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The PRESIDENT-I think the Government { understand that.
On the motion of Mr. LAU CHU PAK, second- ed by Dr. FITZWILLIAMS, it was agreed that the Government be asked to take urgent steps in the matter.
RAT RETURN.
The return for the fortnight ended March 6th showed that 1208 rats were caught in the City of Victoria, fifteen of which were found to be infected. In Kowloon 207 were caught, and of these six were infected.
DISCIPLINE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A ROGUE AND VAGABOND.
VICTIMISES EUROPEAN8.
A native named Wong Fuk was charged by Inspector Langley before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Monday with being a rogue and a vagabond. The defendant has been lately touring Kowloon with an appeal for alms, and at nearly every house he called something was subsequently found to have been stolen. The defendant apparently watched until male re- sidents left their houses, and then presented his petition to the "boy." requesting him to hand it
the to
The following letter was read from Colonial Secretary :- Sir, I am directed to inform you that Mr. Shelton Hooper's minute on the subject of the method of dealing with complaints by the public against officers of the Sanitary Department has been laid before the Governor. His Excellency desires me to point out that the rules under which any offences or dereliction of duty by any Government officer of whatever grade or standing are laid down in Colonial Regulations 49-73 and it is not within the discretion of the Government to act otherwise than in accordance with those regulations. There is no exceptional treatment in the Sanitary Department the officers of which like those of any other depart ment are subject to the rules of the service. As I informed you however in my letter of 9th ult. His Excellency desires that the Board should be fully informed of any action taken by the Head of the Department and should have the fullest opportunity of expressing their views and of making any recommendations to the Govern- ment."
Mr. HOOPER minuted-I regret very much that His Excellency the Governor does not approve of the suggestions set out in my minute which contained nothing inconsistent with the Colonial Office Regulations.
Mr. HOOPER-I wish particularly to em- phasise that minute, Sir. I have looked at the Colonial Office Regulations, and there is nothing at all inconsistent with what I suggest ed in my minute. I particularly abstained from wishing either to suspend or dismiss any officer, and the regulatious quoted only deal with that.
AN INFECTED REA.
Mr. HOOPER drew attention to the fact that of the fourteen cases of plague that had already occurred this year, ten were from Kowloon City. He wished to know if anything could be done to isolate this part.
It was decided to ask the Medical Officer of Health to make a special report on the matter.
RE-NOMINATION OF MR. LAU CHU PAK.
The SERETA Y read a letter from the Govern- ment notifying the Board of the re-nomination of Mr. Lau Chu Pak.
The PRESIDENT stated that the whole Board
were very pleased that r. Lau had consented to be re-nominated, as he was an acquisition to the Board and a useful member, not only on account of the work he had done at the Board meeting, but also outside (applause).
Mr. HOOPER-What about his colleague? The PRESIDENT-At the moment I have no farther information regarding the filling of the other vacancy, but I think it will be filled very
soon.
HONGKONG UNIVERSITY SCHEME.
MUNIFICENT OFFERS.
Missisie." While the servant was absent Wong would appropriate any available article. On the first of the month he visited the residence of Dr.
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[March 20, 1909.
BRAVERY OF A MERCHANT
OFFICER.
The Imperial Merchant Service Guild have lately laid before the Royal Humane Society the case of Mr. P. Shearer, Second Officer of the China Navigation Company's 8.8. Changchow, trading on the coast of China.
It appears that at the end of October last, whilst the crew of the steamer were being mustered, a Chinese quartermaster was accident ly knocked overboad. The vessel was lying in Wuhu Harbour at the time, and Mr. Shearer immediately plunged in to the rescue. There was grave danger in doing so, for a five-knot current was running and the river was two miles
A boat was at once put out, but it took half an hour to rescue the two men who were picked up a mile away from the ship. Both were in an extremely exhausted condition and were only brought round with the utmost difficulty,
wide. acfarlane, and after his departure a clock was reported missing. On the 10th inst. he called at Mr. Wilkio's, aud that gentleman found that he was minus a raincoat. The culprit was arrested while presenting his appeal on Sunday, and yesterday Mr. J. R. Wood sent him to jail for one month. The appeal, which was written in English, read as follows:
**
The bearer who was suffering from rheuma- tism for the last six months is slightly better at present, and has just come out of hospital. The poor man is in great distress and in a very poor condition in this city. He is willing to work if he gets a chance, as to make up a passage and expenses to return back home. Hoping that you all kind hearted gentlemens will take pity upon this poor man as to do him the favour, to save his life from distress and starvation or to subscribe some money as a charity for him to make up a passage and expenses to return home, and not to let him suffer in distress for which your servant will ever pray."
{
The appeal was signed P. McCarthy. Canton Medical College."
THE MACAO BOUNDARY.
The natives of Hengshan are preparing a
reception for the Chinese Commissioner. His Excellency Kao Ehr Kien. who has been ap- pointed by the Chinese Government for the delimitation of the Macao boundary. Thotai Woo, one of the secretaries of the Viceroy of the Two Kwang provinces, is at present in Hongkong waiting the arrival of the Commissioner. who is Visiting Shanghai before proceeding to the scene of his duties.
The serious question of the delimitation of the Portuguese territory in Southern China, which has for long interfered with the good relations between the two countries, and his been the cause of several incidents, has just been successfully settled. says a Lisbon dispatch of the 11th ult.
An agreement by exchange of Notes was signed on the February 10th by Senhor Wen- ceslao de Linia, Minister for Foreign Affairs. and Jiou She-Shun, the hinese Minister to France and Portugal, who had come specially from Paris. By this agreement each of the two Governments nominates a High Commissioner charged with the delimitation of the Portuguese territory of Macao and all its terrestrial and maritime dependencies.
The negotiations were begun to this end in 1887, but up to the present without result.
A RECKLESS GUNNER.
Gunner Thomas Daly of the 83rd Co. Royal Garrison Artillery appeared before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on onday on charges of disorderly conduct, damaging property, dam- aging a policeman's uniform and assaulting the police. Accused, who was under the influence of liquor, endeavoured to gain admission to a house in Tai Wo Street, Wanchai, and because
At the meeting of the Chinese Sub-Committee held at the Tungwah Hospital on Sunday it was announced that Mr. Tsang Sik Kee, the compradore of the Banque de l'Indo-Chine at Saigon, had offered to give $10,000 towards the Endowment Fund of the University, and promised to raise $100.000 among the other the occupiers refused to let him in he attempted Chinese there. Two other handsome donations to force the door. An Indian sergeant was were announced, Messrs Chui Yu Yee Tin and called and told the defendant to move on. Daly On Tsak Man each offering to give $10.000. proceeded on his way, but continued to bang the Already the committee have in hand $31,000 doors of houses along Wanchai Road. When and with the support promised it certainly looks the sergeant again interfered the Gunner took as if the success of the scheme were assured. off his belt and threshed him. His Worship Admiral Li and several Chinese officials have imposed a fine of $5 or ten days for disorderly been elected honorary members of the sub-conduct, and ordered him to pay fifty cents committee as they have expressed their willing compensation or do another four days for damage ness to support the scheme. Indirectly the to the door of the house in Tai Wo Street. A Sub-Committee have been informed that is further fine of $12 or 21 days was imposed for Excellency the Viceroy of Canton will also damaging the Indian's uniform, and he was contribute a substantial sum in support of the sent to jail for a month without the option for scheme.
assaulting the police.
The full facts were reported by the Guild as stated, and they have now received from the Royal Humane Society the bronze medal, to- gether with a testimonial on vellum signed by the Prince of Wales, as President of the Society, for presentation to Mr. Shearer.
ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT.
THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK CASE.
Before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on the 16th inst. Young Kwai Leung, alias Yeung Pak Shan, late shroff in the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, was arraigned on the charge of embezzling sums amounting to $52.747.70. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and Mr. H. J. Gedge (of Messrs. Johnson Stokes and Master) conducted the prosecution!
Shum Kun Sai was the first witness called. He deposed to entering the service of the Hong- kong and Shanghai Bank in 1891, and leaving in March, 1896. He was head shroff during
Defendant was his time of service.
& shroff in the Bank on June 3rd, 1905. His duties were to receive and pay out money and he was attached to the cashier's department.
At this stage His Worship asked for the
facts of the case.
r. Gedge stated that the Tung Tak Tai Bank presented four slips at the Hongkong in and Shanghai Bank with their pay
The book. the slips totalling $52,747.70. slips were handed to the prisoner and he initialled each. Amongst the cash was a $40,000 cheque. The prisoner went to the European counter, got the signature of the cashier, but did not get the signature of the note shroff on the counterfoils. Then he cashed the cheque, put the whole lot in his pocket, and walked out of the bank.
Witness then proceeded to state that in an ordi- nary case a shroff, when receiving money from a customer, initialled the slip and counterfoil, then he took the paying-in book, notes and cheque to the note shroff. After giving further particulars regarding the mode of transacting bank business, witness said he recognised the
defendant name of the
on the four slips produced. That. meant that he received the amount mentioned on these particulars slips, which did not contain the signature of the note
shroff.
Further evidence was taken and the hearing adjourned.
NEW BARRISTER.
At the Supreme Court yesterday morning before the opening of the Criminal Sessions before the Chief Justice (Sir Francis Piggott), Sir Henry Berkely, K.C., Acting Attorney General moved the Court to admit as a barrister of the Supreme Court of the Colony, Mr. James Orr who was a member of Kings Inn, Dublin, and a member of the Irish bar. "The papers were all in order.
His Lordship-I have admitted so many solicitors during the past three years that I thought the time would soon come when I should be called on to add to the roll of barristers. I am sure we wish you every success and welcome you to the Bar of Hongkong.
Mr. Orr made his acknowledgmenta.
f