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August 17, 1908.]
A KOWLOON ASSAULT CASE.
The hearing of the summons for assault brought by H. A. Watson, engineer of Robin- son Road, Kowloon, against Kaku Singh, a syce, and the cross summons, was continued before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on August 11th.
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Mr. J. H. Gardiner (of Messrs Brulton and Eett) appeared for Mr. Watson, Mr. E. Davidson (of Messrs. Hastings and Hastings) representing the Indian,
Complainant's mafoo in part corroborated his master's evidence, remarking further that defendant claimed his bamboo. When his master went to the stable and told the Indian to go away they came to blows. Witness could not say who struck the first blow, but he saw five other Indians assist defendant in holding his master down and striking him.
Cross examined Is this
B very spirited horse P-What do you mean by spirited P
Mr. Gardiner Is it a "bobbery" pony; that's
-
-
the technical term -No.
Although you say your master was being struck by six Indians you would not leave the borse to go to his belp ?-I was holding the horse, as I was afraid it would run away.
I thought this was a quiet horse-There was a fight, and the noise made might have
caused the horse to run.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
His Worship dismissed the cross-summons, and fined Kaku Singh $20, in default one month's imprisonment.
THE FOUNDERING OF THE YINGKING.
THE INQUIRY.
A Marine Court of Inquiry sat at the Ilarbour Office on Aug.11.to inquire into the circumstances attending the loss of the British s.s. "Yingking" of which E. J. Page was master. The Court was composed of Hon. Commander' Basil R. H. Taylor, R.N., Stipendiary Magistrate (Presi. deat), Lieut. H. Butterworth, R.N., H. Y.8. Tamar, Captain E. Beetham, s.s. "Empress of India," Captain C. V. Lloyd, b.s. "Fatshan' and Captain E. E. Evans, 8.8, "Hoi Ming."
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The letter of the Harbour Master applying for an inquiry, and the Governor's warrant constituting the Court, were read.
Robert Fergusson, Chief Officer of the ill- fated steamer, said the "Yingking" left Canton at 6 p.m. on July 28th with a fall cargo and about 430 passengers. Of those, three were Europeans. The crew numbered about 23, and the compradors's staff about ten. When they left Canton, the weather was overcast with a light wind. The glass was falling all the The horse had carried a heavy man, was quiet, way down, and the weather getting worse, and after the ride must have been quiet-After Captain Page decided to anchor. They auohor. my master returned he did not go for a ride.
ed between Pillar Point and Castle Peak, the This closed the case for the complainant, who wind then being e sterly and falling to the pleaded not guilty on the cross-summons.
southward. It was principally on account of Mr. Davidson, before calling Kaku Singh. the heavy sea running that they anchored, The Faid Mr. Watson asserted that the defendant starboard anchor was first let go and was given an Indian, who had been brought up all his life 45 fathoms of chain. Then the port anchor to look upon a European as a superior being-
was dropped, and 30 fathoms of chain rua violently assaulted him in
Seas were the presence of out.
then breaking over the his servant and in a public place. This was
ship, and witness thought she had sprung & most unlikely state of affairs. No Indian
a leak, as she took a list to port. The would assault a white man, especially a white pumps were kept going below, but they man who was physically his equal and superior,
were not sufficient to keep the water under. except on the strongest provocation. He asked The vessel continued to list more and more until his Worship to dismiss the summons.
at about 2.40 a.m. she foundered. Witness was on deck all the time, but had no opportunity to provide lifebelts as the passengers crowded round the alley way. The lifebelts were stowed on the steerage deck.
His Worship wished to hear further evidence
and
Kaku Singh was called. He stated that on Sunday, the 2nd instant, he was conversing with complainant's Chinese servant. This servant was going to bit him with a stone, but he seized him by the arm. Then the servant's master came and pushed and kicked witness. On the evening of the following day witness was telling some Chinese to clean a nullah when Mr. Watson appeared and abused him. Witness did not understand what he said, so he went into the stable. The European followed him, pulled him out and struck him. He called out and two Indians came. Complainant was strangling him when one of the Indians told him to let witness go. One of the Europeans told complainant to strike him, and then to take him to the police station,
Cross-examined-Defendant understood very little English, although he had been in the employ of Englishmen and Germans for two years. His mastera spoke to bim in Hindustani with the aid of a book.
Do you understan! Chinese ?—No. Do the Chinese speak to you in Hindustani ? -I know a little Chinese.
You just said you didn't?-1 understand a little, but I don't know difficult words.
You also understand a little English, don't you ?-No.
Not for the present time ?-There is no need
for me to tell lies.
Did you have the bamboo in Court in your hand at any time ?—No.
By Captain Lloyd-The gangway ports were all secure.
William Russell, assistant marine surveyor. said the Yingking's" pumps were sufficient for ordinary purposes.
Yim Kau, boatswain, of the "Yingking" said he saw that all the ports were secured before the storm. He did not attend to the securing himself, but ordered some of the crew to do so. When witness went below-the cargo on the main deck had shifted to one side, bat he noticed that the ports were properly chain the hawse pipes appeared to be all right, secured. When he went below 10 look at the
and he could see no damage to the bows of the ship.
if water got into the obain locker it could not Chief Officer Fergusson, recalled, stated that
have escaped aft, as there was only a wooden bulk head.
By Captain Beetham-The vessel did not settle down by the head.
By the President-There were no bare to secure the cargo ports, they were secured by three bolts. The cargo did not shift while witness was below.
The Court found that the cause of the foundering was the typhoon which passed over the Colony on the 27th-28th altimo. They been taken to ensure the safety of the ship and also found that all reasonable precautions bad
It's not true that this bamboo was taken from passengers, and that the state of the sea your hands by two Europeans ?-No.
rendered any recourse to boats for saving life out of the question. Finally they desired to record their expressions of regret at the great loss of life.
Then they are lying ?-The bamboo was lying on the ground.
Another Indian corroborated defendant's evidence, and remarked that complainant caught the defendant by the hair, knocked him down, kicked him and lifted him up again.
Mr. Gardiner-Did he kiok him very hard ?— Kaku Singh would know; I don't..
After further cross-examining Mr. Davidson said to Mr. Gardiner-Don't try to confuse the witness.
Mr. Gardiner-I'm not. I'm trying to make it as clear as I possibly can. He seems to be a bit of a fool, certainly.
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The Farakawa Mining Company, owners of the Ashio copper mine, has on foot a scheme for the manufacture of electric wire, and has sent experts to Europe and Americs to inves tigate the industry in those countries. The mining company has agreed to carry on the business in conjunction with the Yokohama Electric Wire Company taking up half the amount (Yen 600,000) of the Yokohams com- pany's capital.
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THE COLONY'S ASSESSMENT.
The Government Assessor's report on the assessment of the Colony for the year 1908- 1909 is as under :----
His Excellency the Governor-in-Council under Section 8 cf the Rating Ordinance No. 6 of 1901, ordered the existing valuation for 1907-1908 to be adopted as the valuation for 1908-1909. During the past year no general assessment has been made, the difference in rateable value being the result of interim. assessments and appeals.
In the City of Victoria the rateable value has increased from $8,892,205 to $8,987,125 an addition of $91,920 or 10'6 per cent. The rate- able value in the Hill District has increased from 8261,070 to $263,265 an addition of §o,195 or 084 per cent.
At Shaukiwan the rateable value has increased from 855,857 to $57,197 an addition of $1,340 or 239 per cent.
The increase in the Hongkong Villages is from $220,659 to $223,599, an addition of $2,940 ог 133 per cent,
Kowloon Point has decreased from $470,180 to $464,460 a reduction of $5,72) or:121 per cent.
At Yaumati the decrease is from $236,585 to $233,145, a redaction of $3,440 or 1'45 per cent. Mongkoktsui has increased from $140,980 to $144,565, an addition of $3,585 or 2·54 per cent.
The rateable value at New Kowloon has increased from $61,835 to $62,315, an addition of $480 or 0.77 per cent.
At Kowloon Villages the increase is from $146, 87 to $150,367, an addition of $4,280 or 2.92 per cent.
The whole Colony's rateable value has increased from $10,716,173 to $10,816,753, an addition of $100,580 or 0-93 per cent.
Daring the period from 1st July 1907 to 1st June 1908, interim valuations have been made as follows:-In the City of Victoria 115 new and/or rebuilt tenements, rateable valde, $134,14; 13 tenements- structurally altered, 228,265, replacing assessments. amounting to, $212,935; making a total of $149,470.".
The assessments cancelled, tenements pulled down, or being in other respects not rateable were valued at $26,910, thus leaving an in- orease in the City of Victoria, of $122 560.
In the rest of the Colony 40 new and or rebuilt tenements, rateable value, $11,98); 10 tenements structurally given an increase of $6,795, making a total of $18.775; assessments canbelled, tenements pulled down, or being in other respects not rafeable, $5,965; thus show- ing the increase in the rest of the Colony to be $12810. The total number of tenements affected by interim valuations is 229.
Notices of appeal were given against the assessments of 249 tonements with an aggregate rateable value of $452,180; appeals against 110 tenements of a rateable value of $214,365 were withdrawn; by Order of the Court reductions amounting to $36,195 were made.
The number of reported vacant tenements in the City of Victoria" inspected under section 35 of the Rating Ordinance averaged about 180 monthly, against 218 last year.
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SICCAWEI'S REPORT ON THE HONGKONG TYPHOON.
Siocawei Observatory gives Some details the approaching centre were in many points on the Hongkong Typhoon":-The signs of
depression, signalled here, five days before, in similar to those of the typhoon of 1906. The disturbance was possibly connected with a
the vicinity of the W. Carolines.
On the 26th at noon, the signal was sent to all the semaphores of a typhoon," S,E. of Formosa, moving N.W. The centre was supposed to be, onjour maps, about Lat. 20 degree N. Long, 12 E. At 5 p.m. of the same day, the signal was seat to all the stations, of the centre having reached the 8.W. of Formosa, about lat. 21, moving W.N.W. About noon of the 27th, it probably crossed the Pratas, the direction being N❘ or W.N.W. and the speed 12 in an hour.
kong polo teams were the guests of His Excel. The Members of the Shanghai and Hong- lenoy the Governor at dinner on Friday night at Government House,