December 24, 1909,1
to twelve million dollars. Certain citizens have sent in a petition to the Viceroy concerning this matter, and in the course of their argument they point out five evils which are likely to arise from the establishment of such a monopoly. The most important point they notice is that salt is a necessity and should in con- sequence be cheap, but they urge that should the monopoly become an established institution the price is likely to rise and rise and that the public would be quite unprotected from the extortion of the monopoly holders.
As yet nothing definite has been done in the matter, but it is said that the Viceroy is not averse to the proposed monopoly in so much as the increased revenue from salt will go some way towards making up the deficit in revenue which is bound to occur when licensed gambling is put down. There is no doubt that this latter event will take place sooner or later, and but for the question of finance steps would probably have been taken towards its abolition before now. Judging from incidental matters the Provincial Government must be rather tight for money at present. The native papers report that there was a deficit of 60,00 taels in the military estimates of last year which has got to be paid up; many distric's are petitioning for an increased police force; an increase of police in Honam recently sanctioned will cause an additional expenditure of over 1,000, taels per month, and in addition to all this the Central Government is clamouring for money. It is no wonder, then, that the higher officials look with some degree of favour on the establishment of a monopoly which will go some way towards filling up the gap.
OPENING OF PORT ARTHUR TO COMMERCE.
The Japanese Government has decided to abolish the Port Arthur Admiralty and to open. the port to commerce, allowing free entry to Japanese and foreign steamers. By this, say Japanese papers, the Government intends to realise its object in maintaining peace in the Far East and equal opportunity in China. This decision will be officially announced before the
end of the year.
Referring to the value of Port Arthur as a commercial port, Mr. Lida Giichi, a director of the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, remarks that the opening of the port to commerce is a truly gratifying step. Dairen is nominally an unfrozen port. In reality the harbour is frozen over at once when the weather is calm during the intense cold of the winter months, while when a strong northerly breeze blows high seas invariably prevail in the harbour, which is not protected by any breakwater, and vessels are thus forced to suspend the loading and discharging of cargo. The present is a season for shipping beans, and steamers loading this commodity are involved in serious delay, accompanied by heavy expenditure and difficulties, owing to the above circumstance. The situation of Port Arthur is much better. This port is sur- rounded by hills and the water in the harbour is deep, while the port is never frozen, Port Arthur, it is alleged, surpasses Dairen far and away as a commercial port. At first it was reported that the Government had under con- sideration a proposal to make Port Arthur a coaling station for merchant vessels. The opening of the port to general trade, however, will be welcomed generally by Japanese and foreign merchants. It is to be regretted that the entrance to the harbour is rather narrow, interfering with the movement of large steamers, but this inconvenience can be remedied by cut- ting a canal between the harbour and Pigeon Bay, so that steamers may come in by the pre- sent entrance and depart by another.--Japan Chronicle.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 2th December
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR MR. H. H. J.
GOMPERTZ (PUISNE JUDGE).
551
deceased ten cents and the other man twenty · cents, The deceased was admitted to the hospital the same day suffering from two stab wounds in the abdomen, and he died on the 6th December, death being due to sceptic peritonitis. On the 30th November the dying deposition of the deceased was taken in the presence of the first prisoner only, but anything he said then could not be evidence against those who were not present. After the arrest of the other defendants a further dying deposition Five Chinese were arraigned on a charge of was taken in the presence of the five prisoners. armed robbery. Two admitted the offence and In the second doposition he said that the first three pleaded not guilty. The Hon. Mr. F. A. prisoner was the man who stabbed him, but Hazeland (Acting Attorney General), instructed | he also said that the fifth defendant helped in by Mr. H. L. Dennys, from the Crown Solicitor's the assault. The story of the prosecution was office, conducted the prosecution.
that the five men deliberately attacked the deceased, and the first prisoner who used the knife must be regarded as having intended the consequences of his act, and the others joined in the assault.
ARMED ROBBERY.
The following jury were empanelled: Messrs. J. F. Millar,. Forbes, J. A. Young, O. L. Arculli, K G. G. Stockhäusen, James Elliot and H. L. W. Korten.
The Attorney-General explained that the five prisoners stood charged with committing an armed robbery in a matshop No 292, Des Voeux Road West on the 22nd October last, when with others they entered the shop and being armed threatened the master and his employees whom they gagged and bound. Then they took away money to the value of $1,000 and a large quantity of clothing.
Evidence was then called in support of the prosecution.
Prisoners were found guilty and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment each,
ACCESSORY BEFORE THE FACT.
The first witness described the attack and said the first prisoner stabbed the deceased. The fight stopped when the "engineer taipan came on the scene and had the wounds of the deceased dressed.
Cross examined-There were three other men armed with knives who took part in the assault. They could not be found now. The blows struck by the men with the iron bars were very hard, and he could not explain why there were no marks of the blows on the body of deceased. Everybody ran off after the fight, and witness did so also because he was afraid of being im- plicated in the trouble.
Arising out of the previous case was the A female employee gave evidence of witness- charge preferred against Li Kwai of being ing the assault. Under cross-examination she accessory before the fact of robbery. He said she helped to carry the deceased into the pleaded not guilty. The Acting Attorney-office. Two men stabbed him, but one had General, instructed by Mr. H. L. Dennys, absconded, conducted the case for the Crown. The jury was empanelled as under: Messrs. L. G. Bird, RB Wood, A. L. A. Hissink, E. B. Pye, G. F. Eherius, K. D. Mistry, and A. A. H. Milroy.
persons to
Another employee, deposed to seeing the first prisoner stab the deceased with a knife. Under cross-examination he said that the third and fourth prisoners were rot present at the fight. He did not see the first prisoner stab the fendant was charged with procuring certain
The Attorney-General stated that the de- deceased; he merely saw the blood on the knife, The case for the prosecution having been commit the robbery of the closed, Mr. Alabaster opened the case for the matshop. The Crown proposed to call two defence, which was a denial of the evidence of the robbers who would depose to the submitted by the prosecution. He pointed out fact that they had been asked by the that this was a quarrel between Hakkas and defendant to commit the armed robbery, and the Puntis. The Crown had called all the Hakkas Crown would also call three employees of the and arrested all the Puntis. shop who, shortly before the robbery was committed, were taken by the defendant to a certain opium divan, the suggestion of the Crown being that they were taken out of the way so as not to interfere with the robbery. The Crown would also submit the statement made by the defendant when he was charged, on which occasion he admitted having a con- versation with one of the robbers prior to the robbery being committed. The robber asked him, "Is it easy to rob your master's shop?" to which defendant replied, "I leave it to your discretion."{
Prisoners was sentenced to ten years' im- prisonment.
*
Tuesday, December 21st.
MURDER CHARGE.
Five Chinese were arraigned on a charge of murdering one Wong Tsui Lin in Victoria on November 30th. The Acting Attorney General (Hon. Mr. F. A. Hazeland), instruct
H. L. Denny, appeared for ed by Mr. the Crown, and Mr. G. C. Alabaster, instructed by Mr. Shenton, from the office of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Deacon, appeared for the defence.
The first prisoner went into the witness-box and gave evidence on his behalf, denying that he had inflicted the wound.
The hearing was adjourned.
Wednesday, December 22nd.
The trial of the five Chinese for the murder
of a compatriot at the Cotton Mill on Novem- ber 30th was resumed.
0
The case for the defence was continued..* The defence was an alibi, and each prisoner went into the box and gave a denial, witnesses being called to support the statements of each prisoner.
Counsel having addressed the jury,
His Lordship 'summed up. He referred to the dying deposition of the deceased, who first said the quarrel arose because the first prisoner knocked into him in the street, but afterwards admitted the quarrel arose over a girl whom it was said deceased annoyed. His Lordship then pointed out that the six witnesses for the prosecution were clear that the first prisoner was present on the occasion in question, and alluded to the fact that although it was stated that the third, fourth and fifth defendants struck the. deceased with iron bars there were no marks of such blows on his body. The salient point with regard to two, three, and four was that the deceased did not recognise them, and one of the witnesses said three and four were The Attorney-General stated that the five not present. at the fight. Supposing the men prisoners and the deceased were employed in the attacked deceased with a view to frighten him Cotton Mill, and on the 30th November at 6.15 or give him a thrashing and one whipped out a p.m. as they were leaving the mill the five knife and stabbed him, he did not think it could prisoners attacked the deceased. The story be said that that was the intent of the other of the prosecution was
thate the first four. With regard to the first prisoner, the
Prisoners pleaded not guilty, and the following jury were empanelled: Messrs. John Hands, O. Kramer, K. A. Helm, E J. da Silva Loureiro, W. F. Brewer, F. Lammert and John Taylor.
The following curious telegram is translated by a northern contemporary:-"On account of the enormous importance of the Canton-Kow-prisoner stabbed deceased with a knife, the jury would remember that the several loon Railway the Board of Posts and Com- second held deceased by the queue, while others said to have been armed with knives munications has decided that the whole line the other three struck him with iron bars. on that occasion had disappeared, but must be completed in the 3rd year of Hsuan It would seem, that on the previous day the if it were proved that the first prisoner Tang, and has sent the Viceroy of Kwangtung first prisoner and the deceased had a quarrel was flourishing a knife, but someone else full instructions as to how this is to be and a fight, and both were brought before Mr.got in a blow before him, then he was accomplished.'
Gittins, the mill accountant, who fined the equally guilty with the man who dealt the blow,