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450
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
On Sunday a launch collided with a cargo boat near Yaumati, and the Chinese craft was capsized, the occupants being thrown into the water. One of the crew is reported missing.
The Gazette notifies that the Colonial Auxi- liary Forces Long Service medal has been granted to Co. Sergeant Major B. W. Grey and Bombadier H. E. Craddock of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps.
Commodore and Mrs Lyon were At Home' on the Tamar on the 27th inst. A large number of residents were present and spent an enjoyable time. The Band of the Buffs had been kindly lent for the occasion and the pleasures of the occasion included dancing, and ladies' rifle shooting contests.
It does not often happen that money is an obstruction. Yet it was so on May 27 when it delayed two trams in Des Voeux Road Central. A truck with a large basket containing half dollar and dollar pieces stuck in the tramway ronte and a number of bags had to be lifted off before the truck could be moved. One of the bags burst and the silver stream excited the envy of a large crowd.
They can make ships at the docks, but they cannot sharpen axes, This was the opinion of a coolie who appeared before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy charged with the larceny of a pick-axe from the Quarry Bay shipyard yes- terday The defendant told his Worship that he took the axe away to sharpen it, but as the magistrate did not believe the story he sentenced the defendant to six weeks' imprisonment and six hours' stocks.
During the three days ended noon on May 25th five cases of plague were reported from various parts of the Colony. The return of the num- ber of cases of communicable disease for the week ended the 22nd May shows 13 cases of plague, of which 11 were fatal; 4 non-fatal cases of enteric fever (two being Europeans); 5 cases of small-pox (4 being Chinese and one Japanese). Three of the small.pox cases proved fatal.
Before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on May 25,han Lau Fong, assistant manager of the Kui Tai Bank, Wing Lok Street, was charged with stealing or embezzling $3,600. Mr. Davidson (of Messrs. Hastings and Hus. tings) prosecuted. and Mr. Leo d'Almada e Castro (Messrs. Goldring, Barlow and Morrell) represented the defendant. The case was re- manded until to-day week, bail being allowed in in the sum of $5,000.
A novel defence was submitted by a Chinese at the Magistracy on May 22nd. In answer to a charge of stealing a live fowl, which, it was stated he picked up in the street at West Point and slipped under his jacket, he told his Worship that the fowl was in his way, and he picked it up to avoid treading on it and injuring it. Hazeland, however, failed to appreciate such a kindly nature, and sent the man to prison for three weeks, and ordered him to be exposed in the stocks for six hours.
Mr.
Gunner Pidgeon, of the R.G.A., appeared before Mr. Kemp at the Magistracy on May 25 charged with refusing to pay his tram fare. De- fendant, who said he wished to proceed to Lyemun, took a car to the terminus at Causeway Bay. There, he was told by the conductor to take another car, but declined to do so. Instead, he returned to the city, but declined to pay another five cent fare. Mr. Glendenning handed him over to the Police at No. 2 Station, and on appearing before the Court yesteday he was ordered to pay a fine of $5.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on May 27th in the Council
Chamber.
The following were present:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD K.C.M.G., C.B,, D.SO.
[May 29, 1909.
leave the notice with the tenant. He should serve it upon the owner or his authorised agent. The CULONIAL SECRETARY-It must be served on the owner, if it concerns the owner.
The ACTING ATT REY-GENERAL--Or his authorised agent, and where they cannot be I think that covers the found, on the tenant. point.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT That meets my objection.
Hon. Mr. GRESSON-I was under the impres- sion that all notices were delivered by re- H. E. COLONEL DARLING, R.E. (Generalgistered letter. There was to be no question of Officer Commanding).
serving on the premises at all.
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G., (Colonial Secretary).
Sir HENRY BERKELEY, K.C., (Acting At- torney-General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON(Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Mr. P. N. H. JONES (Acting Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Capt. Superinten- dent of Police).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, K.C., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT.
Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE.
Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, C.M.G. Mr. C. CLEMENTI (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers: Minute on the Peak Tramway by the Superintendent of the Botanical and Afforestation Department, and Report by the Director of the Observatory for the year 19.8.
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY brought up the report of the Finance Committee (No. 4) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was agreed to.
APPROPRIATION BILL.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $512,200.34 to defray the charges of the year 1908.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was agreed to
The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved that the bill be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was agreed to.
CIVIL PROCEDURE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT,
The ACTING ATTORNEY GENER L moved the third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordin- ance to amend the Code of Civil Procedure.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the bill was read a third time and passed. PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS ORDINANCE
AMENDMENT.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved
that the Council resolve itself into committee to further consider the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903-1908.
motion was agreed to.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the
The ACTING
ATTORNEY-GENERAL-The Bill was left in committee to further consider clause 235 which has reference to the method of
serving notices. That clause is now before the
committee.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-The point raised, your Excellency, was that notices should not be On May 24 the remains of Mrs. Pearce, wife of served on the owner. I am not quite sure the Rev. T. W. Pearce, of the London Mission whether that is provided in this clause as it Society, were interred in the Colonial Cemetery, stands at present. It speaks alternatively of amid manifestations of regret and sympathy. notices being served on the tenant. The point By a melancholy coincidence yesterday was the we want to make quite clear is that if the anniversary of the wedding of the deceased owner or his authorised agent are in the colony lady, and what adds to the poignancy of the either of them should be served if necessary by grief of the husband and family is that they a registered letter. Only in the last extremity had all arranged to sail for home yesterday should the notice be served on the tenant, that after a long period of residence here. The is failing knowledge of the whereabouts of the attendance at the funeral included His Lordship owner or his agent. It is a legal matter and I the Bishop of Victoria, the Rev. C. H. Hickling, am not quite sure if that is arranged for in this the Rev. F. T. Johnson and a large number of | clause. the converts of the London Mission Society. The Rev. H. R. Wells conducted the burial service, being assisted by three native preachers of the Mission.
The ACTING
ATTORNEY-GENEBAL-The
point is covered by this clause.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-It does not authorise the Inspector or whoever it may be to merely
]
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-It is only to be served on the premises in the event of the owner or authorised agent not being resident in the colony.
HIS EXCELLENCY-If the address is not known you cannot serve by letter.
Hon. Mr, GRESSON-I thought it was agreed that in order to avoid any mistake the service should be by registered letter.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-It is provided that the notice to be given the owner or his agent is to be left at his place of business or residence within the colony, and if it is not known then it is to be served at his last known address.
Hon Mr. GRESSON-If you leave a notice It does not follow anybody may accept it. that it will receive attention. If it goes by registered letter it will be signed for by somebody in authority.
་་
The COLONIAL TREASURER-Not necessarily. The addressee may refuse to take delivery. The man may say I will not take it. Take it away.
HIS EXCELLENCY- But it would have been legally served.
-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY--Quite so. Hon. Mr. GRESSON-I do not press the point. The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I move that the clause stand part of the bill.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was agreed to.
On Council resuming.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL, with the permission of the Council, moved that the bill be read a third time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the bill was read a third time and passed.
PEAK TRAMWAY ORDINANCE. The ACTING Attorney-GENERAL said he did not propose to proceed with the next order of the day, the motion that Council go into com- mittee on the Bill entitled an Ordinance for authorising the construction of a tramway within the colony of Hongkong. It will stand over.
Council stands EXCELLENCY-The HIS adjourned until further notice.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the Colonial Secretary presiding. The following vote was passed.
APPROPRIATION BILL.
"
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-On page 9, the last Indian Police remittances entry but one, $11,000 over the estimate. The explanation is more remitters and lower exchange." Does that mean that the Government remit the money for the Indian police at a fixed rate of exchange, and take the loss themselves?
The CHAIRMAN-Yes, the police have the privilege of remitting half of their pay at the privileged rate of 44 cents to the rupee. The Government bears the loss on exchange. That is a condition of the service of the Indian police
Hon. Mr. HEWETT—And therefore the lower and the more favourable the rate of exchange the more they remit.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Then on page 10-other I think, miscellaneous services-$57,000 odd. Sir, that all those items are so absolutely unlike, that that amount should be divided up, and we ought to be shown how much comes under each I do not think such a large sum ought item. to be lumped together.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-- My hon, friend on the right will know already that the vote of 14,791 has nothing whatever to do with the loss on exchange. That leaves about $23,000 to be accounted for by the loss *on exchange which could be only ascertained when the accounts were made up in March last.