80
MR. SHELTON HOOPER ROBBED:
While Mr. and Mrs. Shelton Hooper were entertaining the Chief Justice at dinner on Monday night, a little diversion was created by the capture of a thief in Mrs. Hooper's bed- room. In the course of the dinner the houseboy was sent on an errand to the bedroom, and shortly after his despatch a scream was heard from that quarter. Mr. Hooper hastened to the spot to learn the cause of the outcry, and seeing his houseboy struggling with a strange Chinese went to his assistance. The thief was overcome, a constable was called, and the intruder was taken to the Central Police Station. At that time nothing was missed from the bedroom, but Mr. Hooper subsequently discovered that the con- tents of the jewel box had been turned out, and that a lady's gold watch chain was missing. After a search of the room the missing article was found near the spot where the houseboy and the thief had been struggling. The intruder was charged before Mr. F. . Hazeland at the Magistracy yesterday with being on the pre- mises with intent to commit a felony, and with the larceny of the watch chain, and Mr. Hooper informed his Worship that last week he had engaged the defendant to wait at dinner; con- sequently he knew the run of the house. The defendant told the Court that he went to look
for Mr. Hooper's cook. He was in the boys quarters when Mr. Hooper called him into the bedroom and then gave him in charge. On the first count his Worship sentenced the defendant to three months' imprisonment, and on the second to three months' imprisonment and six hours' stocks.
AN INTERESTING STORY.
OFFERING TO SELL STOLEN GOODS TO THEIR OWNER.
At the Magistracy on July 20 before Mr. J. R. Wood two Chinese named Lenng Hok and Lai On were charged with receiving four pieces of white serge which they knew had been felo- niously stolen from the Tak Cheong firm.
Mr. H. L. Dennys, sen.. appeared for the complainant, Tak Cheong, and Mr. Crowther Smith appeared for the defendant, Lai On.
The evidence of Ho Wing, a partner in the Tak Cheong firm, was that on May 20th he took delivery of a case invoiced as con- taining five rolls of white serge, four bearing the same numbers as the roll produced in Court. The case, was not opened at the time, but put into the godown as received. Witness on the 15th inst, went into the Hop Wa shop and was asked to purchase four rolls of serge. As the serge was a kind which he believed was only
imported by the Tak Cheong firm he " put them off" and went to his godown to see if it had been stolen. He found that the case had gone. Then he went back
to the Hop Wa shop and said he should want a receipt from the owner. The defendant Lai On came and produced a receipt chopped with the defendant Leung Hok's Chop. He was then arrested.
Cross-examined by Mr. Crowther Smith, witness said he did not know how the case could have been taken out as the godown had not been broken into, and the key was hung in the manager's room.
Evidence was also given by one of the com- plainant's shop coolies, and by a Chinese youth living at the Hop Wa shop. The latter deposed that Lai On brought two of the rolls to the shop and Leung Hok brought the other two a little
later.
Prisoners were remanded until Wednesday afternoon, the 28th inst.
YACHTSMEN ENCOUNTER A
DERELICT.
While the Corinthian Yacht Club cruiser Lady Godiva, commanded by Mr. J. Spittles. was passing through the Lyeman Pass at the beginning of this week she picked up a derelict fishing junk from which she rescued three Chinese seamen. The yachtsmen immediately returned to the Club House with their prize,
and there landed the Chinese, whose wants were supplied before they were allowed to depart.
THE HONG KONG WEEKLÝ PRESS AND
QUARANTINE ON VESSELS FROM HONGKONG.
merce:-
Colonial Secretary's Office,
7th July, 1909.
[July 24, 1909.
sometimes have to wait an hour or two for the doctor, but the duration of his inspection is short. Should there be any really suspicious case on board the suspect would be removed and The following reply to their recent represen- tations has been received from the Govern- everything would be done with a view to obviat. ment by the Hongkong Chamber of Com-The restriction of trade extends to corpses, ing any unnecessary delay or inconvenience.
soil, plants with soil, old· rags and the like, and the probitition in the importa tion of such freight, while of the greatest affect but few, financially Hongkong, it is importance from a hygienic point to view, can true, has had to submit to this declaration for many years past and no doubt she is anxious to have it removed, but there is plague in Hong- kong and the number of cases is reported to be increasing. The fact that the number of cases is comparatively small may minimize the danger very much, especially in the eyes of Hongkong people, but to us a danger remains. Shanghai is entitled to take adequate precautions, but the suggestion that these restrictions are imposed against Hongkong merely as a matter of habit is entirely without foundation in. fact.
SIR, With reference to my letter No. 1563-909 of the 5th instant I am directed to inform you that I am in receipt of a telegram from the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements dated the 6th instaut expressing regret that at present the quarantine against Hongkong at Singapore cannot be reduced. I
am, ke..
C. CLEMENTI,
for Colonial Secretary. P. S.-Since writing above I have received enclosed telegram from His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai.
The Secretary,
Chamber of Commerce.
Enclosure.
Your telegram of 5th July. Quarantine consists of inspection of vessel lasting for in no case more than one hour.
Quarantine Authorities consider inadvisable to reduce this slight precaution as long as cases of plague reported at Hongkong.
WARREN.
The following reply was sent to the Govern- ment :-
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce,
8th July, 1909. SIR.I have the honour to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of your letter of 7th instant (No. 1563/1909.
My Committee learn therefrom that the Government of Singapore are unable to reduce, at present, the period of quarantine against
that Hongkong, and
with Shanghai, His Britannic Majesty's Consul reference to
General states, in his telegraphic reply, that the quarantine imposed at the port is only a matter
of an hour.
good enough to convey to His Excellency My Committee desire me to ask you to be the Governor their appreciation of the prompt action taken by him. have, &c.,
E. A. M. WILLIAMS,
Secretary.
Hon. Mr. A. M. Thomson,
Colonial Secretary.
B
say
The N.-C. Daily News says:-The quarantine regulations imposed against Hongkong by Shanghai, Singapore and other ports
in the Far East have this
year caused great outery in the Crown Colony, presumably because it has not experienced an epidemic of plague. The Hongkong Chamber of Commerce recently requested the Governor to communicate the facts to the authorities in Shanghai and Singapore, and Sir Frederick Lugard has made telegraphic representations requesting that the restrictions be at once removed. Shanghai has been very fortunate in escaping plague; but it would be difficult to put one's finger on any definite precaution which has been taken, and that it was due to the taking of this step that Shanghai was not visited by this dreadful scourge. Credit must be given to the system of precau. tions that has been enforced. This year we, were threatened with an outbreak of plague from infected rats; but thanks to the vigilance of Dr. Stanley and the preventive measures followed by the Health Department under his direction we are holding our clean record. But it would be quite useless for the Municipal Council to spend money and its servants much valuable time and energy in taking all steps in their power to prevent an outbreak of plague if the Harbour authorities did not co-operate with them and try to prevent its importation. The restrictions placed on shipping are the least that can be expected in the circumstances and are, we believe, less severs than those imposed by other ports. It is difficult to see how great incon- renience and loss are annuaily endured by Hong- kong shipping owing to the quarantine regula tions at this port. No iritating restrictions are enforced; one never hears of a ship, perhaps with European passengers on board, being detained for one or two weeks. The ressel may
TYPHOON ALARMS.
Own
Typhoon alarms descended on the colony. again on July 19 About noon the black cone, point downwards, was hoisted indicating & typhoon to the south of Hongkong, and it was not long before the small craft began to act on the warning. Sampans and junks were seen making their way to shelter, but on this occa- sion a larger number than usual seemed indisposed to rely од their
efforts and sought the assistance of steam launches. One launch
noticed with fully half a hundred junks and sampans in tow and some
of the others had almost By night the large a number.
green, green lights were exhibited. indicating a typhoon to the south-west, within Yesterday the signals were again hoisted, 300 miles of the Colony.
was
Was
BS red
OPIUM CULTIVATION IN YUNNAN.
Mr. A. Rose, the acting British Consul at Tangyueh, writes in his annual report :-
Following the Imperial edicts from Peking, a Viceregal proclamation was issued in July, 1908, at Yunnanfu, forbidding the cultivation of the poppy, and its terms were enforced by a rigid uprooting of the crop in such places as were sufficiently exposed to attract the notice of the inspecting officers. More than half the arable land of the district is reported to have been under poppy cultivation, producing crops which yielded from 300 to 400 per cent. profit. Farmers are now anxiously inquiring what can be produced on the vacant ground which will provide money to buy imports from abroad.
MANILA AND CHOLERA.
In spite of the efforts that have been and are being made by the Bureau of Health to stay the spread of cholera in the provinces, says the Cablenews American, the disease is slowly but surely spreading, and latest reports show that it has invaded new territory and in some cases has already secured many victims.
The report for the 13th shows six provinces and 20 pueblos infected, with a return of 166 cases and 94 deaths as compared with 46 cases on the 12th and 114 on the 11th.
No cases or deaths were reported in the city of Manila and nc suspects, although the police and the sanitary inspectors of the Bureau of Health were on the lookout all day on the 13th inst, and the afternoon of the previons day for any cases of suspicious sickness.
Unannounced, but armed with the authority of the director of health, 150 sanitary inspectors, aided when needed by the police, began a house to house inspection of every dwelling in the city of Manila in order to ascertain the exact health conditions of the dwellings and their occupants. The search developed several houses that needed attention but no case of suspicious death or disease.
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