ह.
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the constable could walk in and practically com-- pel the defendants to break the law.
His Worship-How?
Mr. Potter- By walking in and refusing to take food. In this instance the constable was afraid to go that length; he saw his weakness and paid up.
His Worship intimated that he would take time to consider the points raised.
Mr. Potter suggested that the Magistrate should hear the evidence of the manager before adjourning.
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Mr. R. Eckhardt stated that he was manager and in control of Messrs. Weismann's, Ltd. On August 21st, while he was writing in the office, a boy told him there was gentlemen in the Cafe who wanted beer without anything to eat. Wit- ness told the boy not to serve him. The boy went away, and returning five minutes later said that the sergeant was sitting at the table with two friends, and that three glasses Witness told the of beer were wanted.
When he boy to supply only two drinks. went to the table at which the police were sitting later, he was asked how it was that they were charged with four sandwiches. Witness told them that he only had an adjunct licence, and that he could not ordered. One serve liquor unless food was of the men denied ordering sandwiches, but the boy
ordered. said they had been Witness then heard the sergeant advising the others not to pay. When the police were leaving witness said to the sergeant, "Look here, you have not been served because you refused to let the boy bring you any chow." The sergeant said, “I am not sure, boss, whether you are right or whether you are wrong," and they left. Witness instructed his boys every day not to sell drink without food.
The hearing was adjourned sine die.
ALLEGED LARCENY AS A BAILEE.
Before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Tuesday a master mariner named Rankin, un- employed, was indicted on the charge of stealing $100 as a bailee.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
His Worship-Were you not troubled with the police at that time?
Complainant No. Proceeding, witness said he again met the defendant in the Stag Hotel, when the latter got his ring out of pawn. and Witness asked defendant for his money Captain Rankin said he would see him later. Complainant was then obliged to go into hospital, and did not see the defendant after- wards, but he reported the matter to the police.
In reply to the defendant, witness said that his ring was taken out of pawn on the 22nd or 23rd August. Witness met defendant that morning in the Stag Hotel.
His Worship-You pawned the ring on that morning?
Complainant-Yes, for the second time. His Worship-The defendant says yon were drunk all the time; is that so?
Complainant-No.
His Worship (to defendant)-Did you draw this money?
Defendant-I cannot tell you. For ten days I was dazed with whisky. "I can vouch that I lost the paper the shroff gave me with a lot of
my own papers.
His Worship Why did you draw the first
$20 ?
Defendant-At the instigation of the defen dant to get his ring.
His Worship-What is your calling? Defendant-A sailor.
His Worship What was your last ship? Defendant-The Tak Hing.
His Worship-When were you on that? Defendant-About ten months ago. His Worship-Have you had any ship since? Defendant-No.
His Worship-How do you earn your living? Defendant-I am being kept here by someone. His Worship took time to consider the case, and decided to discharge the defendant.
CONFUCIANISM IN HONGKONG:
LARGE SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR PROPOSED HALL.
At a religious meeting held in the Tai Ping Theatre on Monday, at noon, for the celebration of the anniversary of the birthday of Confucins, there were present about 2,000 Chinese ladies, gentlemen and children who were all admitted Mr. Lau Chu Pak presided. by ticket. After the preliminary ceremonies usually snch an occasion, Mr. Lau performed on
the course of his speech, observed that what the, Chinese wanted in this Colony was a hall, and not a temple, to be dedica ted to the Chinese Sage. Unlike a temple, a hall On ordinary would be useful in many ways. days it could be used as a lecture room, a school for teaching classical Chinese, or sometimes when the Chinese wanted to entertain a dis
in
A shroff employed at the Oriental Hotel stated that he received the $100 note on August 21st, and made out a receipt in the name of On the following day the de. John Smith. fendant went and drew $20, and had the name of John Smith removed from the receipt and his own name substituted. On the 23rd and 24th August, or thereabouts, the defendant drew other amounts until the whole $100 was paid him. When the last payment was made the defendant, instead of returning the original receipt, handed witness the receipt produced.
Defendant (to witness)-If the receipt was made out in the name of John Smith, why wastinguished guest, it could be utilised as a ban the money paid to me without Smith being there?
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His Worship-Did you receive the money? Defendant I received the first $20 to get the complainant's ring out of pawn. It was purely and simply a drunk from beginning to end-a big drunk for everyone of us, and nothing else. His Worship Do you deny that you received $20 and $15 later on?
Defendant I could not tell you whether I received it or not. I don't know.
His Worship (to witness)-When you paid these amounts of $20 and $15 was the defendant sober or drunk?
Witness-He was sober. Defendant-I know nothing about it. I couldn't have been sober, and if I went up for the money it must have been at the instigation of the complainant; otherwise I shouldn't have gone.
John Smith, master mariner, said he gave the defendant a $100 note in the Stag Hotel on August 21st. While having a few drinks together witness drew the $100 from his pocket and the defendant told him he should put it behind the bar for security. Witness thought it was a good idea, and defendant offered to do it for him. On the money being handed to defendant he suggested that they should go to the Orietnal Hotel. They went, had drinks, and the defendant placed the $100 bill with the shroff, but after that drew it all in instalments. Later, when complainant met the defendant he told him he was penniless.
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quet-room. Such a building, continued Mr. Lau might cost a sum of three or four lakhs, but there should be no difficulty in raising it. Ten thousand subscribers, each contributing $30.00 or 40,00, would amply cover the amount. It was no credit to the Chinese residents here to a theatre when an continually resort to important occasion like the present occurred.
The audience heartily responded to Mr. Lau's suggestion by at once promising subscriptions to the amount of $12,000—for what they called the foundation of the movement.
After this, lectures on morality and Confucius doctrines in general were given. The meeting was most attentive and orderly throughout, and did not disperse until 4.15 p.m.
T
We learn that the movement initiated by Mr. Lau Chu Pak at the services in celebration of the birthday of Confucius to build a public hall for the use of the Chinese community is making progress. In addition to the sums promised at the meeting referred to other subsciptions have been promised amounting in all to $30,000 is expected that the desired three lakhs will be raised.
It
The disappearance of stores belonging to the Kowloon-Canton Railway has been frequently discussed and attention is likely to be drawn to the subject again by the report made to the police that somebody has stolen from the rail- way works at Taipo Kau twelve large cases and one package of dynamite valued at $373.
[October 16, 1909.
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE PROPOSED BEACON ON BUNSANSIAH ROCK.
"
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE
DAILY PRESS."]
HONGKONG
Hongkong, Oct. 9th, 1909. SIR,-In His Excellency the Governor's Finance speech he is reported as having used these words: "The Miscellaneous Works vote This is for the various urgent is $35,000. minor works for which necessity is shown during the year. They will, I hope, include the beacons on Bunsansiah and Douglas Rocks etc., etc."
I earnestly hope the Government will not be soʻill-advised as to go to the expense of a beacon on the Bunsansiah Rock.
Sooner or later a light will have to be erected on Mah-Wan Island, at the Hongkong entrance of Kap-Sui-Moon, and the money used in erecting this utterly useless beacon could be more profitably employed in commencing this light.
Had a light been there previously, the Powan, would probably still have been afloat, and the
terrible loss of life at that disastrous wreck averted.
What a great pity it is that H.M.S. Flora did not go ashore on Mah-Wan, instead of the rocks in the Kowloon Bay.
We should in all probability have had the at present useless light on Signal Hill, in a position of some service to the vast mercantile interests of the Government, viz., at the much-, used entrance of the Canton River-Yours truly,
WHARF RAT.
THE SUBSIDIARY COINAGE
QUESTION.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."]
SIR, You say in your leader to-day that forty or fifty million dollars' worth of Hong- kong's subsidiary coinage has been drained into China. In other words, China has bought and Why paid for it with goodssold to Hongkong. should Hongkong buy it back at a loss?
The only way open to the Government to deal with this evil is to mint a new and distinct coinage, fix a very short time limit for the xe- change of what Hongkong subsidiary coinage remains in circulation in the Colony-and the thing is done!
I am unable to see that any serious political or commercial issues are involved. Every province in China has its own currency and exchange operations are a recognised necessity of inter-provincial trade in China. The Hong- kong coolie, while he does not now discriminate between a Hongkong and a Canton coin indig nantly refuses to accept a Shanghai coin, and he would quickly learn to reject the Canton coin if Hongkong had a currency distinct from that of China and accepted at par value.
Yours,
OBSERVER.
ACCIDENT TO THE DAIJIN MARU."
After three days at sea s.s. Daijin Maru put back to Amoy with a broken propeller on the 8th. After docking in Amoy to change the propeller she is expected to sail for Tamsui on the 10th or 12th,
BANGKOK'S POPULATION.
CENSUS FIGURES.
Bangkok Town: Males, 379,118; Females, 249,557. Total, 628,675.
Provinces in Monthon Bangkok: Males, 108,863; Females 129,913. Total, 238,776.
The whole Bangkok Monthion: Males, 487,981; Females, 379,470. Total 067,451.
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Of the total population Siamese number 639,920, Chinese, 197,918; Indians and Malays, 20,764, Europeans, 1,064, Other Nationalities 7,245,
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