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ment. But it is only a question of time and development before the national institution wins the entire monopoly, and that this result is destined tothe accomplished without resort to compulsory measures is eloquent testimony to the efficiency and reliability of the service."
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Typhoon talk and typhoon preparations des- cended on us rather early this year. It is remarkable that the signals should have been hoisted in the merry month of June, but for Reminiscences of September, 1906, were on tap, tunately the dread visitor. did not come our way.
however.
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Tired of waiting for supplies from India, the Sanitary Department have started breeding their own cats. I have much pleasure in con. gratulating the Sanitary Board office cat which, I am informed, used to make itself at home on The cause célibre is practically concluded the journalistic bench, on giving birth to The case which has occupied the time of triplats. I am also pleased to be able to state our two judges for nine days, which has that mother and little ones are tloing well. It is filled more columns in the newspapers than to be hoped that noenergetic member of the Board any recent happening, and which has pro-will ask any awkward questions, such as: vided abundant food for gossip. is almost the increase on the cat staff been authorised? If at an
end only the decision to be given. so, by whom? Has the Government given authority Whatever happens, we can't get away from the feeling of regret that it should have been brought into court and given the publicity that it bas. The effect is unfortunate from the point of view of the white population,
The words "white population bring to mind the ever present difficulty of employing terms and names which will describe the non-Chinese who, for better or worse, have made their home in the East and have assisted to develop trade in this part of the world. The members of the Legislative Council wrestled with the problem on Thursday, but, after a short bout, they had to admit themselves beaten and fall back on a word which is neither descriptive nor comprehensive, but which has the sanction
of "olo custom."
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I don't know that I can assist towards a solution of the difficulty, but I may be permitted to comment on some of the sug gestions made at the meeting. Obviously the word European is not the best to describe what is intended. Occidental is perhaps more comprehensive and therefore more correct, but it does not come so trippingly off the tongue, though I can imagine it would not apply to Australians, New Zealanders or South Africans. Sir Henry Berkeley sought to justify the word "European, even when applied to Americans, by stating that the Americans came from Europe, but Sir Henry forgets the large proportion of the population of that large country who came from a different continent entirely. To describe them as European would be absurd. It has always seemed to me that to apply the word European where an American is concerned is practically as insult ing as to refer to a Scotsman as an Englishman.
C
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It is all very well to talk of descent, to say that children born here of European parents are not Chinese, but that cannot hold good for centuries. If that were so some of us from
Britain might still have to describe ourselves as Angles, Jutes, Daues, Norseman. Nor. mans, or Britons (the ancient type), because, according to the theory enunciated, race or nationality persists for quite a long time. But history does not bear this out. The grandfather of Robert the Bruce was a Norman baron, but who would dare to suggest that - Scotia's hero was other than a Scotsman? More modern is the case of the House of Hanover, George the First of Britain was a German. was his son. Not so George the Third. It was his proud boast when he opened his first Parliament that he was born a Briton. While I am prepared to admit that children born in Hongkong of European parents are. European, I don't know how far it would be true to say that their children's children are entitled to be known as European.
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YO
In this connection I quote the following story from a home paper: Miss Haldane (sister of the Secretary for War) mentioned at the meeting of the iberal Social Council that she had been doing her best of late to entertain some German visitors. In the case of one gentleman whom she addressed in her best German she was rather surprised to find he was not of the nationality she had imagined, for turning to her, he said, "I am a Scotchman, and my name's Thomson."
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Has
to the cat without first consulting the Board? Are they (the cat and catlets) washed regularly by or with" Jeyes." Have the expenses that will accrue been provided for in next year's estimates? If, in view of the proposed scheme of retrenchment, the Board recommend that the cat be reprimanded for being the cause of extra expense at a time when economy is being preached from every departmental pulpit? Are the Board to be allowed the privilege of ex- hibiting the family at the forthcoming show, and if so are they all entitled to a share of the prize? The office. boy suggests razzle-dazzle or poker dice for the lot.
ધ્ર
The furore occasioned at home over the French dressmaker by the wife of the Prime alleged preferential treatment accorded
Minister, reminds me that there is a pushful person from La belle France who is attempting business in quite a new direction in Hongkong. The lady carries a lot of lace-for sale, not merely for show and on obtaining the entrie to a house she not only fascinates the lady of the house with her display but throws a spell on her, as it were, by the names of those in la hautesociet/ with which she conjures. Of course, they have all bought elaborate costumes at fancy prices. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Hongkongites have already tumbled to her little ruse, and madame will try pastures this.
have no doubt that new when she realises
RODERICK RANDOM,
HONGKONG.
On Monday afternoon a passenger on the Yaumati ferryboat jumped overboard and was drowned.
Articles reported lost to the police aggregated last year the value of $19.043. The articles recovered were valued at $6,898.58.
A letter dated the 9th inst. from London via the Siberian route was delivered last week in
Hongkong, 20 days in transit.
Mr. A. Seth, who has recently retired from the office of Registrar of the Supreme Court, leaves for a holiday at home to-day.
The Douglas teamship Co. announces a reduction of 20 per cent. on first class fares to Foochow during the months of July, August and September.
Eighteen deportees from the Dutch East Indies, who arrived here a week ago, are still in the colony, as instructions have not been received as to where they are to be sent.
One of the partners of the Sun Wo carpenter shop in Hing Looug Street reports that between the 1st May and the 28th June the accountant collected $500 due to the firm from different shops and absconded.
A Chinese woman, who travelled from Hoihow to Hongkong on the steamer Carl Diederichsen, informs the police here that on the way she was robbed of $242. which represented all her savings at Hoihow for a number of years.
Early on June 25th an Indian constable found a man lying in Des Voeux Road with a fractured thigh and & broken jaw bone. He told the constable that he had been attacked by six men with iron bars, but when taken to the Central Police Station he admitted that his injuries had been received by attempting to climb a down pipe.
July 5, 1909.]
For damaging a beacon light near Yanmati by running his junk into it. Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on June 25 or lered a seaman to pay $145, the estimated amount of the damage.
Bill which has been before the Legislative The Peak Tramway Ordinance is dead. The
onucil for some time to authorise the con-
1st inst.. withdrawn. struction of a tramway to the Peak was on the
By the Stamp Ordinance which passed its second reading and went through the committee stage at the Legislative Council yesterday it will be necessary after the first of January next to affix a five cent stamp to all receipts for amounts over ten dollars.
Mr. S. A. Seth, secretary of the Dairy Barm "Hirano Company. left for home by the handsome dressing case and other articles pre- Maru. On Wednesday he was the recipient of a
treasurer to the Victoria Recreation Club. sented in recognition of his valuable services as
356, Queen's Road Central, has informed the The manager of the Kwong Wo Loong firm, police that he has received private telegrams from Shanghai intimating that a man named Ng Pak Tong has embezzled $43,000 and absconded. He suspects that the man has come to Hongkong.
Sunday's news from Maca was that the rickshaw strike at Macao is still maintained, to the great inconvenience of the general public. Our Macao correspondent mentions that, by inadvertence, he wrote that, the licence fee, charged rickshaws was $30 per quarter; it it should have been per annum.
Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on July 1st investigated a charge of murder preferred against a hinese from Yauma i. It appeared that a fortnight ago a quarrel took place at a brothel at Yaumati and one man was stabbed in the hip. He went away without complaint, but a few days later he died from blood poisoning and the man who inflicted the wound was ar- rested and charged.
According to the report of the Captain Superintendent of Police, there was a decrease in the number of cases reported to the police last year as compared with the previous year. There was, however, an increase in the number of murders, robberies, larcenies from the dwell- ing, and kidnapping cases, but fortunately this still leaves a decrease of 64 in the number of serious offences.
Comment has often been made of the facilities to thieves afforded by the water pipes in front of Houses. Another instance was reported on June 3 th when a man was sentenced to six weeks' hard labour for stealing property valued at $50 from 13, Gage Street. He gained an entrance by means of the down water pipe, but in descend- ing he had the misfortune to fall to the ground and break his arm, so that he was an easy capture for the police.
The total revenue collected by the Harbour Departinent during the year was $357,768.52, as against $348,300.10 in the previous year, show- ing an increase of $9,468.42. There was a decrease of 3413.32 on light dues, and $4,638,11 in fees of court and office, but licences and internal revenue showed the substantial increase of $14,471.65, while there was an increase of $48.20 on miscellaneous receipts.
An abnormality was taken to the Tungwah born infant with two heads. The heads were Hospital on June 26th, in the shape of a newly. joined together on one body, but each head had mouth, nose and a pair of eyes. There was only one pair of ears, however, one being on the side of each head. The child, which was given birth to by a Chinese mother, is dead.
At the Magistracy on July 1st a Chinese formerly in the employ of Mr. S. B. Ross, in the New Territory, was committed to prison on two charges of obtaining money by false pre- tences. The second charge was that he went to the sisters of the houseboy employed by Mr. J. R. Wood and stated that he had been arrested for gambling and that money was needed to have him liberated on bail. One sister having no money gave him three gold rings. Prisoner was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on each charge and also to be exposed in the stocks for six hours.