420
Expenses, rent, commission, advertising,
printing, etc.
Medical fees
769,113.58 48,845.(2
$1,329,777.00 Excess income over expenditure 1,009,564.16 $2,339,341.16 BALANCE SHEET on 31st March, 1907. ASSETS.
$ 0. Cash on hand Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor- poration, Shanghai and branches International Banking Corporation and
other banks
Mortgages and loans
Real estate for Company's building Debentures, Shungha: Municipal Council
and others
Stocks and shares, local companies Policy loans
Office furniture, Shanghai and branches
(less dollars 2,367.50 written off).
Agents' balances..............
Interest, due and accrued.
Deferred premiums (less cost of collection) Premiums in course of collection (less
cost of collection)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Hon. Registrar-General then presented prizes to the following:
•
Gorman, M. Gomes; Physics, Wong Tak- kwong and Tam Wing-kwong; Book Keeping (Ele.), Elias Abraham; Book_Keeping (Adv.). M. 8. Capur; Machine Drawing, Wm, Lambert; Chemistry, Wong
Tak-wong; English (Senior), Wong Tak-kwong; English M. Juman aud Ho Iu; French 53,513.25 (Janior),
(Eel.), Ho Wing; French (Adv:), N. C. Galluzzi; 156,081.56 Shorthand (Ele.) Alice L. Lesbirel; Shorthand (Adv.), S. A. B. Bar; Building Construction, 67,926.52 Tse Ching-fong, and T. . Wright; Mathe- 2,067,989.23
matics (Fle.), Un Kwok-yan; Mathematics 158,052.91
(Ady), Chan Sz-yni; Mechanics, Chan Sz-yui, 847,622.44 special attendance prizes, Cham Chui-nu and 42,821.91 Kunigi Yocose. 252,706.83 On the motion of the Rev. Dr. Pearce a vots of thanks was passed to the ou. Mr. Brewin 24,520,66 64,658.97 and the proceedings terminated. 34,236.19
175,143.34
665,768.29
LIABILITIES.
$4,983,042.00 8 c.
Reserves, last year...
Added this year
$3,078,971.21 1,217,750.31
Capital, paid up
All other liabilities.
Surplus assets over liabilities..
MACAO.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
PUBLIC GRIEVANCES.
June 14th.
4,296,721.52
The fiat of the Public Works Department 68,493.15 has gone forth that all the bouses in this city- 97,251.54 they number over five thousand-mast be white: 526,575.79 washed within a month! A sense of humour, it $1,989,042.00
will be of served, is sadly lacking in our P. W. D. It is all the more apparent when you note the EVENING CONTINUATION CLASSES. ruinous state of many of the public buildings, and the public would like to see the Government Interest in the evening continuation classes- showing the way more by example than precept. an innovation introduced by Sir Matthew Nathan
There is, for instance, the ruin used as the public last year-was heightened on June 19th when the gaol, and also the to. Agostinho barracks at first presentation of prizes and certificates won the top of Rua Central, both of which have been by students attending these classes took place at condemned by former Directors of Public Queen's College. The ceremony was attend-d Works. The streets on which these buildings by a large number of students while Mr. E. abat are always crowded with people and should Ralphs, the secretary, the Rev. T. W. Pearce they collaps, we may expect to hear of loss of and members of the teaching staff, were life as well as much damage to private property, present.
I may at the same time direct the attention of the authorities to the unprotected state of the well in the centre of the square at Barca da Fructa. The stones that formerly covered the mouth of the well have long since been broken, and as the P.W.D. neglected a very obvious duty to the public who frequent the Square, some merciful Chinese have covered the mouth of the well with a big fowls' cage to prevent anyone falling in. This public notice of the matter, hope, will induce the P. W.D. to give the matter its attention.
The Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, who presented the prizes and certificates, addressed the students, remarking that though the classes were discontinued aw they would be resumed again in October. The committee thought it was only polite to the students who by their ability and industry had gained prizes to meet that afternoon and congratulate them upon their success, and whilst doing so to remember the founder of the evening classes. The students owed a debt of gratitude to H. E. Sir Matthew Nathan. Education was a subject in which he took the deepest interest and they knew that when His Excellency took an interest in a subject he was not content to stand by and criticise but took more than one's man share in the work. There was anothe gentleman whose name they should also remember, Mr. W. 9. Williams, who had drawn up the prospectus and the syllabus. They were fortunate in having at their disposal the services of a man with the requisite knowledge and experience, and the committee were now in a position to give a useful education in a variety of subjects, That afternoon he would only refer to one and that was English. He hoped that all ambitious Chinese would not rest with the knowledge of English they had acquired at the schools but that they would attend those evening classes for at least two years. No doubt some of them felt that they knew enough already but he hoped they would take the advice of those who were older and knew better. He remembered when His Excellency attended the English examination and heard the conversation between the examiner and a certain student Sir Matthew Nathan turned to him (the speaker) and remarked that he did not see why that student wished to come there. But Mr. Wong Tak Kwong differed from His Excellency and he hoped he would continue to attend those classes for another year. Before distributing the prizes he would like to express his thanks to the members of the teaching staff for their kindness during the past eight months. His connection with the work was only temporary but he was glad to have had the opportunity of working with them. For the information of the public he would mention that 76 students had passed with credit, 50 students passed, and 103 received certificates for regular attendance. In all subjects the majority of the students showed very good, attainments.
THE PUBLIC GARDEN.
I
It is satisfactory to be able to say a good word about one at least of our Government departments. Certainly the way in which our only Public Garden is kept is highly creditable. I doubt if anywhere in the Far East the traveller will find a Inblic Garden which excels Macao's San Francisco Garden.
A NEW TAI.
I foreshadowed in my last that in order to provide a fund for the payment of interest on the loan for rebuilding the gaol new taxation would probably be necessary. The Leal Senado must be hard put to it when they begin by imposing a tax of 50 cents a month each bicycle kept by dealers for hire! These dealers already pay to the Fazenda an annual license fee, and the new tax will not add to the coffers more than about two hundred dollars a year. Moreover, the tax will fall mainly on the soldiers and sailors stationed here, for they are the chief patrons of the dealers, and, of course, the latter will put up their prices to cover the amount of the new tax
PLAGUE AND RESUMPTION SCHEMES,
The Government having completed arrange. ments for the resumption of the principal sest of the recent epi emio of plague in the village of Mongha, cleared the entire area by fire last Wednesday.
TAXATION AND DWINDLING TRADE.
to
The business community is anxious to know what measures the Government propose adopt to induce the Chinese Merchants to return to toe city. In consequence of the harsh treatment to which their families were subjected on the outbreak of plague, they left the city in considerable numbers, and the e vor-increasing taxation of trade doubtless makes them hesitate to return. The sight of so many Chinese shops and private residences closed up is deplorable.
[June 24, 1907.
The Chinese residents, by the way, are daily making a great deal of noise just now by way of thanks giving for the extermination of the plague epidemic.
BON VOYAGE,
Colonel Greenfield de Mello who was sent out by the Central Government to inspect the fortifications etc., baving completed his arduous duties is about to return home. He will doubtless be able to report that he found every- body in the best of health.
June 17th.
MORE TAXATION—AND A SLUMP
IN PROPERTY,
During the temporary absence of Count Fernandez from the Colony Mr. Asedo was invited to occupy his seat in the Leal Senadot At the last meeting of this body, Mr. Azado pro- posed a series of resolutions for imposing addi. tional taxation with the approval of the Concetho de Provincia. A tax of 5 cents per square metre must be paid in respect of the site of each new building; for erecting walls or fences 20 cants per metre; on temporary walls or fences 5 cents Licenses to repair walls, per square metre. fences, &c., of any private residence or other building have to be taken out at the following rates-for 1 days, 40 cents; for one month, $1.00; for three months, $3.00; for six months, $5.00; and for a year $10.00. Furthermore all yards and gardens attached to private houses are to be taxed at the following rates:-Not exceeding 100 square metres, $2.50; exceeding 100 but not exceeding 20 equare metres $5:00; exceeding 200 but not exceeding 300 square metres, $8.00; and for every additional 100 square metres, 83 00.
As a result of these new taxes a heavy slump in the value of property in this gem of the Orient" has set in.
"L
Another taxation grievance is that all appli- cation for licenses to open shops have to b sent to Senhor Escrivão da Fanzends" in special envelopes btainable at a cost of 20 cents and all applications in Chinese have to be accompanied by a Portuguese translation, which means additional expense. How can we hope to see business in the Colony revive when the Fazenda is doing all it can to kill it P
ROBBERY ON THE HIGH SEAS,
་
Sometime ago a robbery on the high 868 Dear Taips was reported, and some people belonging to a junk were reported missing. It subsequently came to the know- ledge of the police that some suspicious characters were living in certain coolie quarters in Macao, and they arrested four men. When they were removing them to the gaol they were fired upoo. One policeman being shot in the neck. The police turned on their assailants whom they discovered to be three women armed with revolvers. To-day His Honour the Chief Justice. Senhor Vidal, sentenced the woman who fired the shot to twenty years imprisonment in the Portuguese friosn Colony.
THE SANTA CASA DA MISERICORDIA. Masses F. Gomes and J. Gil Pereira have been elected members of the committee of the above institution for the ensuing year, and I under- stand the Government will appoint Senhor Eduardo Loarenco, Col. F. Maher, and Rev C. Vietal. I hear by the way that there will be no keen competition for the Lottery monopoly which is to be let next month for a period of five years.
SHANGHAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
LAND ASSESSMENT.
This Council bas discussed the question of abatement of market values for purposes of taxation, and, after reference to reports of previous Land Assessment Committees, has found no specific sufficient reason for so large a reduction, as 25 per cent., the rate heretofore obtaining. At the same time the members consider that, since there is a well-established prece dent, the Council should have good reason for departing from the practice now in vogue. under any circumstances be heavy: one third The increase in Land Tax since 1902 will
was added in 1905; and, as regards the Central District, Messrs. Algar and Scott's re-valuation almost doubles the former figures. The Coun- cil is aware also that increase at the present