0470.
PROPOSED EMERGENCY
VOLUNTEER CORPS.
TO SAVE LIFE DURING TYPHOONS,
It is announced in the Government Gazette
that it is proposed to raise a Volunteer Emer gency Corps for the purpose of saving life on the harbour frontduring typhoons. Life buoys, ropes, do, will be provided at convenient intervals along the Prays, and the sea frontat Kowloon.
As a certain amount of organisation is re- quired to ensure co-operation and secure the best results, it is necessary that intending volunteers shall pledge themselves to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the party, who will be the Assistant Harbour Master, or one of the Harbour Department Boarding Officers, or some other Government Officer deputed by or by the Captain
the Harbour Master Superintendent of Police.
Any person who is willing to volunteer for the Victoris Corps is requested to communicate his name, private address, and place of business to the Harbour Master in order that he may be allotted a station as near as possible to the place in which he may be expected to be found. Volunteers for the Kowloon Corps are similarly requested to send in their names to the Captain Superintendent of Police,
On the 2nd inst, the following paragraph appeared in the Daily Press:-
We are informed by the Harbour Master (Hon. Commander Basil Taylor) that thirty-one young men have declared their willingness to join the Volunteer Emergency Corps for life saving during typhoons. These are all from the Central District, and, not unnaturally, the Harbour Master looks to the East and the West to furnish their quotas. The Eastern District has m ny men who have distinguished them. selves in rescue work on former occasions, and it is to be hoped they will come forward to identify themselves with the new organisation,
It is proposed to have three stations on the Hongkong side, and esch man will be allo tel a day post and a night post according to his place of business and residence. For instance, if his place of business is in the Central and he resides in the Western dis. triot he would be given a day post at the Central and a night post at the Western.
IMPROVED TELEPHONE
COMMUNICATION.
1
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESSŁAND
CANTON,
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
September 1st.
AN EXTRAVÀgant son PUNISHED. It is reported that the wealthy deaf and dumb young Chinaman named Cha Pa Lok, who is a well-known figure in Hongkong on account of his motoring craze, has recently returned to Canton and is now confined in his house under chain and fetters by order of his mother,
Young Chu is the son of a late tobacco mer- chant here who died some years ago leaving prosperous business and a considerable fortune behind.
Mr. Chu's mother bas control of all the business and money of the estate left by the deceased. During the last few years Chu has been drawing something like $80,000 to $70,000 annually from his own firms and spending it foolishly. His mother, knowing the extrava- gance of the young man, has been doing her best to stop him from drawing money from the firms, but it is said that Chu is a pugilist and by frequently threatening the managers invariably succeeded in getting what he wanted.
The mother determined to stop this extra- vagance and ordered chains and fetters to be made so as to keep him a prisoner should he return. Cha returned a few days ago and was seized by a number of men hired by the mother and is now looked up in his house The other night he managed to get loose and having armed himself with kitchen knives and choppers, looked for the steward of the family and threatened to kill him if he failed to give him money at once. The Police were 8-nt for and the unfortunate steward was released. The mother, it is said, intends to assert her rights and
crippled by cutting the tendons of bis ankles. This barbarons treatment is often resorted to by angry parents having to deal with prodigal sons.
bave her son
September 1st.
HOW THE OPIUM LAWS ARE EVADED.
There is a clause in the new opium laws now enforced which states that no opium-smoking implements of any description shall be kept in public houses or places such as hotels, restaurante, i wer boats, theatres, brothels
&o for the use or convenience of customers.
The Police were very energetic when the law was promulgated and searches were fre- quently made in these public places. All the implements were either removed or destroyed, and opium smokers who patronize these places had to carry their license and paraphernalia
with them.
The public houses and flower boats in Fatahan, in order to evade the law to suit the convenience of customers, have each taken out several licences in the names of their servants and now these places have been practically convert d into public opium dens where people can go and smoke opiam with impunity. This sort of thing has been going on in Fatsban since the beginning of the year. It is alleged that the police in Fatahan have been bribed and are ignoring what is going on, thus making the new opium law a dead letter.
The temporary inconvenience to pedestrians caused by the footpaths being “up" in various streets in the city, will have its compensations in benefit to the public at large by the improve ment and extension of the telephone service. The manager of the China and Japan Telephone and Electric Co., Ld., Mr. W. L. Carter, is endeavouring to keep abreast of the times by introducing the latest improvements in the service, and a considerable increase in the demand for telephonic communication has necessitated the laying of new cables in various parts of the city. The work is being done under the super- vision of a qualified man, who is losing no time
The first section of the main line (from Wong in completing the work. From the Exchange Sha to Kong Chean, about 12 miles) was oom- in Daddell Street to Peddar Street an 800 pair plated and opened for traffic about the 15th cable has been laid, and from the latter street July last year. It is now reported that the on to the Fire Station the Company's employees Railway Company has completed another 30 are engaged in laying a 600-pair cable. In (10 miles), from Kong Cheun to a town called addition to this the cables as far as Eastern Ngan Tsan An, and trains will commence to Street are being enlarged to enable the Com-run to the latter place on the 7th instant, pany to accommodate the various prospective
OFFICIAL MATTEÉS.
CANTON-HANKOW BALLWAY.
subscribers whose wants they were previously Viceroy Chang has sent a despatch to the
unable to meet. Again, te cables are being Grand Council at Peking recommending extended half a mile beyond the present limit honours that be conferred on the Commis- in Des Voeux Road West, and to the same distance from the eastern limit towards Cause May Bay, larger cables being laid in both instances.
ceremony
(This... is intended:ɛ to %; clarkouring for Constitutional
the † Board-sof Ednostšen Provincial Literary:£baudeliam hocmim të the immediate, establishment, oka training of Judy tutoringonvy s jmaha
· The · Board of {Labour, við grionlturo via Commerce at Pekinga basebolograp requested the Local Authoritient tone mead them persons who-are: veksed;in agriculture and veterinaryɔć surgwy official_rank zwill-sobé -agirenytoi prove to be qualified.
7
It is reported that H. Ex Yuan, nephew of Prime Minister Yuan Shi Kai, la cartelsto succeed Viceroy Chang: at Canton. ¡¿Hlewwas strongly recommended by H. E. Chang Chi Tung, who is now at the head of the flanton- Hankow Railway affairs. · Chang: Chi Tung already requested the Viceroyinto abaliek, Three Province Railway office here; and Yuan's appointment no, special Comminaga be nominated for the supervision of the. Hankow Bailway, ::The special: delegate were on their way to Canton to investigate complicated affairs of the Ballway have be ordered to return to Peking. ·
{
September 2nd.
AN ANTI-FOREIGN - OFFICIAL Taotai Wen Taung Yao is becoming pro- minent as one of the most anti-foreign ouolala here. It is reported that repantly he adviá Viceroy Chang to give instructions to all Military and Naval authorities and Literary Chancellor of the Kwangtung Pro vince to use only native ɑloth for the uniforms of soldiers and scholars and to strictly prohibit the use of foreign cloth. Instructions fa; the above effect have been already, imined by the Viceroy.
If he adopts similar measures in Tibet there will, no, doubt be trouble in regard to British trade.
INCREASING THE BAILWAY FARES.
The railway fares on the Fatahan line will be increased from the 1st day of the 9th moon the increase being 10 cents for every, station in the first and second class and 5 cents for It is expected that → the the third class. third class passengers will protest as the increase is out of proportion, altogether to their
means.
DENGUE FEVER,
Dengue Fever is visiting us again. Several Shameen residents are laid up with it and it in feared that the epidemio will spread as it did in 1904.
It is said that the disease in spreading_fast in the City. The cases, however, are: mild, and no deaths are reported.
HONGKONG - MERCHANT 201BED.
Mr. Ng Sau Sang, manager of the Fook On Company of Hongkong, was robbed of his geld watch and chain and certain. other, articles valued about $300 on the 81st ultimo,- while staying at the Yeut Wah: Hotel. «Dhe måtter has been reported to the police who are now ón the track of the criminal.
MANY GUNBOATS ON THE WIST RIVER.
-
boats stationed on the West River. Each It is reported that there are now: 80-gun- hag to patrol acorisin. »mection --of athe river and must not go beyond the ‹ limit assigned to it, unless for coaling purpose, The Bureen of Local- Affairs, has astablished six coaling stations on the West River vin şan Shek Kee, Chu Tan-Shan, Yung Kee, Tan You Ho, Wong Hong and To Shing. The officials in charge of those stations have been instructed not to purchase any forsign pos), but to use native coal, and to gender, statement of the amount of coal consume to name the places and districts - comes from. "¡1 his looks, like omisia.
REQRUITS AND. FIRE The Provincial Government, large number of, men for the Refor Viceroy Chang, has ordered, the i Arms Factory to manufacture of repeating rifles and
sioner of Customs at Kung Pak (Macao) and support of the boy soft on Japanes for the good services done by that Customs House in the seizure of fire arms. His Excellency has also recommended the confer- ment of honours on the Foreign Consuls here The "digging Böil
of the for their kind assistance in the recent Flood Wüchang-Toshow section of the anton-Hankow disaster. Ballway will be held at 10 am, on the 8th day | The Local Authorities recțived cable news of the 8th moon. The ceremony will be conducted from Peking stating that on the Sist ultimo the by the Director of the Railway Bureau. It is Emperor went personally to the Ancestral maid that the ground required for the line has Temple and declared before the altar that he
fready been bought and paid for.
will ́establish a parliament in China in 1907,
of smokeless powder possible.
It is said that the Arms Fact the Vioaroy that, 800, rifles cartridges can be supplied