CORRESPONDENCE.
THE HOUSING." PROBLEM
[TO THE EDITOR OF "THE
DAILY PRESS,""]
HONGKONG
Sia, Whilst it is admitted on all sides that the housing problem is a pressing question, no concrete scheme has so far been presented for its solution. I there: fore make no excuse for submitting. through the medium of the Press, the following.uggestions for the considera tion of employers in particular and of the public in general
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, OCTOBER SIND, 1918,
THE LATE SIR HENRY BERKELEY
TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY AT
THE SUPREME COURT. Yesterday morning, before the ordinary work of the October Criminal Sessions began, the Chief Justice (Sir William Becs-Davies, K.G.), made sympathetic reference to the death of Sir deury Berkeley, at one time Attorney General of Hongkong. Sitting with his lordship on the Bench was His Honour the Prisne Judge,(Mr. Justico Gompertz).
ed away, and it is fitting that this an- happy event should not pass unnoticed. After being Attorney-General and Chief Justice of Fiji, Sir Henry Berkeley came to Hongkong as Attorney-General, in 1000-an office which has held for four years..
It is well-known that the present scar-Addressing those present the Chief city of residences is due to the large indux Justice said: Since the court was last of Chinese into the Colony, owing to the
in session, Sir Henry Berkeley ban, passi disturbances in the neighbouring pro- es awayer, to the vinces of China. interest of the
Colony that the Chinese of be encouraged to the better-class should be buy properties here and thus help to develop the Colony. The real solution of the
the whole problem. would be for
Euro pean firms, both large and smail, to follow the example of the Japanese firms and provide residences for the members of their European staffs. It must, however, be borne in mind that, instead of pur chasing present buildings, as the Japanese are doing, new houses should be built upon new sites, which should be reserved, once and for all for Europeans only, as, other. wise, the situation would soon again become aggravated.
¥
MB. E. I EZRA FINED $2,000 CHARGE UNDER THE PREVENTION
OF CORRUPTION ACT.
MR. F. C. JENKIN APPEARS FOR
DEFENDANT. ··
In summing up the case for the pross cution, Counsel reminded the jury of the | law on the subject and recalled the facts of the case as shown by the evidence for the prosecution. Ho urged that the re buffs that the defendant had met with during his endeavours to obtain a launch should have been sufficient warning to of the Standard Oil Company, in Shanghim that his attempts to hire did not hai, with $900, in order to obtain poses amount to hiring in the ordinary way. sion of one of the Company's launches, Counsel was not going to suggest that the came up for hearing at the Supreme defendant went to The Bund knowing in Court, Shanghai, on October 13th, before his own mind that he was going to break His Honour Judge Sir Havilland de
The case in which Mr. Ellis I. Eard was charged with bribing a Chinese employe
Sausmarez
L
a certain section of the Prevention of Corruption Act, but when he got there The Jary was composed of Messrs. Fhe was determined to procure a launch;; Pitcairn, P. A. H. Chambers, C. he was prepared to take what launch he could get and be was prepared to pay $200 for it,
G. Hill, T. Cock and L. McIntyre,*-*
It will be remembered that the launch
Mr. Jenkin replying for the dafence was requisitioned in order that the Earas commended to the jury the evidence of might facilitate the service of a writ on Bergh Woodfeld, whose evidence with Mr. Eugene Chen in connection that of the defendant, was, he said, the
only testimony that mattered. certain legal proceedings and so pre- vent his contemplated voyage to America, Sir Henry was an advocate of great Mr. Eugene Chen was supposed to be on power and charm. He was chivalrous to board a vessel at Woosung During the a degree and was possessed of an old-trip the launch went aground and was world courtesy, rare in the sordid age considerably damaged. in which we are living.. A staunch friend, he had no enemy.
On his retirement from office be con tinued to practice in this court for some ears, being engaged in many of the most important cases at that time.
To his many friends in Hongkong it is pleasing to note that the closing years of his life were given largely to useful
Mr. E. P. Wilkinson, Crown Advo cate, with Mr. S. Fessenden, prosecuted, and Mr. F: C. Jenkin, instructed by Mr. R. F. U. Master, defended.
open
Counsel reviewed the evidence of the police officer and showed that the sergeant wae of the opinion at the time of the hiring that it was quite an ordinary trans action in which he could see nothing wrong.. Again everything that the accused did was done openly. The discussons with the Chinese go-between were prefectly that as a result of what was being done and none of the party ever dreamedi that evening there would be the case of one of them ere long facing a criminal Capt. W. I. Eisler, marine superintend charge. I
evidence that the impression China said that his daty was the care amongst the party that night waa
that of the Company's launches. All the they were doing no wrong and that they Chinese launch staff was under witness's could they find any difference in his state of haring a Isunch in the ordinary way. control. The Company did not make a practice of hiring the launches On mind that evening and that of the accus- September, 10th an application was made ed Counsel pointed out the defendant to borrow or hire a launch by a reporter that. Court or in the Court below that had never made any pretence either in of the Shanghas Gazelle to make two he did not know the marks on a Standard statements to the jury and he claimed that
It would public work at home, and that they were ent for the Standard Oil Co, in North Woodfelt the jury thought on Sergt
crowned, we believe, with every domestic happiness.
I am sure that the legal profession, to which he was so attached, desires to place its chaplet on his tomb.
If the leading banks and mercantile houses were to alopt such a scheme.forth- with a large number of houses would be built in the near future, thereby consider ably relieving the situation also be posible for the Government to advance, say, a million dollars ous of the funds in their hands at present at the rate of 6 per cent, and it is not too much to expect that the advances would be made only to the small arms, as the banks and
The Puisne Justice: I desire to us leading companies in this Colony are quite sociate myself with the words which have enpable of nancing their own outlays fallen from the Chief Justice. I had the In the Hongkong Bank alone there are over forty European employes and about privilege of knowing Sir Henry Berkeley the same number is employed by Messrs. from the first day of his arrival in the Jardine, Matheson & Co. There Colony, and I also knew his family in-accommodate him. nothing to prevent these two establish timately. I am sure that not only the ments adopting the scheme straightaway. whole profession but also the whole com They and all other employers, could make munity will agree with us in expressing it a point that all their employds recaive our deep and heartfelt sympathy with no more increases for the next three or his family.
on the distinct understanding
word to those fallen from the lips of your The Attorney-General: May I add one Lordships? It is my desire, on behalf Service, to offer to Lady Berkeley and both of the Bar and of the Government
bereavement, and to express our own sense of lose on the death of one who by his geniality, courtesy, and kindness endeared himself to all who came into contact with him.
LANE CRAWFORD & Co.
EVERYTHING
(moti!LA Mtr 19. I
FOR TENNIS
TENNIS RACKETS,
trips, one in the afternoon and the second Oil launch He bad been fraak in his TENNIS
at night Witness told him he could not
his evidence was such as could be believed by reasonable man.
any
would be provided, for all time, with family our deepest sympathy in their launch off it would be all right. The de- to Woosung.
four years permanent quarters would be provided for them in the meantime in lieu of the usual increases. course be adoptext, in ive years time the Bhould such 4 majority of Europeans in the Colony good residences, rent free. In the case of small firms who cannot afford such an expenditure, they could borrow the money in their own names and lend it to their employés
lower rate of interest, the ม difference paid by the firms.
too
questioned to help but it
time in
is
The work of the court was then pro ceeded with.
manity, and sites are also available în Kowloon within easy reach of the new ferries to Shamshuipo,
•
INCLUDING THE S.E.G $25.00 each. THE GOLD MEDAL. $20.00 each. AYRE'S SLOTTED
THROAT. $20.00 each. “TOURNAMENT”. $12.50 each. SLAZENGER'S
DEMON” $11.50 each. GREENWOOD
$6.75 each.
CHAMPIONSHIP
POSTS TENNIS BALLS.
AND
NETS.
JUST RECEIVED
FOB
CEMENT AND GRASS COURTS,
RACKET
COVERS.
GUT
PRESERVER.
18
Foundry Facings that Stay Put||
In answer to Mr. Jenkin: No appli cation was made to him by the Ezras
His Lordship, in summing up, said that that day for the use of a launch. On the position taken up by the Crown was the morning of September 11th, the de- that the defendant had been guilty of an fendant telephoned to him and said he offence against a section of the Frevention apprehend Mr. Eugene Chen and that be corruptly given, either kimseof or red SPECIAL TERMS TO CLUBS, COLLEGES AND SERVICE TRAMS had sent a party down to Woosung to of Corruption Act, 1906, because he had had received a telephone message that the to give $200 to the 1sodan of the steam they took immediate steps to pull the-giving him money, to take a party down launch had gote on the breakwater. If launch as an inducement to do something not in relation to his employers" business
fendant said he would be responsible for the damage.
His Lordship reviewed the evidence and Witness said: What did you take with the matter by handing over the said that the defendant was connected our launch for and the defendant re-money with which the launch was to be plied "I did not know it was
your hired. He had not come down to The launch.""How do you know now ?? Band with money to hire a launch, and asked witness Because Krisel has when it was found that a launch could telephoned it W#S a Standart Oil not be obtained without hard eah, the launch,"
money had to be obtained. Probably that ought to have put the members of the to say that there was nothing in the evi party on inquiry. His Lordship went on dence which could directly connect the accused with the landas of the catch On the evidence which was before them the jury had to say afirmatively that the time of hiring the launch had in his
Witness said it was bruited aroid
Mr. N. . Stabb, or his nominee, to Co., he had lent the Meifoo IV. and had accused mind an intention to commit
the Officer Administer ing the
has already pointed out that the Government would be only out of the to rely entirely on them. What the Government could do would be to develop new sites and offer them for sale at a low price, one of the conditions of public meeting should at once be con- sule being that houses must be built onvened and a Committee appointed more or the sites within 24 months and that at no less as follows:
it be possible for the future will present purchasers, or their assignees, to let the houses built on such sites for more than a certain fixed rents which must not exceed, say, 8 per cent, on the capital dis bursed
for the purchase of the land and the Cost the building Buch a condition
of should form part the Crown Lease, because it is said that in the case of a large and well-known terrace in Hong- kong, which is at present almost entirely in the occupation of Portuguese families. the original intention of the owner, was that the rent for those houses should never
of
exceed $35 per month whereas it is to-day more than double and is being paid by those can ill afford it.
who
could be
should be
present
Committee
to
clubs that had he had heard it in the he had endeavoured to obtain & launch for a friend that day and it was said thats because he could not get the launch from the Tug and Lighter represent the Hongkong and Shanghai pocketed the $200 Witness said it was, Banking Corporation, to advise on the of course, not true, though it had neces a corrupt act, thy had to be satisfied financial aspect of the scherne...
sitated bis making explanations in athat he was determined to take anything One of the leading architects of the good many quarters
that came along whether it was obtained Colony,
Defendant in the witness-box said that corruptly or innocently, that it was in
in his BIF. L. N. Leefe and Mr. R. Shewan as on September 10th: he met the tender mind that he might have to take lanch representatives of employers and the Alexandra on her return at about 10 p.m. the loodab of which had been bribed. commercial community in general.
Mr. A. R. Lowe as & Chartered Accounted by Mr. Krisel to search for Mr. Chen. guilty. They were entitled to consider A second visit to the China was suggest and to justify them in finding the prisoner
That was the least they would have ant
Mr. A. Shelton Hooper as representing Witness tried to hire the Alesandra but the surrounding facts, but they had to
was unsuccessful, as part of the crew and vested interests in the Colony, and
Mr. J. P. Braga to represent the Porta: the officer in charge had gone. One of Bed beyond any reasonable doubt that answer 'affirmatively that they were satis guese community, who are the greatest the crew said he could hire a launch and such was the case sufferers in this connection:
His Lordship then went off. Witness went to the Customs proceeded to look at the conduct of the As the unofficial
ol members
the Legisla examination office and seeing a foreigner accused on that night from a point of The clerks in the employment of the tive Council have too many calls on their there, asked if it was possible to get a view which had occurred to him as, one Union Insurance Society of Canton, the time, it would be well for them not to be police launch. He was told it was impos in which he might have dealt with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor appointed; they could vary well express sible. Witness retured to the Alexandra case if it had been before him when giving poration; Mesara Jardine Matheson & tirpina they are in constant touch...when a Chinese cams and said there was indgment in a civil action. The accused Lo, and several other firms have already with whom
a launch available at the French Band came to The Bund without any money at large amounts in their Provident Fund, All meetings of the Committee should jetty. Gensburger went for Sgt. Wood 10 o'clock, expecting the Alexandre would and the money sa a margin to defray to anyone to address the Committee or to
so standing to their credit be held in public, and it should be open field and the party all met at the jetty. come in and that it would bring with it be erected to their own designs and ings should be advertised at least one week and $250 was asked for hire, but even when be discovered that Mr. Chen had the to witness Mr. Eugene Chen. He had not thought of the necessity of getting a launch at all, according to
requirements and ahead, and the Director of Public Workstually 3200 was agreed upon. Withers their wishes. The houses would become the pro information may be required, or the laodah a chit on which the money could endeavoured to hire the Alexandra with- not been found. He or his lawyer deter- to furnish whatever had no money, on him but offered the mined to make another effort. They porty of the employer after they had paid off the mortgage in full, but they should understanding that he would not be com- be collected the next day. This where ende not be permitted to dispose of the pro-mitting the Government in any way what fused and as there was no money amongst one through the Customs house. Still the but success. Then they tried to obtain perty without their
After a series of three or four the party Gensburger went off to obtain idea was to get a launch from the proper while they remain employers consent ever.
meetings, every aspect of the scheme would some. Woodfield thought the price authorities and they failed. The question The Government are providing free have been thoroughly discussed, and the agreed was too high. Eventually the would then arise at what time, after that
employed... quarters for their European officers or Comm could then meet in private to launch was refused and it was suggested did the idea come into the mind of the giving allowances in lieu thereof. One of Prepare their the motor on a business they should go to the Chinese Bund defendant that he would if necessary the conditions of the latter scheme is, tions. To put the matter on a business They got into their cars and the front bribe a laodah to let him have however, that if an officer occupies only loosing, a paid Secretary and a short one for some unknown reason went that was difficult. It was clear that be launch i reporter should be engaged, as there the Nanking Road jetty. The attempt to had not come to that conclusion before he cise, or resides in a hotel ar a boarding
whatever house be forfeits the allowances. This
They then decided to give the attempt up obtained and the question
The gave bis who are certainly pub condition obliges. ery Government officer
a house by
enough to contribute towards and they were leaving the jetty who he change his mind and decide that he though
rose when did uch a may be too big for him, thereby creating uch a wortere the broad outlines of the launch at Canton Road jetty. There course? He might have thought it was a some Chiness came up and said they had would take it necessary; a criminal a larger demand for houses. All allow ances should be abolished as soon as that it is far from being complete and body said they were willing to go. was not so... The fact that it was not so scheme, and it is of course, recognised they saw a launch. The landth, or some venial thing, to bribe & Chinese, but it possible and free quarters thoriti
The Naval and Military
will have to be considerably modifed after Woodfield and Hope jamped: aboard and and that bribery ought to be put a stop also housing some of their officers in action is, however, pressing, and it would should go. Eventually Mr. Krisel went, they must be careful and be guided by the due discussion. need for inmediate there was discussion as to who else to was no reason for convicting a man: married quarters built for the purpose but the
should.be urged to erect Govern be well for a meeting to be convened with Woodfield did not draw witness's atton-evidence... Within ten minutes or a qual": ment houses for all their European out. further delay by the Press, as repre- tion to the fact it was a Etandard Oilter of a hour, defendant must have employes, specially for the civilians in eating the public. All that is required launch nor did anybody suggest that changed his mind. their employment, as these are bitener is to arrange beforehand for several repro-what they were doing was at all'impro evidence in the cusó to justify them in Was there sufficient sentative speakers to addres: the meeting. One of the principal and most import bring about a much desired solutioned the money to Woodfield who passed-it Prisoner guilty: if there was not, they
Trusting that this letter will help to exam saying that he did so change his mind
At the French jetty Gensburger hand- ant points to be first dealt with would be
there wa then WEE,
they would find the for the Colony's, financiers to work, in the problem.-Yours, etc., conjunction with the Government, to raise
to the go-between. He did not would, acquit him. the necessary money by public loan
what happened to the money after it was end of which time they returned. & verdiet The jury recited for 55 minutes at the against the Revenue of the Colony, if
handed to the Chinese. necessary, so as to establish a Building
He first learned the launch belonged to His Lordship
finding the accused guilty of the charge. Fund to the administered by a Committee
You have been convicted of business, men, The necessary money for
the Standard Oil Co, when Mr. Krise of offering a bribe to the sodat of a telephoned the next morning from Woo launch building purpose the General Fund on a
think it is well that it should could then be advanced
sung. He telephoned to Capt. Eisler rsbe clearly understood that an enactment, employers
damage. In taking the launch witness Victed is poa which may be of great valte porting this and offered to pay for the such as that under which you are con margin of only 10 per cent. and a rate of ..interest not
There would be some difficulty in the the Cricket match against Craigengower, anlawful. He did not think he was doing and the facility with which that may be
exceeding 6 per cent
Bin. With reference to the report of did wit Bear not ta den 40 tons property out of the hands of a Chinese to ms here, because the temptation to take application of the scheme to all the Euro I beg to inform you that the result was anything wrong, be regarded it as an tered in few individual cases should It is a pity Craigengower thought at to Witness denied that he was in charged against. I cannot feel that yours is an pead employée, but the obstacles encoun- not a
draw
but a win for, the Club ordinary hiring riceve cufinodone af no considerable expense readers. It neither prevent nor delay the adoption close their innings at the fall of the ninth of the party on the night in question:
aerime which should be carefully guard feasible and practical solution of the wicket, as they only required six runs he was only interested in the Warrant gravated case because it seems that this howing probled, which is becoming more moreYours faithfully,
being served on Chen because of his The matter is one which must have come could not have been long premeditated. nente day by day...
brother, who was really the interested to your mind shortly before its execution. party in that matter. Be (witders) took In those circumstances I do not think it the Shanglas Gasette from continuing asent, but I shall order you to pay a fine probably an active part in trying to stop is necessary to inflict sentence of imprison- it was.
of $2,000,
part
it may
hand
a house, or shares it with anyone would probably be no STODO our get a motor boat at that jetty also failed. Went to the French Band, because there
ovimself
Keren..
than not permanent residenta.
to
There are a large
Bre
sites above, and below Mar, Bowen, and Kennedy Roads for the European coco
(Continued at foot of next Colum
the
are
Hongkong, 21st October, 1918.
HONGKONG · 0.0.
CRAIGENGOWER.
(TO THE EDITOR OF “* THE HONGKỠNG
DAILY PRESS
""]
TPM HODGSON. 22nd Oct her 1918
(Hon. Secretary, H.K.0.0.)
Our mistake was shared by some, at least, of the pinying in the match-ED. H.D.F.]
name:
Ther
money wa
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