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HONGKONG CRICKET LEAGUE.
The annual meeting of the Hongkong Cricket League was held at Messrs. Shewan Tomes and Co's offices on September 17th. Mr, R. Hancock presided and there were also present Messrs. A. E. Asger (seoretary), W. D. Braid. wood, J. Mead, . A. Biden, W. Withers, A. O. Brawn, B. B. Beattie, Tang Chee, Sergeant Major Power and Sergeant Kay,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The SECRETARY read the notice calling the! meeting, end the PRESIDENT proposed the, adoption of the report and accounts.
Mr. WITHERS seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The election of officers resulted in Mr. R. Hancock being re-elected president, Mr. W. D. Braidwoo, vice-president, and Mr. A. E. Asger hon, secretary and treasurer.
The VICE PRESIDENT proposed that entries for the League close on the 26th inst,
Mr. MEAD seconded, and the motion was carried. ·
The PRESIDENT stated that the secretary bad received a letter asking that a joint team of the members of the staffs of Messrs. Dodwell & Co. and Messrs, Shewan, Tomes & Co. be allowed to enter for the League. They had not a grourd of their own, but would have no difficulty in
getting the loan of one. According to rule 7,
the President continued, no club had a right to enter the League unless it had a ground of its
own.
Mr. BIDEN-A club entered last year that had no ground of its own, but subsequently got one. Why shouldn't this club be allowed to enter ?
The l'RESIDENT-If they make arrangements to get a ground,
It was agreed that the secretary should write informing the applicant that there would be no objection provided they got the right to use a ground.
An application from the Hongkong Cricket Club asking to be allowed to enter two teams
was then considered.
It was proposed by the VICE-PRESIDENT and seconded by Mr, WITHERS that the application be granted under League conditions.
The motion was carried.
The granting of a similar application on behalf of the Kowloon Cricket Club was proposed by the PRESIDENT and seconded by Mr. BEATIIE,
Mr. BRAWN proposed an amendment that the Club be not allowed to enter two teams, for the reason that he did not think it a good thing that each club should be allowed to enter two teams in the same competition.
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There was no seconder to the amendment and the motion on being put to the meeting
was
Mr, BRAWN stated that he had been asked to place before the meeting a letter from the Craigengower committee stating that "should any club or club playing in the League scratch one-third or more than one-third of the number of their matches, all those that have been previously played should be considered null and void ',
Mr. BIDEN proposed that the number bɔ one. fourth instead of one-third.
Mr. CHEE seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
It was decided to call a special meeting on October 2nd to confirm this resolution. On the same day fixtures will be arranged for the season.
The meeting ended with votes of thanks to the President and Secretary.
THE TRADE DEPRESSION AT
TIENTSIN.
A correspondent of the Peking and Tientsin Times writes:-
here, probably stagnation is a better word, is only partially explained by the four reasons given by your native correspondent. One must
The depressed condition of affairs obtaining
ok farther and deeper into the subject to find the malignant sore which has affected the whole of our little mercantile world, and as an old China Land I trust you will give space to the following remarks in which I believe the true canses are given.
1.—A series of indifferent harvests, complicated by flocds in some districts, famines in others, and followed by famines in two of the flooded districts (Hunan and Kiangsi.) 2-Overtrading.
3-Steady drain of money by Boxer Indemnity
payments.
4-The annual deficit or heavy debit balance caused by the inequality of Exports and Imports.
5-The general dulness (or stagna'ion) of trade all the world over, due to overmanufacturing and overtrading, intensified by the American financial collapse of la t Automo. 6-The dishonesty of the Chinese dealers in
Tientsin.
The truth may as well be written and published openly, no good can come from at- tempting to bide or disguise it longer. The dream of Cuinese honesty has vanished and in its
[September 19, 1908.
these past years on the proceeds of the goods on credit: now the day of reckoning has come !
Well ?
It will take months to get prices up to the actual value of the goods, meanwhile there is nothing to be done but wait patiently, if our oreditors, the banks and the Courts will give
us grace.
We have reached the limit, and only one safe course is open in the future, cash on delivery, and forget that anyone has ever been so unwise as to say a Chinaman's word is as good as another. men's bond-forget it; I BAY.
Tientsin exports call for no comment; they speak for themselves in empty hongs.
THE NATIVE VIEW,
A native correspondent, connected with a leading hong, in response to a request for information, states that trade is not now good, nor likely to improve, in the Native City.
He gives the four following reasons for this commercial depression, and mentions that an important memorial on the subject has been sent by the Board of Finance to His Excellency the Viceroy. The four reasons for bal tradə locally are:-
1. The shortness of money. 2.-The low rate of silver. 3.-Over-stocking.
4. The unlimited issue of dollar notes by the various native banks not only in the native city but also in the various foreign concessions.
TRADE AND COMMERCE.
of the
A FORMOSAN BUGAR COMPANY,
The prospectas has been circulated in London Formosa Sugar and Development Company, The capital is £80,0 0 divided into 60,000 6 per cent, perference shares of £l esch and 40.00 deferred shares of 10s, each. The
purchase price is £55,000 payable in 35,000 preference shares, and the whole of the 40,000 deferred shares, the price including £2,000 for goodwill. The remaining £25,000 of capita is now offered for subscription. The company is formed to acquire the sugar mill and factory by Messrs. Bain and Company, of Auping, Formosa.
hitherto carried
on
JAPAN'S SILK TRADE,
According to investigations made by the De- partment of Agriculture and Commerce, the exportation of Japanese raw silk during the first half of this year amounted to 5,408,505 kin, representing Y49,576,292 in value. The figures ahow an increase of 1,413,014 kin in quantity, but a decrease of Y10,907,557 in value as against
The Hongkong Cricket Club was an exception place we have the bare naked fact of dishonesty. those of the corresponding period of last year.
as it was so much stronger,
Mr. MEAD-If one club is allowed to enter two teams, why not another? Į
Mr. BRAWN-The Hongkong Club is an exceptional case. If they put in one team it would be too strong.
Mr. BIDEN-It is possible for any club to strengthen itself during the season.
Mr. BRAWN—Yes.
Mr. ASGEB-The object of putting in two teams is to give all the members a chance to play.
Mr. BRAWN-My objection is not very strong, and the reason why I raised it was that I do
Foreigners are not free from blame in this matter; the s ruggle to "do business" has resulted in the foreign merchants giving no. limited credit to impecunions, unknown, adven- turers, who calling themselves "dealers," opened depo's and then called merchants.
themselves
At
Tientsin only developed into a direct import- ing centre after the Japan-China war. that time the Native Banks after vainly striving to re-establish the old order of things which existed before the war took definite the point of almost abolishing ; then the action and commenced to restrict credit up to
native dealers finding eager firms ready at hand
4,192,132 kin representing Y4,209,160 in value. The exportation of waste silk amounted to
The figures show a decrease of 981,661 kin in quantity and Y1,506,619 in value as against taos, of the corresponding period of last year.
RUBBER CULTIVATIO IN FORMOSA,
It appears that the climate of Formosa is most suited for the cultivation of rubber trees,
remarks the Japan Casette. In 1906 the For- mosan authorities discovered some of the trees growing in the region south of Shinhiku and at once took steps for the cultivation of rubber, constructing experimental s ́ations at Kagi and other places, a number of plants having been
not want the competition to fizzle out. Probably to meet them in anyway, began buying either imported from abroad. Quite recently the
towards the end of the season the Kowloon Club would not be so keen and would scratch a
number of games. If they can guarantee that two teams will carry out all their engagements I have no objection.
Mr. MEAD-We don't know whether we can
put in two yet. We only want to get permis- sion. I don't see why we should make a pre- cedent of one Club. If one club has the right,
to should another.
Mr. BRAWN-My idea is to make the competition as keen as possible.
Mr. MBAD-We will only run the strongest team to win.
"A" team?
Mr BRAWN —And have an Mr MEAD-Yes, Mr BRAWN-Wouldn't it be a bit of a farce to have an A" team?
Mr MHAD-I don't think so, We have five or six officers from a regiment, and if they want to play in the League they will displace old players.
from Stock or goods to arrive and-this way predition lay.
delivered
authorities also imported from India and other countries a large number of the trees and seeds When the goods arrived they were
of various varieties. The Tokyo Rubber on credit (to men whom the native banks had Factory is now receiving a supply of the raw withdrawn their credits from or firms that they material from Formoss, besides some from refused to assist). As time went on the goods other countries, and it is stated that India snowball; unlimited credit was gieo, out on credit increased in volume, like a rolling rubber manufactured from the Formossa trees the ball rolling" and when the breath of life
is of excellent quality. The total quantity of to keep
of India rubber consumed in the world amounts to 125,000,000 pounds every year. ceased, what would you? Trade stopped. The foreign banks called halt! the foreign merchant calm and serene said; we cannot and so we are called pay, pay, pay the native dealers, sitting
'between the devil and the deep sea.'
It is an irrefutable fact that the major portion of the goods given on predit to the sold at prices varying from cost to (commonly) twenty-five per cent below, and how are these "originally impecunious men to pay the merchants for their goods? They have lived and rioted
native dealers has teen
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CHOLERA IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
Down to the 9th inst. 15,917 cases of cholera, and 10,141 deaths have been reported in the Philippines since the first of January. This is exclusive of the city of Manila which fortunately has bad very few cases. From the provinces about 250 cases a day continue to be reported.
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