
Financial Minate No. 65 for cemetery inciden- HIS EXCELLENCY-The item of $1,500 in
cemetery at Kai Lung Wan and is partly for some tal expenses is partly due to the opening of a new storm-water works necessary at the cemetery at Mount Caroline. The addition of $900 to the item for the disinterment of dead bodies is on account of work which has been carried out by the Tung Wah Hospital. The addition of $2,000 to the cost for the year of burial of plague corpses still leaves the total expenditure on that item at some $2,000 less than the amount of the vote in 1904. I have already explained to the Council the provision made for a postal agency at Tientsin. This agency is to be started from the 1st October of this year, and Financial Minute No. 66 provides for a sum of $1,170 on account of Other Charges for it. The transit charges which also come under the head of Other Charges for this agency will not be paid until next year. The personal emolumenta connected with the agency will be provided this year from lapsing salaries in the Post Office. The vote of $1,100 asked for in Minute 67 is for improvements in the printing and distribution of the meteorological_register, adopted at the suggestion of the chamber of $20,000 is for typhoon damages ander the Commerce. Financial Minute No. 68 for heading of Public Works Extraordinary. This is only an instalment of what will altimately be required, but it is advisable that the Director of