March 29, 1909.]
HONGKONG.
The British cruiser Andromeda arrived in port on Mar. 21 with a crew for the Bedford on recommissioning.
Mr. S. B. C. Ross has been appointed to act as District Officer in the New Territories during the absence on leave of Mr. E. R. Hallifax.
Capt. K. H. M. Watson, R.G.A.. Hongkong, is to relieve Capt. Badham Thornhill in com. mand of the Hongkong-Singapore Company R.G.A. at Singapore.
William Nuttall, a Post Office employee, was brought before Mr. Kemp at the Magistracy on Mar. 20th charged with removing postage stamps from nine packages. The case was adjourned. A Chinese, the owner of several houses, was brought before Mr. Kemp at the Magistracy charged with failing to carry out certain structural work according to plans. A fine of of $100 was imposed.
Mr. Wood imposed heavy fines on gamblers who were brought before him on Mar. 19 at the Magistracy. The first and second in a gang of eighteen were fined $50 each and the remainder had to pay $10 each.
A Chinese, evidently with an ear for music, stole a dulcimer which he envied from a friend.
He was arrested and brought before Mr. Kemp at the Magistracy on Mar, 24 and sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment.
The race ponies Coxcomb and Earthquake were on Mar. 20th offered for sale by public auction owing to dissolution of partnership. The former was bought in for $300 and the latter was sold for $100.
A fire occurred in a stationer's shop at No. 2 Pottinger Street on the 20th instant. The brigade responded promptly to the alarm, and soon had the outbreak under way. Considerable damage was done, but it is understood the damaged premises are covered by insurance. | Dr. Keyt has been appointed to act as Health Officer of the Port and Inspector of Emigrants, Dr. F. Grone to act as second Health Officer of the Port and Inspector of Emigrants and Dr. Aubrey to act as assistant Health Officer of the Port and Inspector of Emigrants during the
absence on leave of Dr. G. P. Jordan.
A number of deportees arrived here on Tues- day and Wednesday from Singapore, nine coming the first day and eighteen the second. They will be passed on from here to their native places. It is remarkable that most of the men who come from Singapore have their bodies covered with morphine injection marks,
The annual sports in connection with St Stephen's College were held on the 23rd inst. on the Jockey Club ground, which had been kindly lent for the occasion. There was a large attendance which included Bishop Lander, and the band of the Rajputs under Bandmaster Coke gave agreeable selections during the afternoon.
CHINA OVERLAND TRAⱭE REPORT.
During the week-end several Europeans offered very unedifying spectacles. On the 21st inst. one, evidently a beachcomber, was seen lying on the pavement in front of a godown at Wanchai, fast asleep. On Sunday night and thinking he was in bed he took out his two another European chose the street for his couch, watches and placed them in the kerb. police are now looking for the owner of the watches.
The
week-end took place on Sunday night about The second fire in the Colony during the eleven o'clock in the top floor of the house 43 Gough Street. The flames, however, spread to the top floor of No. 45, and the superstructure of both houses was destroyed before the Fire Brigade arrived and extinguished the fire. The
outbreak was due to
a defective flue. The
inmates were drying firewood and the flames caught the flue and set fire to the house. The inmates got out of the house in time, but the damage to property is estimated at $2,000, most of which is believed to be covered by insurance.
We learn that Mr Chau Siu Ki was nominated by H.E. the Governor for the seat on the Sanitary Board vacated by the retirement of r. Fang Wa Chun. Mr. Chau, while appreciating office as his business affairs make such demands the honour, found it impossible to accept the
Chinese shipping companies and land companies upon his time. He is the director of several and is greatly interested in the University undertaking, having devoted a considerable amount of his time to this work and making several trips to Canton in furtherance of the scheme.
An interesting prosecution took place before Mr Kemp at the Magistracy on Mar. 21th. Sam Chak Yee who is not without means, took his servant with him to Canton and when they returned yesterday he, it was alleged, sent the boy ashore first with a jar which was supposed to be cakes and told him to go to the house and have his food prepared for him. The Opium Farmer's staff however had a look at the jar and found that it contained opium. The man disavowed all knowledge of the boy, and the Magistrate said he could not convict on uncorroborated evidence and the defendant was discharged.
The many friends of Mr. James Rankin, C.P.R. agent in Kobe. (who was for some time in the Hongkong Office) will be interested to hear of his marriage at St. Giles' Cathedral. Edinburgh, to Miss Jessie Noel Clouston, third daughter of the late Dr. Charles T. louston. Mr. Edwards, of Peking, according to a home paper, was best man. We believe this is Mr. F. W. dwards, of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Co's service, an old resident of Hongkong, who, by the way, is now returning on the Hakata-maru after a year's holiday, to take up his duties at Peking. Dr. J. B. Fowler and Dr. Kilpatrick, both well known in Kobe and Mr. Cameron, formerly of Kobe, were among those present at the ceremony.
THE PRATAS ISLANDS.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT).
555
March 18th.
32
HOW THE OPIUM LAW IS ENFORCED. It is an open secret that opiam can be bought at almost any prepared opium shop in the City without the production of a license. After all. the talk about earnestness in putting the evil down, this state of affairs is simply scandalous. Somebody is making a good "squeeze in the opium business or there must be a sad lack of energy displayed by those entrusted with the duty of seeing that all the opium decrees are enforced. One wonders what the police are have repeatedly received doing, as they stringent orders to arrest and punish all offenders.
Thenew wooden licenses were taken out by only a few of the lower classes who obeyed the letter of the law. The middle and upper classes are indulging in their daily smoke with impunity.
The public opium divans have been closed, it is true, but clandestine smoking of opium opium laws are ignored. among all classes is still in full swing, and the What is the use of Authorities show such leniency in the application holding Opium onferences if the Chinese of the so-called stringent laws for the suppression of opium smoking?
BRAWL AT THE HO-NAM THEATRE, During the perfomance on Wednesday even- ing it is reported that a party of petty officers tried to get into the theatre without tickets. A quarrel ensued which soon degenerated into a free fight. Pandemonium reigned for a while and the theatre was closed. fighters were severely injured and during the Over 20 of the
panic that prevailed many of the crowd seek- ing for rapid exit received minor injuries. Women were trod upon and their clothes torn The Police were powerless and were the first to clear out on finding that they were out-numbered. The Theatre owners are reluctant to employ a police guard to prevent disturbance at the theatres here, as the latter usually take advantage of the situation by filling the stalls with their comrades and friends who naturally pay nothing to get in, at any rate to the theatre
owners.
CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY.
Minister Tai Hung Chi and the high Cantonese officials in Peking have called on the 72 Trades Guild and the Charitable Institutions here to inform them that there must be a Government Bureau in Canton for superin- tending railway affairs and to pursuade them to accept the situation. The telegram states that this kind of supervision is exercised in all foreign countries
This the shareholders of the Company will no doubt accept, on the condition however that the Bureau will not interfere with the working of the Company, as 'the merchants and the "Railway Board of Directors appear to be quite
Exemplary sentences were imposed at the Magistracy on Mar. 26 on two natives, who were THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND able to manage their own affairs, without the charged with assaulting a coppersmith and obstructing P. C. Taylor in the execution of his duty. One was committed to prison for twelve month's hard labour and ordered to be exposed in the stocks for three hours, the other being ordered to prison for six months and a like exposure in the stocks.
EC
A Chinese correspondent writes to us with reference to the delay in filling up the vacancy on the Sanitary Board Although Mr. Lau Chu Pak has agreed to serve again," says the writer, yet he has said that he is now very busy and will be absent very often; therefore whoever is to be his colleague on the Board must have ability to speak out clearly for us, and not allow bad laws to pass which will give us trouble."
Mr. J. H. Scott, senior partner of the firm of Messrs Butterfield and Swire, left for England on Mar. 20th by the P. and O.steamer Macedonia. The progress of the launch conveying Mr. and Mrs. Scott across the harbour to the liner was marked by a fusilade of crackers, while the China Navigation Company's steamer Tean (Captain A. W. Outerbridge) which was moored in the stream opposite the Ferry Wharf was dressed and had suspended between the masts in large letters the words Bon voyage.
assistance of the officials. The Bureau's only duty is to see that the merchants carry out the official telegram in the Japanese language on the agreement, and also to give every assistance The Japanese Consul on Mar. 23rd received an undertaking according to the terms of the subject of the Pratas Islands reported in the possible that may be required, for instance, Chinese press to have been "seized by Japan." in the buying of land, furnishing guards etc, The English version of the telegram as translated | etc. It is evident that its functions must be by Mr. T. Matsuda, who represents in Hong-restricted to such matters; if the Bureaul is main- kong the Tokyo Independent newsagency, is as follows:-
The Imperial Japanese Government has hitherto supposed the Pratas Islands to belong to no particular country, and had never re- cognized it as a part of the Japanese Empire. This being the case, if it can be shown that the Island belongs to China, the Japanese Govern- ment will not hesitate to recognize Chinese sover. eignty over the Island. In that case, however, due protection by the Chinese Government is evidently required for those Japanese who com- menced their pursuits there bona-fide, in the belief that de facto no Power exercised sovereignty. The Imperial Japanese Government has a few days ago given the necessary instructions to the Minister and Consuls in China with a view, in communicating the above opinion to the Chinese Government, to reaching a fair settlement of the matter.
tained, in no case will it be allowed to interfere with the management of the Company's affairs. MISCELLANEOUS,
Circulars have been distributed by the Self- Government Society convening a meeting for the purposes of discussing the following subjects:-
1. To obtain evidence and get witnesses to prove the former Macao boundary.
2. To discuss the situation of the Chinese who are said to be ill-treated in Java.
The Board of War in Peking has directed the local Authorities here to go into the question of the delimitation of Chinese waters around the Province of Kwangtung and to draw up a map for same as soon as possible.
Comm. Z. H. Volpicelli, Consul-General for Italy in South China, has arrived here and will call on Admiral Li Tsun this afternoon to discuss some important matters.