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348
CORRESPONDENCE.
EXORBITANT POSTAL CHARGES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
November 12th. SIR,According to the 1906 edition of the Times of India Directory, the parcel post rate for a parcel not over 11 lbs. from India to Hongkong is Rs. 2.4 annas which, at to-day's exchange of 1714, equals $1.31.
From Hongkong to India the charge for a similar parcel is $4.40; it is over 3 times the Indian rate. Yours, &c.,
PARCEL.
INCONSISTENT POSTAL RATES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
SIB,-On reference to the Hongkong Postal Gnide, I find I can send a parcel not exceeding 11 lbs, to Ceylon for $1.80, while a like one for Tuticorin (India), the nearest seaport to Colombo, I have to pay $4.40. What a vast difference between the charges! Yours, &c..
AN INQUIRER. Hongkong, 13th November, 1906.
POSTAL ANOMALIER:
[TO TH EDITOR
OF THE DAILY RESS.
SIB,-Could the postal authorities explain. why postage on a parcel to India weighing 11 lbs should be rated for $4.49 and a parcel of the same weight to any address in England cost $1.80 only
The distance from Hongkong to Bombay runs about 3,500 miles, whereas from Hongkong to London much over 9,000 miles! India is under the Postal Union and enjoys a penny postage rate for letters. Both are British Territory! Why this absurd distinction, pray? Yours, etc..
QUERY.
GERMAN AND JAPANESE AT SHANGHAI.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, November 14th. Sir,-The bandage of Madame Justics at Shanghai seems to have come undone. One Englishman tried in the English Court thare, and convicted of killing a man while "under excitement," is now "doing" 18 months in a local jail. According to your telegram this morning, two Germans bare killed two Japanese, also acting under excitement, and they were discharged! Which eye of Madame Justice at Shanghai is it that squints, the German or the English?
Yours respectfully, MURI FUKOHEI.
"BUYING SOVEREIGNS.”
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
November 13th. SIR-While your correspondents are busy with Post Office squeezes, may I give a Chinese example which I am told is far from uncom- mon ? As so many people are buying sovereigns at the present time, the following faithful report of a conversation may be of interest. I should explain that on Tuesday, when the Bank's buying rate was at $365 in your paper, I happened to notice that the Chinese moneychangers seemed to be busier than usual. Wondering if they were underselling the Banks by any chance, I accosted Mr. Cheung Wing. (I think you might make him a present
of this free advertisement).
13
"My wanohee catch some English sovlin: have got?
"Have got
"
"How much"?
"You wanchee buy?"
* Yes.
How much?"
"How many
P
15
"Oh, say two pieces. How much one
piecee ?"
"Nine-seventy-fi. ” "What did you say"!
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
++
(Imperturbably) "Nine-seventy-fi.
What yon tink my? On pieces dlanken
sailorman?"
(No reply)
Bank talkee eight dollar.”
1
(This information was received calmly.)
Aw-li. How much you pay?
•
"
(Rashly) My pay eight-seventy only."
Eight-saventy-two.
11
"You
b'long nama-wan squeezeman. Eight-seventy." This being refused, I did not press him further-Yours truly,
$
CALEDON.
UNJUST RATES OF POSTAGE.
TO THE EDIT R OF THE 44 DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, November 14th. SIR-In the course of my business, I have to forward many pare-ls to all parts of the worl I. The other day I sent one of 11 ths, weight to a jungle part of Malaya. that is, the Negri Sembilan, the cost levied by the Post Office was $1.81.
Yesterday I had occision to send another of same weight to Calcutta by one of the opium steamers, and I had to pay $1 B.
Now, Mr. Editor. сат you solve the mystery for me, or will the Postal Authorities consider these anomalies? Yours truly.
FORWARDING GENT.
HEAVY RATES FOR PARCE A
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong. November 15th,
SIR. -Tu 189 the Parcel Post rate to India and even to Zanzibar was 15 cents per 1 (11 lbs. x 15 ceuts $165. At that tim the approximate average of exclauga on India was Rs. 146.
At present exchange stands at about 171, and we have to pay 40 cents per lb. on parcels. Fancy What a ridiculous way of adjusting the parcel carrying rates. Yours truly,
A READER.
FOREIGNERS ATTACKED AT
WOOSUNG.
The N-C Daily News of Nov. fith has the following narrative of an incidunt more briefly reported in our telegrams recently.
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[November 17, 1906.
who evidently had been watching him, renewed the attack but he finally eso ped by hiding in the fields until 1,30 am. whan, everything having become quiet, be emerged and eventually discovered the Point Hotel. The Russian gentleman had meanwhile been robbed.. his pockets had been cut out, and he too had a night of hiding in the paddy fielle. Mr. Hiemann was very unwell yesterday as a result of the night's adventure. The two foreigners reached Shanghai between 5 and 6 a.m. yesterday, with bat scanty clothing and minus what valuables they had on their persons when they set out on Sunday afternoon.
We understand their representations have been made to the Tantai to arrest and pauish the offenders.
CHINESE RIOTS AT SINGAPORE.
FIRE FIGHTING, POLICE ARMED, AND HARBOUR WORK IMPEDED.
A Singapore Llegram to the Daly Press, dated November 14th, said:
Yesterday extraordinary rioting, started by Chinese quarrels between the Hokien and Tsochew claus, broke out in Chinatown here, in was continued to-day.
Many shops bare b-en lont-il by bad ch tractors alert to the opportunity afforded by the gonoral disorder.
The fighting between the opposing factions is very fierce, lethal weapons being freely employed.
The Police, andevouring to stop the affray, were stoned by mobs from both sides. On Malay constable was stabbed. Several Chinese fare in Hospital; and many arrests have been
made.
Al business in the Chinese quarter is at a standstill; and the disturbance, naving drawu away Chinese labour from other parts, has had the effect of serion dy impeding business in the
harbour.
Another serious inconvenience is caused by to ricsha coolies, who have taken this as a favourable moment for going on strike.
The streets are now being patrolled by armed · police.
Singapore, November 15th.
The strike continues. The Sherwood Forest- ers marched through the disaffectel quarter this morning, and the fighting between the rival claus subsided in the towo. Isolated out- breaks have taken place in the suburb‹. The police are exerting the utmost vigilance,
THE SIKH TROUBLE AT SHANGHAI.
REMOVAL OF RINGLEADERS URGED,
On Sunday evening two foreigners met with very rough treatment at the hau Is of a band of natives at Woosung and as a consequenti they returned to Shanghai yesterday morning in a pitiable condition, one of them having speat a considerable time, with his hands band, in a creek. Mr. Hiemaun, c nstable at the German Consulate-General, on Sunday afternoon decide l to go to Woosung with a Russian gentleman and to return by train. When they arrived at the railway station to take train to Shanghai they ascertained that they would have to wait some time for the train, so it was agreed that they would walk to Shanghai. As they were walking along the bank of the river in the direction of the foreign settlements it became dark and after a little time they lost the way. Arriving at broken bridge, and not being able to ascertain their where abouts, the two foreigners, neither whom could speak Chinese, went into a small native village to obtain a guide. They fouud one or two natives could speak a littl pidgin English and one volunteered to show them the way if he was paid twenty cents. When he was handed this amount the people, seeing the foreigners had money, demiudd more of it. Mr. Hiemann refused to part with his mouey and, some fifteen or twenty Chinese collecting and assuming a menacing attitude, he pulled world, and the first built in Japan, was success- out a pistol and fired one in the air. This did . not have the desired effect of frightening the fully launched at Yokosuka in the prese ico of
the Emperor this afternoon. uatives for they quickly disarmed him and threw i Lord Tweedmouth, on behalf of the Admiral- the pistol into a field. The natives repeated their demands for the foreigners' money, and on being refused they seized Mr. Hiemann, bound bis bands together and threw him into a creek St. George's Bill at Shanghai-now recogniz. in which the water was so deep as to com› ed as the opening event of the social seasou up to his neck when he stood up. Mr. Hiemann there was held on Nov. 9th, with about 80)) remained in the creek for about half an hour guests. It was again a conspicuously successful and then, thinking the Chinese had goue, he function, with Sir Pelham Warren, K.C.M.G., clambered out as best he could. The Chinese,(President of the Society) as the official host.
A Daily Press telegram, dated Shanghai, November 5th, said:-
Following the investigations made by Major Hall of the Baluchi regiment, Tientsin, and a Jemidar, ten Sikhs were charged to-day with instigating their fellow police to strike.
Strong affidavits confirmed their guilt, and on account of the seriousness of the disaffection, the removal of the ringleaders to India was of urged.
i
Judge Saumarez ordered seven of the pri soners to find recurity in the sum of $1500 each, and three in the sum of $50) each.
JAPANESE SHIPBUILDING
TRIUMPH.
Tokyo, November 15th. The Satsuma." the largest battleship in the
་་
ty, has wired congratulations.
t