SUPREME COURT.
Wednesday, 2nd July. IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION. BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (8 W. REES
Davies, K.C.)"
FLATTAN MERCHANTS AT LAW.
Lau King Ting, managing partner of the Hongkong Rattan und Fibre Furniture Co., and the Hongkong Rattan and Fibre Furniture Co. brought action against Ip Ting Fan, the managing partner of King & Co., and King & Co.
THE RECENT COLLAPSE
HOUSES.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST. The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of Nos, 7 and 9, Station Street, whereby 18 persons Upper lost their lives, was held at the Magistracy yesterday before the Coroner, Mr. F. A. Hawland, and the following jury Messrs. J. H. Backhouse, A. O). Lang, and James Hunter,
sary.
The Coroner explained the nature of the inquiry to the jury, and said there were 18 deaths in the collapse, but he had only Mr, F. C. Jeakin, instructed by Mr. C. A. Butherton Rues (of Messrs. Gold-selected one, because otherwise it would ring, Barlow & Morrell), appeared for the be necessary to prove the identification of plaintiffs, defendants not being repre-alf the others, which was quite unnece cented.
The Crown Solicitor (Mr. P. M. Hulgson), addressing the jury, said there were six males arid 12 females, nine of whom were children, who unfortunately nict their deaths in the collapse. He might say that the evidence which would be brought before the jury would show clearly, he thought, that there was no criminal negligence on the part of any body in connection with this collapse. The two houses were mortgaged to the
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, JULY 3D 1913.
|
1
soon
713
of its uniform.
A
The whole of Lord Portsmouth's beauti- tut Eggesford Cotate in North Devon lying between Barnstaple and Exeter, is advertised as for sale. It includes a fine Elizabethan mansion and a little hotel the Fox and Hounds-beloved of all keen and the little Dart run close by. Egges- ford railway station, which is on the estate, was constructed many years ago lishers of salmon and trout, for the Taw
for the convenience of the Wallop family.
NOTES AND NEWS. Frinocan Mary indulged to her heart's OFcurred on account of the defective the premises, he believed the collapse nature of this party will. This wall was started between the first and second floors, The original cause
content in her favourite exercise during | about 40ft. in height, and with the exoop- towards the front.
her stay at Aldershot, and was on horse tion of a few feet, the entire wall coluf the collapse of the party wall was cer- Inpsed, thereby bringing down the whole rtainly the way it was built, but he could back whenever possible. Unlike goras of not say what was the cause of the imme-her foreign cousins, the Princess does not Mr. Wright, the
diate collapse of the wall. If the wall was hold honorary command in the Army, and of the two houses. Building Authority, would give the jury about to collapse it was quite possible that is therefore debarred from the proud a very clean story as to how the collapse eracks would be there for two or three privilege of leading a rogiment past the was caused, and of the construction of days, which would tend to show a gradual Sovereign attired in a modified edition
If the jury failure rather than a sudden shock. The
It is interesting to note that some the building generally. of this collaper be was going to invite and after the collapse witness did not seodietetic principles in great favour now. agreed with his contention as to the cause timbers of the fleers were generally sound,
served by Capt. Trench und Mr. Stewart them to bring in a verdict of Death by two bricks from the party wall stuck adays among food reformera wore ob- That confirmed his fortress. Both managed with only two" Misadventure. His submission would be together, which would be impossible in a during their imprisonment in a German that there was no criminal negligence. well-built wall.
flesh food docs not seem to have been the When witness got to the pre-distinguishing feature in the daily wonus. and even supposing that any of the opinion that the party wall was of poor meals a day, and in Captain Trench's case people saw the cracks in the wall and did quality. not treat them as seriously as they should miss he examined the party walls of the The system appears to have agreed with
Io found they were criminally, because the degree of criminal was any damage. have done they were not responsible adjoining houses in order to see if there the imprisoned officers. responsibility must be so gross as to defective, so he had thoring erected across
in-
Upper Station Street, and also across the amount to recklessness, and mere
gap caused by the collapse, ns advertence was not sufficient to create
possible, and later put the coolies to work negligence.
clearing the debris, rescuing the injured, Witness also to assist the Police and Fire Brigade in and recovering the dead.
There caused barricades to be erected to keep were two Jor the outer wall the crowds hack. principal causes
In tly. first down Mr. Arthur Edgar Wright, executive falling
'falling debris China Provident Lean & Mortgage Com-engineer in charge of the Building Orde
nance office, and the officer appointed by inside the building would naturally tend pay in 1908, and through the mortgagor being in default of his interest the mort the Governor-in-Council to deal with to push the wall outwards, and in the gags entered into possession of the dangerous buildings, said that on the 14th second place the weight of the balconies premises. They were familiar with what June he received a telephone message attached to the front wall naturally that meant that the mortgagees collected from the police to the effect that there tended to pull it outwards. He was not He do what arrangements to the tenants of this house as to the the rent to be derived from the premises had been a collapse in Uppor Station aware of any warning having been given event of the mortgagees foreclosing the to pay theselves off the rent, and in the Street.
were possible at the office for the supply nature of the wall. Had any such warn- ing been issued witness would know of Neither the Public Works Depart property, they would sell it and pay of coolies, scaffolders, and, bamboo men,
ment nor the witness had received any themselves off in the money they advanced, and then proceeded to Upper Station it
There had been no recent The mortgagees let this property to a man Street. called An Yeung Sik un a monthly
report of the unsafe condition of the tenancy. Au Young Sik, he thought, was
premises. the manager of the Hop Hing Loong firm,
inspection of these houses by the Public
so that the mortgagees had really nothing
Works Department,
to do with the collection of these rents, because the tenant collected the rents
All the joining houses, an from the various sub-tenants.
The statement of claim set forth that manufacturers of the plaintiffs were ruttan and Ebre furniture, and carried on business at 13, Queen's Road Central. The first defendant was, until March, 1918, a partner in the plaintiff firm, and on or about June 17th, 1919, he falsely and maliciously wrote and published let tera which were meant, and understood to mean, that plaintiffs had ceased to carry on their business, and that defen- dants were purchasers or assignees of, and solicited the custom of, the said business. The publication was made to Measra, Charles Power & Co., of 4, Clive Street, Calcutta, and to many other persons doing business or likely to do business with the plaintifia By the said publica- tion plaintiffs had been injured in their credit and reputation, in their business
48 THET-
of their sale of rattan and fiblo furniture. and in the loss of profit on such furniture, Plaintiffs claimed, (1), an injunction to restrain the defendants, their servants or agents, from publishing libels or slanders concerning the plaintiffs' business, and from representing themselves chasers or assignees of the plaintiffs' business and from soliciting the plaintiffs' pustomers as the purchasers or assignees of the plaintiffs' business; (2), account of the profits gained by the defendants and is Lanes suffered by the plaintiffs by reason of the said publica tion, representation or solicitation; (3), damages: (a), special damage: such sum for general lose of business as may be indicated by the account claimed or other wine after discovery; (b), general damage: $50,000; further or other relief aud costs,
No statement of defence was filed.
Dr. MacFarlane, Medical Officer at the Mortuary, deposed that he received on the 16th June, about 11.30, the body of
Chinese male adult, and examined it The cause of death was multiple injuries, such as raight he inflicted on a victim of the collapse of a house.
Ile
outwards.
the
It being a Saturday afternoon. several of the offices were closed, and his could not secure the coolies with the despatch he could otherwise have done.
No questions were asked by the jury. On arriving at Station Street at about 2 o'clock he found there had been a
They were ordinary afternoon, collapse of Noa 7 and 8, which were ad- and the hearing was adjourned till this Chinese three-storied tonement houses, mortgagees did was to repair the pre-built of blue bricks, and very old. perty when they were notified that any repairs were necessary. The premises could not say with any certainty their consisted of three stories in cach house, age, but, roughly, be should say they had.AND. COMPANY INAUGURATING SERVICE. and were let to various occupants, the been erected for about 40 years. In his ground floor of No. 7 having 20 occupants, opinion the whole of the houses in the Soven of the the first floor 18, and the second 26, making block, numbering about 10 or 11, were 63 in all. No. 9 had 22 on the ground built at the same time. floor, 23 on the first, and 20 on the third houses faced Upper Station Street, and nggrogating d-or 128 all told. Provided the others faced Hollywood Road, and the houses which collapsed were more or lose
ONE-CLASS LINERS.
Mr. Jants Orrock, who has just died at the age of eighty-four, may be said to have created the modern taste for antique furniture, and in the early days chairs. RES A source of much amuse- A long-cherished of his collecting his passion for "wormy ment to his friends. scheme of Mr. Orrock's was to erect a National Gallery of British art on a site
danger of Bre. behind the existing Gallery in Trafalgar. square, in a position secure
from all
Denmark is such a democratic country that there is nothing very out of the way in the announcement that the daughter of the Danish Prime Minister is shout to marry a carpenter and labour by his side A previous Prime Minister of Denmark himself married the in the workshops.
but the lady did not leave the stage, and society expressed to sorprise at her premiere danseuse at the Royal Opera continuing to delight the community with her agile grace.
INTIMATIONS
ANKLES SWOLLEN
AND SKIN OFF
"Caused by Friction, Inflammation Set In. Used Cuticura Soap and Cuticura Ointment Alone, In Two Weeks Quite Right Again..
v, Brights Croft, Marsdon Heights, Belor Beld, Eng."My husband la an Insurance agent and a good many of his calls aro outinto country districts, sad
for this reason ke purchased
A
pair of strong boots. After one of his long rounda he came home with one of his ankleg swollen and the side off, caused by the friction of the strong leather on the "1" applied a well- known ointment. but it got worse instead of better, then lefiammation Bot in. This was going on for a fortnight. I had sent for your samples and they ar rivod just at this time, so I commenced to use them at opeo, with the result that the first application was not only uxet soothing but too stariod to kosprovo, I con- tinued with Cuticura Soap and Gintment alant and after two wooks it quite right again.
I may say that I applied Cuticura Olatraent to my chapped hands with pleas Ing results." (8lynod) Mrs. 8. Barson. Mar. 22, 1912.
A single catre of Culicura Soap and box of Cutlera Oletment are often sufficient when all clso has falled. Bold throughout cbs world. A simple of cach with 32-p. akin Book free from nearvet depot: F. Newbery & Sons, 27. Charterhuuso Bq., London: B. Towns & Co., Sydney, N. 8. W.; Lennon, Ltd., Cape Town: Madler, Maclean & Co.. Calcutta and Bombay: Potter Drug & Ohem. Corp., Boston, U, S. A,
***Tender-faced men should shave wit Cuticura Soap Shaving Stick. Sample free.
96-11
A singularly picturesque official, who HOWARD
has no counterpart at any other European Court, and who is much in evidence at all Prussian Court ceremonies, is the Kaiser's persunal adjutant, a giant well over six military uniform, but in his long green coat with silver lace, white curled pigtail foot four. This personage does not wear
now-erutch-handled walking-cane, looks as wig, tricorne, high jackboots, and long though he had stepped straight out of the eighteenth century-into the twentieth.
WATCHES
THE AMERICAN WATCH
The one-class" boat for ocean voy popularity, and it usually means agers seems to be steadily growing in
In his articles upon British East OF FINEST QUALITY AND HIGH PRECISION. adays that all the passengers are carried at second-class rates, says The Statesman, The P & O, steamer Himalaya is to be principle at the beginning of next cold witness on at least one steamer sailing each way been fortunate in
with second-class weather and for several years there has ing, in the Times, Mr. Alfred Lyttelton
Mr. Jenkia informed the Court that the that all these occupants were adults, the in the centre of the terrace which facer run from London to Bombay on this Africa, which have recently been appear-
claim was for an injunction and damages for a wrong which was only a to a slander of title.
His Lordship-Defendants are represented!
not
Mr. Jenkin-No, and bave failed to
passengers onl
law would allow the following:With cumcles, 191 for the two houses; with work was produced, model of the cubicles, 74. Half of the occupants of described the condition of the house as he these houses,
however, were children found them after the collapse. The front with moderate means who trase anyone the usual pavilkij¤..roove then ander 10 years of age, in which case the of both houses had fallen out-the whole
allowed
namacly-without of No. 9 and the upper two-thirds of No.
lay
more,
file a statement of defence, and some of cubicles, 164; with cubicles, 100. Some 17-forming a mass of debris. The party traveller by steamship, like the third-class In addition to the ordinary "settier,"
the
An injunction was granted and damages fixed at 810, as plaintiff was unable to prove general damages.
IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION. BEFORE THE PUISNE JUDOR (Mac) J. H. KEUP),
CLAIM FUE MONEY LENT.
deserves consideration and is receiving
The inhabitants of Frankfort-on-Main In the fast between Europe and America that the
are exercised by a peculiar grievance. is most noticeable. change
The municipality proposes to levy it. It is in the trans-Atlantic service liners the minimum first-class fares vary steamers, where the passengers have the yearly tax on the owners of all street run of the whole ship, with fares from clocks, and the possessors not only con- It is said that some New sider that they should not be penalised cheaper to for providing a public convenience, but from £18 to £26. Now there are several
York business men find it
American watering place. these clocks has been left to private to £14.
of a better understanding between the the municipal authorities. There is talk spend the summer holidays in Europe point to the fact that the provision of English and the Americans, for the of a nov: 1 afrike, it being proposed to vulgar rich from the United States stop all the street clocks by way of pro- Another result is said to be the growth individuals owing to the parsimony of
now a much smaller proportion test. anong the visitors, professional men and other middle class people, of moderate means but with better education and more represented than was formerly the case. agreeable manners, being more largely
than at an
are
FUTURE OF PORT SWETTENHAM.
The possibility of using the cinema for the identification of criminals is being It is suggested Police Commissioner. that five feet of film, costing seventy cente, will suffice to record the peculiari- seriously considered by the New York
whom it is desired to keep under obser- vation. ties of dress and carriage of any person
"With photographs, finger- prints, motion pictures, and Bertillon official, a man who has been convicted
get-away, afterwards." will have his hands full in making his measurements," says a New York police
ADJUSTED FOR TEMPERATURE AND
-POSITIUNE
THE PRICE OF THE BOWARD
IS FIXED WATCH
r
AT THE FAŬTORY.
Write or Send for Cataloguʊ
THE SOLE AGENTS:
Chs. J. Gaupp & Co.,
ALEXANDRA BUILDINGS."- CHATKE ROAD,
observes that our Protectorates there have a matter-of-fact has attracted the upper East Africa classes to an extent undreamed of hitherto So the second-class in all the history of British colonisation. has greatly increased, and a good many travel second.
many wealthy Englishmen have taken up people who used to travel first-class now defendanta bed their appearance of these floors were occupied by children wall had collapsed practically completely, passenger on the railways at land there and have adopted the practice
& small portion of the bottom part-about struck out because they complained that and some by adults, so the amount of 128
The wall was the solicitor who entered an appearance
correct. There might possibly be one or back only remaining. for them was not authorised or instructed as really, roughly speaking, about 8 ft, out of 40 ft.-and a portion at the
of spending half the year in the country.
two inore than the law allowed, but he reduced to a mass of broken bricks and to do so. The wrong complained of was A man who was at one
The roofs were composed of shortly this: time a partner in our firm had a dispute the Crown Solicitor) did not think that dust, and the roofe had fallen in from the The with us and left. Shortly afterwards he this was sufficient to say that there had middle. wrote to at least one of our customers and been negligence. The jury would know China fir poles and Chinese tiling, and informed them that we had finished cur the exceeding difficulty in keeping a con-would be comparatively light, business and transferred it to another stant check upon the tenants of these timbers of the roof generally were sound. were inspected by an of decay, but quite insufficient to account The collapse of the company, and that other company was honses. On the 19th April these parti-There were some signs of white ants, and one which he had established in Hong-cular honses
Inspector, of the Sanitary Department for the collapse. kong,
with a view to cleansing operations, and, party wall caused the roofs to fall. The as they generally did in this Colony, he wall was built of blue bricks, but many made a note of other things that might be of those were broken when the wall was They were built in required to be done, such things as originally built, calling upon the tenants to remove certain martar, which was of a very poor quality, illegal cubicles, and calling upon the and the whole of the structure of the wall The was very inforior, in fact the centre of owners to fill up certain rat runs.
There were no Inspector went there again on the 6th the wall consisted almt entirely of
In the cours; of an article on the future The action in which Frank Harry and 21st May, for verious other inspec-small pieces of brick. Hyde, of the Exile Garage, claimed fron J. Jenkins, master of the 3.5. Derwent, tion, and he did not notice any cracks records in the Public Works Department
The party wall "Of F.M.S. questions of public policy $1,000 as money lont, was again before in the walls of these houses. The rent of when this house was built, or by whom. of Port Swettenham, a writer in the
Many people think of Caruso, as the his Lordship.
the generally 14 inches. by the
from lesseo Mr. Mason (for the defendant) sub-collector of the premises was a man, The thickness of the walls of the block was Straits Timce remarks:---
Au which collapsed was built originally of diverting commercial houses and others mitted a new point that under the Gawing employed
mortgagees in possession, named
the reality
OUB Act of 1744 the game of roulette was Any Consequently
be that concerning the future of Port
of exertion. How different declared illegal. transaction having anything to do with Young Chiu, and at the time of the col that thickness, but at sumo subsequent in the Malay States, the most perennial,
friend. When I was unknown I sang ronletts was tainted with illegality, and tape the tenants of the ground floor of date someone had built a "skin" on the the most vital and the one evoking the most enviable of mortals who gets his on these grounds he submitted that judg-No. 7 were paying $27, those on the first-northern side of the party wall and for the nost interest would certainly appear to clossal fee of £500 a night with thei
"skin" was 4 inches in thickness, and Commerce, judging by their snnual
nerves. But now my reputation is made STUDY
Here was almost entirely separate from the reports, apparently devote the greater as confided by the famous tenor to a alone; and would seem to have done so
OF floor $7, and those on the second $30. height of the bottom storey only. The Swettenham. The Selangor Chamber of ximum of pleasure and the minimum The tenants of No. 9 were paying 82%,
am tu-day lending beneath the weight $23, and $26 respectively. These amounts original 14-inch wall. Witness imagined part of their time to this one subject like a bird, careless, without thought of were considerably less before last Novem-this had been added with the intention for the last three years or more.
promise. My audiences, well dispused ber, when they were raised About the of strengthening the party wall, but evidently consider that the commercial my audiences are more exacting.
the Walay States of a first-class port, and A contract has been signed for the rd May the rent collector was informed practically it did not do so at all. These prosperity of the F.M.S. is almost if a renown which cannot increas, but I am a unique singer, and I appear erection of high-power wireless telegraphy by the tenants that there were certain defects could not have been detected before entirely dependent upon the possession by which the least vocal mishap may com- stations in California, at Honolulu, and cracks appearing upon the party wall the collapse by any ordinary examination the majority of them further consider that towards me as they are, have to pay such Favour Lunut. But the merchants of the is why I am often the unhappiest of
men." at a point on the Japanese coast, which dividing Nes. 7 and 9, and after inspect As far as witness knew, he believed that Bot Bettenhamn, or rather Tecp Water high prices to hear me that they imagine "It was inevitable that a wall that port. There are a few in Perak who before them stared at and envied. That has yet to be selected by the Government.
In the annual report of the Seaforth A corection will then be made with ing it he reported the matter to his party wall had stood for about 40 Point, near Port Bwettenham, should be India, and thence ultimately to Europe employer, the lessee of the premises, who years.
The houses were occupied as ment policy would appear hitherto to As part of this globe-girdling system, duly reported it 10 Measts. Shewan, built-in that manner must eventually Federal capital complain that the Govern
The icstering Port Svettenham; which policy, Highlanders Regimental Association, ona however, they further maintain, must, as ads a record of two old messmates of the a Home contemporary remarks, powerful -installations are to be provided in New Tunes & Company, who were the general collapse. Jersey and Massachusetts, so as to im managers for the China Provident Loan Chinese teacment houses, bat ho believed have been one rather of stifling than of
and Mortgage Company. Messrs. Shewan, there was a small shop at No. §. prove the service between New York and
Tomes & Company iramediately put the party walls of the adjoining houses, be-being against natural laws, in the end regiment who have just received the London. So far as the Pacific is con-
and not only has a new tongkang wharf Allison, both of whom enlisted in cerned arrangements are also being made
Witness had since made further towards the unofficial idea ar the subject, Alexander Mollison and Sergeant J. in the course of the same "ear Neither for stations at Hongkong and Shanghai, matter in the hands of their contractors,tween Nos. 5 and 7, and 9 and 11, were proys abortive. Recently the powers that Mutiny medal, fifty-four years after they Messrs. Wing Hop, and the eracks were of a similar character to the wall which he have shown somewhat more sympathy their first service in India. They are which will work in conjunction with one
1.2c0ft. extension of the pontoon wharf sun have seen active service until the at Manila, while other establishments duly filled in and repairs trade. will be located at Penang. Singapore, in British North Borneo, and along the would call the manager of the Wing Hop, examination, and had conderased the and an extension of the present slip been February, 1858, and were drafted to India
godowns have been planned. Besides this,
tion of their claims. Bergeant Allison coast of China, for the purpose of link- and he would tell the jury what these whole of this block, and also several other completed in the Sungei Aur, hat a ing up with all the provincial capitals cracks were and also that he did not con- walls. Assuming that there had been no
to advise upon the question of developing his military career, for he embarked on of the Republic. Of sixteen installations sider that they were serious or danger-collapse, an ordinary examination would has been put in hand, and six set of his closing scenes of the Mutiny, which prob
In his opinion the contemplated by the Government of the
ing Authority. Commonwealth of Australin, eight are ous, but, as they would hear from the not reveal sufficient to warrant a con- the Government have at length agreed to by accounts for the delay in the recogni-
is expected to play a great part in the were serious and more collapse of the houses was caused by the Deep Water Point." Locally-mined coal the Lurly Hodgkinson in August, 1863, already in operation, while communica-evidence, he (the Crown Soliciter) thought demnation of the other walls by the Build-btain from home the services of an exper had a peculiarly unfortunate beginning tion has actually been established between these cracke Port Moresby, New, Guinea, and Mace dangerous than the manager of the Wing collapse of the party wall. From witness development of the F.M.S. and Portelle aree in India until the end of
tho collapse
own opinion, formed by what he saw of Swettenham. quarie Island, on the fringe of
Hop thought, because Antarctic Circle.
ment should be for defendant.
His Lordship on the facts found for the plaintiff, but, on the points of law raised by Mr. Mason, reserved his judgment.
SPANNING THE PACIFIC BY- WIRELESS.
the
He fell.
They
was wrecked at Quillan, and did not November, 1858.
THE
EYE
41
all its anatomy and our long experienes in correeting defective vision enable us to sell beyond doubt if your eyes will be benefited by wearing glasses.
Our method of testing is scientific and Acourate. If you do not need glasses we will tell you so.. If you do need glasses we can supply and it them at extremely moderate prices.
MAKE CERTAIN WE WILL TELL YOU.
LARK & CO.
FORK BLOGS,
CHATER RO KUNGKONG
48