August 16, 1909.]
HONGKONG.
Constables Taylor (94), Grant (2). Lenaghan, (79) and John Ogg have been promoted to the rank of acting sergeant.
Brevet Major H. Findlay. East Kent Regi- ment, has been appointed Superintendent of the Detention Barracks at Hongkong.
The manager of the Belle View Hotel has reported to the police that the safe in his office was opened with a duplicate key and $200 extracted.
The King's exequatur empowering Mr. F. A Rublee to act as Consul-General of the United States at Hongkong has received his Majesty's
signature.
On Aug. 10 at the Magistracy a Japanese restaurant keeper in Pottinger Street was fined by Mr. Hazeland $250 for selling beer and saké without a licence.
A man and woman working in the fields at Pingchau in the New Territory quarrelled, and the man picking up a bamboo struck the woman on the leg, breaking the limb. She had to be taken to the hospital.
For contravening the Opium Ordinance and applying, a false trade description to a quantity of opium, Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug. 6 fined a native $100, the alternative being two months' imprisonment.
As many as eight pickpockets were arrested by the police a few days ago. One of the men, who was charged with returning from banish. ment, pleaded that his term had expired, and the case was adjourned for inquiries.
A family quarrel on Cheung Chau Island resulted in a riot, which was, however, quelled by the local police, who made six arrests. The men were placed before Mr. Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug. 9 and ordered to pay a fine of ten dollars each.
The body of Warder Cockes, of Victoria Jail. was found near the Cosmopolitan Dock at Sam- shaipo on Thursday, and was interred in the Happy Valley Cemetery yesterday afternoon. many of his brother warders and the police attending the funeral.
At a meeting of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace held at the Magistracy on the 10th inst. the application of R. Ekhardt for the transfer to him of the Cafe Weismann licence from C. Fiedler was granted. Nr. F. A Hazeland presided, the other Justices present being Messrs. J. R. Wood, C. D. Melbourne and R. H. A. Craig.
His Majesty the King has not been advised to exercise his power of disallowance with respect to Ordinance No. 6 of 1909, entitled- An Ordinance to amend the Law with respect to the liability of young persons to the death sentence; and Ordinance No. 7 of 1909, en- titled- An Ordinance to amend The Larceny Ordinance, 1865.
At the rooms of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong on the 7th instant Mr. G. E. Glover, a chargeman of boiler- makers at the Naval Yard, read an interesting and instructive paper on " Water Tube Boilers. A discussion followed and will be continued on Saturday week. Mr. J. Findlay Miller presided over the gathering.
The four Ningpo men who stabbed a man in a Yaumati boarding-house last month were brought before the Magistrate on Aug. 12. At one time it was thought that their victim, who was stabbed because he asked the men to make less noise as he wished to sleep, would succumb to his injuries, but he has now recovered. One man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, and the others were discharged.
An inquiry took place at the Magistracy on the 12 inst. into circumstances attending the death of a prisoner in Victoria Gaol who had died the same morning. Deceased, who had been committed to prison on the 21st May on a charge of bribery, was seen by an Indian warder at 5-30 in a very weak condition, and he had the man removed at once to the hospital, where he died on admission, Mr. Hazeland, sitting as coroner, conducted the inquiry, and after the jury had heard the evidence of Dr. Thomson, who was of opinion that death was due to acute pneumonia, they returned a verdict of death from natural causes.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The newly appointed Chinese Minister to Belgium, His Excellency Yeung Shu, arrived in the Colony on the 9th instant, tiffined with H.E. the Governor at Mountain Lodge," and was entertained at afternoon tea by members of the Chinese Club.
The Gazette announces that his Majesty the King has been pleased to approve of the ap- pointment of the Hon. Mr. P. N. H. Jones to be an official member of the Executive and Legislative Councils during the absence on leave of the Hon. Mr. Chatham.
The extract of meteorological observations July shows that the average maximum tem. made at the Observatory during the month of perature was 86.5 and the average minimum 78.2 degrees. The rainfall was 12.825 inches and there were 252 hours of sunshine.
On Aug. 9 was the anniversary of the coronation of King Edward, and the occasion was honoured in Hongkong. The Tamar (which has just come out of dock,) the American and Portuguese cruisers, and two Chinese cruisers, dressed ship, and a salute of 21 guns was tired from the land battery at noon.
The roof of the verandah of St. George's Hall collapsed on the 7th instant, fortunately without involving any loss of life. The beams and debris fell through to the floor, which did not give way under the great strain. It is believed that white ants are responsible for the collapse of the beams.
Early on the 7th instant a firo occurred in a jeweller's shop at No. 6, Bonham Strand. The fire brigade were promptly called, were early in attendance, and soon had the fire under control. The damage caused was slight. The insurance on the building was $4.00, the policies being of the South British, the Phoenix and Marine Fire Insurance Companies.
The police have been informed by Mr. Shar- man, storekeeper, residing at 7 Cook Street, Hunghom, that on the 21st July, while his boy was removing his effects from Kowloon Docks to the address given, the boy absconded with a bagle, with silver mouthpiece, value unknown, the property of the Eongkong Volunteer Corps.
Mr. R. H. Crofton, chief clerk in the Colonial Secretariat, on Monday gave his messenger boy ten dollars with which to pay a private bill. The messenger gave it to a coolio and told him to pay the bill. Instead he spent the money. before Mr. Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug. He was arrested and brought 11th and sentenced to two months' imprisonment and six hours in the stocks.
^n armed robbery took place near Kowloon four men, one armed with a chopper and the Tong on Tuesday night. About ten o'clock
others carrying torches, entered the dwelling house of a widow, and while one man pressed her to the ground the others tied her two daughters together Then they turned their attention to the contents of the house, and took away several
$23. articles of clothing and bangles to the value of
An inquiry took place at the Marine Court on the 11th inst.before Lieut. Beckwith, Acting collision between the steam launches Lee To Harbour Master, into the circumstances of the
and Lee Yee, which took place off West Point on the 26th July, whereby the latter launch was sunk. The Court found that the collision was caused by the wrongful act of the coxswain of the Lee To in altering his course and in giving a wrong signal. The Court ordered that his certificate be suspended for six months and that he then undergo a further examination.
Returns of the average amount of bank notes in circulation and of specie in reserve in Hong. kong, during the month ended 31st July, 1909, as certified by the managers of the respective banks are as under :-
Banks.
Chartered Bank of India,
Average
Amonnt. $
Specie in
Reserve.
$
3,737,977 2,800,000
Australia and China ... Hongkong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation. 12,071,662 13,000,000 National Bank of China,
Limited
Total
47,310
135
It is to the credit of the police that they lost little time after being apprised of the theft of sharks fius from T. F. Talati's godowns at Wanchai in tracing and arresting two men and two women on whom suspicion strongly falls. The value of the goods stolen was almost 82.000, and of this $1,400 worth were recovered The suspects were brought before the Magistrate on Aug. 9 and remanded.
Inspector Macdonald placed a native before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy on Aug. 6th on charges of stealing a picture valued at $10 from a Mission House and $334 worth of Shanghai Street, Mongkok. After hearing the goods, the property of Mr. A. Frizzini, of 539, evidence his Worship held both charges proved and sentenced the defendant on each to three months' imprisonment with hard labour and six hours stocks.
On Aug. 5th Mr. B. F. Howard, a mining engineer, who has been in Hongkong for some years, died while being brought to the city by launch. Mr. Howard, who was in the employ of the Fook Hing Mining Co., has been siling for about two weeks, and apparently allowed too much time to elapse before seeking medical aid. On Wednesday he left Sha U Cheung by the launch Hoi Ning, but became worse on the voyage and died before the launch entered the harbour.
The number of Chinese marriages solemnized in the Colony last year was 458 as compared with 137 in 1907. Thirty-six were contracted at the Registrar-General's office. 'The total number of Chinese births registered in 1907 was 1,129, but as no less than 1,033 maternity cases were attended at the Alice Memorial
Hospital it shows how large a proportion of births are not registered. Of the total number of deaths (9,271), 7,025 vere registered at the Registrar General's office.
A sinart capture by the police was made known on Aug. 9 at the Magistracy in the hearing of a case in which two men were charged with having broken into a house in Second Street and stolen silk clothing to the value of $30. The house was occupied by a tailor, who had the cloth for the purpose of making up. One man was arrested yesterday morning with a portion of the stolen property in his possession, and a little later the police inquiries resulted in another man being arrested at Yaumati. The latter had pawned his share of the clothing, but it was all recovered. The two men were sentenced to
hours in the stocks. three months' imprisonment each and to six
Proceedings at the Magistracy have brought to light an extraordinary situation at Alexandra Buildings. It is stated that one of the lift boys be given to his brother, and when this proposi was anxious that a vacancy in the staff should tion was not entertained by the Secretary it is alleged that the No. 1 boy called out all the others and intimation was sent to the Secretary that they would all leave. The Secretary at once engaged a fresh staff, and the former employees tried to intimidate them. Failing in this, it is alleged that one of them damaged the lift apparatus, throwing it out of gear. An engineer had to be called in to set the matter right. boy was arrested and efforts are being made to The police were informed of the matter, and one
locate another. The charges against them are intimidation and doing malicious damage to property.
On July 24th a Portuguese youth named Joseph Cordeiro called at the rear entrance to No. 12, Morrison Hill Road, and informed the houseboy that he wished to speak with the master of the house. Leaving the door open the boy went upstairs and informed his master that a Portuguese gentleman wished to speak with him. When the master went below he found that Joseph had left, and he also dis- covered that he had taken a watch with him. The
larceny was reported to the police, who arrested Cordeiro On Wednesday, and Friday he appeared before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy and admitted the charge. The | defendant, who is only 18 years of age, had four previous convictions against him. His Worship committed him to jail for three months with hard labour, and warned him that he would commit him for trial at the Criminal Sessions if he again appeared on a similar
Nil
$15,856,949 15,800,000 charge.