護
May 15, 1909.]
NOTES FROM JAPAN.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT].
Tokyo, April 30th. SUGAR COMPANY SCANDAL AND LEGAT. PROCEDURE.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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be equally naire. He recommended Dr. Sakawa director of the Government Bureau of Agricul, ture, as president of the company knowing that Dr. Sakawa had no experience business and was not suited to the post. The Baron admits that he did not know the directors, Mossrs Isomara and Akiyama, well (now in prison and alleged to be the arch evil-doers). Int put great trust in certain officers who were exports in figures, These frank admissions, of course, reflect credit in the Baren, but they are not likely to consolt shareholders. The veteran business man'e offence has been the common one among advisers and auditors of not doing his duty, and for thas the shareholders must suffer. The final result of the meeting was that now shareholders were elected. Baron Shibusawa retaining the past of advisor. 1 present there are twenty-six persons, directors and other officials of the company, and members of Parliament, in Tokyo Prison await ing trial in connection with the frauds. The arrested members of the Diet are charged with accepting bribes from the directors, the object | of the latter being the nationalisation of an industry of which an almost ruined
company was the head.
FOREIGN CAPITAL.
The causes of the failure of the Dai Nippon Seito Kaisha continue to occupy a great deal of the public attention, and the subject is the text of most homilies nowadays addressed to business į men. The exposure of the corruption existing i among the directorate of the company and the action of the legal authorities are held to be blessings in disguise, but the good effects of the exposure cannot he said to be realised to the full until the guilty parties have been punished by the law and are behind prison bars, Before this can happen it is possible that three courts will have to pass judgment on the offenders, the court of first instance. the court of appeal, and the final court of appeal, namely, the Court of Cassation. And it is evident that unless the Government determines to expedite the trial of those charged the case will drag on for years. Under the normal procedure of the courts the defendants would be able, quite The natural effects of the exposure of the legally, to so delay hearings and amplify the Dai Nippon Sugar Co, and others, including the mass of evidence that the final judgment of the Dai Nippon Suisan or Marine Products Co. (in highest court could not be obtained for many connection with which a lientcmant-general is years. The defects of Japanese legal procedure under a clond will be to greatly handicap in this respect are too well known, and are often Japanese companies in their efforts 10 referred to in cases in which foreigners are in-
obtain foreign capital. Difficulties in this volved. But the Japanese suffer equally from a connetion have already len experienced bad system. There is at present a case dragging by the Osaka Shosen Kaisha which having failed on in the Tokyo courts in which both parties are to raese a foreign loan, has concluded an arrange. Japanese, the plaintiff a minister of state and menit with Tokyo and Osaka banks for two the defendant an ordinary citizen: The minis- millions at an interest which works out at the ter claims a portion of the citizen's land, main- exorbitant rate of 2.2 per cent., with the com- taining that the latter's boundaries encroachpany's ships pledged as security. The Keilin upon his own land adjoining. This boundary dispute began in September last. The citizen has put in as evidence a copy of the document of the measurement and registration of his land kept in the city archives, so that legally his claim to the land would appear to be acknowledged by documents duly signed and sealed. Surveyors and judges have paid several visits to the property and there have been several hearings and post- ponements on pretexts suggesting that everyone concerned has an enormous amount of time to waste. A few weeks ago. however, the judge in charge of the case was promoted to another district, and according to law the new judge has to go over the whole case again. hear all the evidence and resurvey the land. The case is
now, after seven months, as far advanced as it was in September, and whichever way judgment goes the losing party will probably appeal. If both sides are determined we
may kok for the final settlement of this case at about the time of the Grand Exhibition, when the loser will be involved in ruinous costs, which both sides are at present paying as they go along. Such being the normal course of legal procedure in Japan. it seems premature to talk about the good moral effects of the determined prosecution by the Government of those responsible for the failure the sugar company. They are not yet punished.
PRESENT POSITION OF THE COMPANY.
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matter before the Japanese authorities next year when the treaties are revised. It is to be hoped this revision will finally remove a cause of dispute between the Japanese municipal anthorities and foreigners that has been a thorn in the sides of both parties for years past.
THE BRITISH NAVAL VISIT.
learned that
Quite unexpectedly the foreign' public here elaborate entertainments were being planned in honour of Admiral the Hon. Hedworth Lambton's Squadron, which arrived at Yokohama yesterday for a prolonged stay. The weather is at present bad, rain every day, and squally, but as soon as it breaks up we may expect to see groups of healthy-looking tars in the streets and tramcars. It does one good to see these men! Strong and lusty, they infect everybody with good humour, but no one so keenly enjoys the jaunt ashore themselves. If we do not have good weather as they the pleasure not only of the sailors but of the people of Japan in these parts will be greatly marred.
THE UNWRITTEN LAW.
HUSBAND EXONERATED FOR SHOOTING
HIS WIFE.
Crowds filled the Criminal Court at Saigon on April 22, when elestin Massol, an engineer, a native of Marseilles, was placed in the dock on the charge of murdering his wife on board the mail steamer Salazie. The facts brought out, as stated in Saigon papers, showed that in Jann ary last. Mossol left Marseilles for Saigon with his wife, who was only 20 years of age, and a baby three months old. At Colombo, a naval doctor bound for China came on board, and took the cabin next to that of the Massol family. Soou the passengers noticed that he was paying Electric Railway (Tokyo-Yokohama) has lately attentions to the young woman. but the doctor heen negotiating with foreigners for a loan. but
asserted that up to reaching Singapore, his it is reported that one of the conditions insisted relations with her went no further than squeez- upon by the financiers is that a foreigner shall being her hands at a chance meeting in a passage. included in the Keihin directorate. This is natur-
On the day before reaching Singapore, he hap- ally distasteful to Japanese company. The Tokyo Pond to see her as he was going into his cabin. Electrie Light Company (paid-up capital They both smiled, and she nodded and came to 17,260.000 Yen.) has been seeking to float a big meet him. The next day, on leaving Singapore, lean for a great water-power undertaking.he, on going to his cabin, met her at a stairway. With the nicety in figures that Japanese com-
She greeted him, and shortly afterwards he saw panies indulge in, it is estimated that when her entering his cabin. the waterpower works are completed the com- pany will be able to earn a dividend of 19.2 on its capital, but up to the present this statement has not convinced the foreigners who have been ap- proached. At a general meeting of shareholders held a day or two ago it was dicided to leave the matter in the hands of the directors and a decision will be come to in June.
FOREIGNERS AND LAND OWNERSHIP.
Closely connected with this question of foreign capital is the position of foreigners in respect to the ownership of land. The present attitude of the Japanese authorities in this matter is narrow and selfish, but public opinion is growing in favour of placing foreigners on exactly the same footing as the natives, and as soon as this is done we may be sure it will greatly facilitate the entry of much-needed foreign capital. A very important meeting was held last Monday in Yokohama by the foreign land-renters. when the chairman, Mr. H. V. Henson, said he understood that arrangements placing foreigners and Japanese on the same footing with regard to landownership are likely to be made in the new treaties. Treaty re- vision takes place next year, when there will probably be drastic changes. The object of this land-renters' meeting was to make a formal protest against the payment of certain matter, that
faxes on leased
property, a
since ever
DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY. At that hour, the husband went to his cabin to change, and at the door he heard his wife's voice in the doctor's cabin. He moved towards
it, and saw his wife leaving the cabin in a suspicions manner and going in the opposite direction. The husband rushed into the doctor's cabin, and spoke sharply to him. He then rushed out to find his wife, and found her in a long chair on the bridge, with the baby in her arms. At his call she followed him to their cabin, after giving the baby to the ayah. Hus- band and wife met in the cabin with the door closed. He made accusations against her which she at first denied, but afterwards admitted the
truth of some of the allegations, Upon hearing this the husband lost control of himself, and seized a revolver. His first thought was to shoot the doctor, who had meanwhile taken refuge in a friend's cabin. Unable to find him he returned to his cabin.
THE FATAL SHOTS.
He reproached his wife who commenced to utter mournful cries. Then came the report of a pistol. The wife, wounded in one shoulder, opened the door, and ran out, but fainted and fell. The husband came near and fired fonr
into the husband's character
The shares of the Dai Nippon are not now quoted on 'Change, but dealers continue transac- tions at prices ranging from 15 to 17 yen. A general meeting of the Company took place on Tuesday, when one of the shareholders attacked Baron Shibusawa, the adviser of the company, and said that when he invested his money in the concern he did so purely on the
shots into her head with fatal effect. The hus- strength of Baron Shibusawa's reputation.
band then made another fruitless search for the believing that the Baron would not connect
doctor, but was arrested and disarmed. En- himself with a company that was unsound and has been in dispute
made the quiries would know all that was going on. Admitting abolition of extraterritoriality and the begin showed that he is kind-hearted, good-tempered, the naive complaint of this shareholder. it is ning of the operation of the rerised treaties.genial, hardworking, and trustworthy. It came precisely on such grounds that Baron Shibusawa's As the Chairman said, a weighty matter of
out at the trial that the husband, on his conduct in associating himself with the sugar principle was at stake. The resolution of the marriage, knew that his wife had not led a and many other companies in the capacities of property leaseholders of Yokohama was con-
blameless life. The judge censured the accused adviser and auditor is open to severe criticism.ceived in no spirit of hostility to the Japanese for not looking after the deceased and for Some papers state that he is connected with no people or authorities, and it was emphasised that allowing her too much liberty on board, where less than forty companies in one capacity or the whole vexatious trouble had arisen through her behaviour aroused remark. Another point another, and while his name in any company's the loose manner in which the agreement was
made by the judge was that the wife neglected directorate carries great weight and proves a drawn up in the revised treaties by the Powers her baby on board. valuable asset to the company he cannot possibly concerned. The meeting was held with a view be of proper service to the company or a pro- to furnishing the foreigners diplomatic re tector of the shareholders, for which office he presentatives with their views on the question receives an annual fee. Baron Shibusawa's re- of leased property taxation, so that the Powers ply to the criticism of the shareholder seems to may be prepared to properly represent the
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The husband wept freely when questioned about the details of the crime. His counsel pleaded for him on the ground of gross pro- vocation, and argued that the crime was not done with malice aforethought, but was com
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