94
A PLAIN-CLOTHES LUKONG.
"LOOKING FOR SQUEEZE.”
At the instance of two men employed at the Naval Yard, a lukong was summoned before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Jan. 29 on a charge of assault. From evidence adduced it appeared that between three and four o'clock on the afternoon of the 23rd instant the inmates of a house off Queen's Road East were enjoying a quiet game of cards when a lukong appeared on the scene in plain clothes. The tenant of the floor asked him to drink tea, and also asked his
business there.
"I want some money to go for a stroll," the lukong is reported to have said.
I
"Why should I give you any money? queried the tenant.
17
The constable did not reply, but asked who gave the men engaged in the game of cards permission to play. Before a reply could be given, it is alleged that the lakong proceeded to attack the residents, and the row which ensued caused a woman to rush out into street and call for help. Her cries attracted
an Indian sergeant who considered the best way out of the difficulty was to take all parties to the nearest Police Station.
The lakong made a statement in which he said that another man was coming down the stairs just behind him, and both of them endeavoured to get down first. The constable eventually allow ed the other man to pass, and when he got to the bottom of the stairs this man accused him of standing on his foot. A quarrel followed, in which the strange man and a friend beat him.
The Indian police sergeant was then called, and deposed to seeing two men assaulting the lukong.
His Worship was of opinion that the lukong undoubtedly went to this house to get "squeeze and ordered him to pay a fine of $5 on the assault charge.
ILLICIT OPIUM TRAFFIC.
An exemplary sentence was passed on & native by Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on Jan. 28. The defendant, it was ascertained, had three previous convictions against him for being in unlawful possession of opium, and yesterday he appeared before the Court on two charges of having nearly five taels in his possession without a permit. On the evidence he was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of $750, the alternative being six months imprisonment.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[February 1, 1909.
with American quotations, and large transactions principal Auctions have been withdrawo this week have been done in "forward," but principally and will probably 1ot be resumed before the 27th in exchange for "forward " Yarn. "Spot " inst. Everything now points to a brisk demand remains quiet owing to small stocks in the mar- so soon as the holidays are over and the Native ket. Broach is quoted Yen 25.00, Akola Yen Banks have issued their credits. A very favourable 22.25, Bengal (new) Yen 21.75. Chinese.-Some feature is the great reduction that has taken place "Spot," business has been done latterly, but in the price of Rice, Chint's staple food, which is "forward" is practically at a standstill. Closing calculated to make a vast difference to trade quotations are:- Best quality Yen 24.75. Com- generally. Advices from the North, more par- mon Yen 21.75. Shirtings.-No new business to ticularly Newchwang, continue to be of a very record, the large stocks brought over from Ipar satisfactory nature. The Crops in the neighbouring year being sufficient for the requirements of Provinces are the best known f r 40 years, and we this market. Cotton Goods and Fancies.-More understand shipments in bulk are being, made to general enquiry in Fancies but whites are neg-Europe, where, presumably, better prices can be lected, the quantity of orders going through is got than in Jupau. Already shipments of goods comparatively small. Worsteds and Woollens and yarn are being made via Dalny, and prepars- There has been a little enquiry during the period tions are being made for further supplies to be under review, but the stocks carried over still seat up immediately after the holidays. There is exert a depressing influence on the market. not much doing here for Tientsin, but we under- Metals-Very little doing. Rice. Nothing stand quite an extensive direct business has been
arranged, on a cash basis, in Manchester good,. chiefly Dyed and Printed Cottons. It is true facilities are being given by some of the regular liners to carry good there direct and avoid the extra expense of landing and forwarding from this Port. Szechuo is ready and apparently eager to do a big trade for which a lot of ready money
doing.
EXPORTS.
Fish Oil. - Stock small; sellers firm, Rice. Weak. Cotton Yarn.-Prices have advanced un- der the influence of more general demand and a steady advance in the price of silver. Vegeta- ble Wax. - Firm with some business doing. Mat- ting. During the fortnight under review, quota tions have been generally weaker, due to the fact that weavers in the Interior have been anxious to convert their holdings into cash in preparation for the closing f accounts for the year (according to the old c-lendar), deliveries have been good. Straw Braid.-Atronger feeling existed during the past fortnight, owing to a slight improvement in the demand, and prices ruled a little firmer in co sequence, Chip Braid.-There has been more enquiry for this, and prices were decidedly firmer during the period under review.
IMPORTS.
fortnightly circular dated the 15 h ult. Fays:- The Yokohama Foreign Board of Trade in its
Cotion Yarns,-The market remains in the same latent condition as previously reported. Cotton Piece Goods. Buyers are showing more interest since the New Year, and a certain amount of business has gone through. There is a decidedly
better tone is this market. In Cotton and Union Italians there is nothing doing. Woollens and Woollens Mixtures.- Stagnation still reigns in this market. There has been some business in standard lines, but not to any great extent. Stocks are reported to be still plentiful. Textiles Generally. With the reassurance due to the feeling that home prices are not likely to go Iwer, further inquires have been made and more interest is being taken general'y in Cotton Piece goods. Raw Cotton-The market is life less, as Spinners are not yet inclined to pay the higher rates asked by producing countries Some transactious seem, however, to have taken place in Indian Cotton. Rice.the market rem-ins in the same lifeless condition. Kerosene Oil Arrivals and deliveries for the first half of January show: Standardil Co., arrivals nil; deliveries 8.600 cases. Rising Sun Petroleum Co., arrivals nil; deliveries 4,300 units. Metals. There is HONGKONG, 1st February:-No buyers having nothing special doing. Business in Bars is not come forward the prices are the same as when expected to revive for some time to come, owing last reported Quotations are :—
to the rise in home prices which have not yet Saigon, Ordinary
been followed by the Imperial Steel Works. It Round, Good quality ...$5.40 to $5.45 is reported that a good many of the merchants Long..
IMPORTS. :-
COMMERCIAL.
Quotations are:-
RICE,
$5.70 to
5.80
5.85 5.65 5.25 5.35
19
5.0 Lo Siam, Field mill cleaned, No. 2...$5.60 to
32
Garden,
};
>>
White,
"
Fine Cargo
No. 1... 5.20 to $5.30 to
5.50 to 5.55
OPIUM.
HONGKONG, February let.
$1080 $1100
per picul
do.
$1120
do.
$1150
do.
Persian Fine Quality
.$1000
do.
Persian Extra Fine
$880
do.
Patna New
Patna Old
Benares New
$115 $1135 $1060
do.. do.
Benares Old
do.
Malwa New
Malwa Old
Malwa Older
Malwa Very Old
JAPANESE MARKETS.
IMPORTS.
are booked up with the Steel Works for several months in advance. Window Glass-Prices unchanged. Market very quiet. Arrivals are taken up promptly. Sugar. No business is being done in Imported Refined. Stocks of Java Brown are small. Flour.-Nothing passing in ordinary grades of imported. A little business has been done in certain special quantities. Wheat.-No
hange. The American market continues firm.
C
PIECE GOODS.
|
seems to be available. The River Ports should soon respond to the better conditions caused by the gooi crops, ad replenish their stocks of all kinds of goods that must be at a very low ebb now. The Manchester market is strong and advancing. There is a greatly improved enquiry for China and quite a considerable business must have been done up to date, but whether buyers for this market are prepared to follow price up is pro- blematical; in face of the large supplies already here and fair shipments on the way it does not look very judicious. American Cotton continues to advance in Liverpool, the quotations for Mid- dlig coming this morning 6.23d sp t and 5.00d April/May. Egyptian is uchanged at 8d. The market in New York is soaring! Quotations are steadily rising, in some cases, however, they seem to be put forward as a bluff on account of Manufacturers not having their machinery ready to execute orders promptly. So far this year it is estimated fully 30,000 packages have been booked for this market, and it does not seem possible to secure much more for arrival during the first six months, so that stocks on the 30th June should be very moderate, Cotton is firmer and was quoted according to telegrams received yesterday 9.54 cents for March and 9.40 cents for July option with the rider "further advance prob- able owing to bull manipulations." To-day, how- ever, the March quotation comes 9.48 cents! The Yarn market i only nominally active, the business booked being chiefly by the brokers in anticipation of orders after the holidays. the same way with Piece good, the purchases made this week of goods "to arrive" being entirely on the off-chance of a demand from the North when the season is properly opened. The e are no particulars published of these further forward sales, but they are estimated to am unt to fully a thousand packages. A fair amount of fresh business is reported to have been done, chiefly by new Firms, in staple makes of Manchester Grey and White goods, which regular Importers appear to be fight- ing shy of at the prices that have been current. Dyed Fancies have also met with some attention, but Prints are more or less neglected, some classes having succumbed entirely to the coloured woven gods, which have proved much more durable, Smaller quantities were put up at the Yuen Fong Auction last Thursday and a normal tone prevailed, prices reaching their proper level again, the result as compared with the previous sale being one sumptuous advance all round, Woollens included.
HONGKONG QUOTATIONS,
It is
HONGKONG, 25th January 1909. Hongkong markets :---- Apricot
Borax Cassia Cloves.
Camphor...
Fennel Seed Galangal Grapes
Cow Bazoar
Messrs. Noel, Murray & Co.'s Piece Goods Report, dated Shanghai 21st January, 1909, states: -As we write busirea is practically closed for the year.
A fairly heavy fall of Snow during the per chest. night was all that was required to set the Native mind at rest, and they now cense from their labours for the best part of a week full of hope for a prosperous New Year. Right up to the close most Importers have found clearances quite satis- factory, and a good enquiry, only interrupted when Exchange showed sudden signs of afurther upward movement, but they were only transitory and have been followed by an equally sharp drop to- day. Nevertheless the Native dealers seem to be firmly convinced that sterling rates must go up, though it is difficult to follow on what they base their ideas. The wish, however, may be father to the thought, in order to counteract the altogether unexpected advance of the raw material. The Saltpetre
have
KOBE, 15th January.-Cotton.-American.— "Forward' quotations for "Middling" fluctuated with marked upward tendency during the past fortnight, and close strong at Yen 31.40, but no business of importance is reported. "Spot" is nominal Yen 29.00 for new "Middling." Indian. -Prices have risen considerably in sympathy
Kismis Glue Olibanum
12
Oil Sandalwood
Rosa.......
Cassia Raisins Senna Leaves Sandalwood
$17
$16 to 17
$29
$32 to 83
280 to 88,
$70 to 125
$7 to 8.
$24 $15, to 16 18 to 19 $25 to 26 $2 tb 15 $300 to 400
$70 to 100
$215 $13
*7 to
$33
$10 to 12