Page
THE DELUGE,
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 1923.
NEARLY 16 INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS,
COMPARISONS WITH PAST RECORDS.
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ROADS.
During the twenty-four hours ended at 38.30 am. yesterday the total rainfall in Hongkong, as registered at the Royal Observatory, was 15.01 inches following are the recorded falls at the various reservoirs:—
Poklulum
·Taitam
Taitan-tuk Wong-nei-cheong Kowloon
:
14.9 in. 11.35 in. D. 10 in. 13.50 in 1100 in
"THE MURDER TRIAL:
JURY FAILS TO REACH AS
DECISION.
The case in which an Indian watch-
man, named Ashran Khan, is indicted on a charge of murder of a Chinese named Wong Hin Fat, whom it is alleged he shot ky accident when aiming at another
"AT “HAPPY VALLEY- The Valley is now in a hopeless state, and looking at the lakes formed there and the brown stretches of mud it seeus doubtful whether, thera, will be any, Gym khana meeting on Saturday, the 30th inst, though the truck does not appear to be so badly damaged as it was during the heavy rains of Angust. The Craigen gower Cricket Ground has escaped, and the Club football pitch does not appear to he damaged. The Police Recreation was again.continued yesterday. Bowls Green has likewise cacubed dam The Crows Solicitor and counsel for age but more than half of the Civil Ser-the delenou addressed the Court, vice Cricket Club ground is a mass of His Lordship intimated that if the jury brawn mud. Inside the race track the accepted the story of the Crown's wit Water poured out of the ground: Boorground is completely under water except neses, that accused after an altercation windows and fell on the road several for a small corner at the North end. The shot at the coolie the shot bringing feet below with the noise of a waterfall about the football club houses right round death of deceased-then he would direct race track itself is in good order from about the. wounding and subsequent TheIn this very building earlier. in the night to the Wong Nei Cheong Village where them that in law that was murder, unless the police from No. Station rescued two the mischief begins Jhat at the bead there was some legal justification. On into the Home straight the turf is cover- the other hand, if the jury arrived at women and four children from the ser- ed for about 30 yards with sand, whilst the conclusion that there was a struggle vants quarters in a sorry plight. The the whole of the portion in front of the between accused and the coole, prisoner quarters were flooded when a portion of Grand Stands is, a mass of brown slimy haring loaded his carbine-which he had the wall collapsed and the water rose tout. The roni round Happy Valley is ne right to do and that as a result of partially closed to team trafic and it was that struggle the rife went off and the height of six feet. The women and not expected thint the large gang of brought about the death of deceased, then children were discovered clinging on to coolies would be able to clear the tram his Lordship would direct them to bring bed boards and other floating articles. Yesterday the teams were able to run as did not beliese the Crown's point of view track completely before this morning. in a verdict of manslaughter. If the jury Inspector Peter Grant was instrumental far as the Dragon Motor Car Garage at but accepted the story of the prisoner. in saving their lives.
Wong Net Cheong, but were compelled to that four men attacked him and he But to revert to the story of the fire portant block in the Happy Valley roads he murder unless accused was justified- come back by the same route. The indeliberately shot at deceased, that would engine. It never reached Pokfulun. Ats between the Grand Stand and the nnless, he was afraid of his life of person. No. Station M. Brooks was informed hundred yards, some hundreds of tons of him in deliberately firing
cemetery. Here for matter of three
or unlese circumstances actually justified that the collapse was not serious, and the earth has been deposited across the trum the station to await other calls. men returned with their appliances to lines, whilst about 75 yards of the Pro- testaat Cemetery wall has collapsed under the pressure of water, and has heen washed out on to the tram lines men, the foreman said:--We think that Speaking on behalf of his fellow jury- tery, even at a late hour yesterday after slight cause, was jostled by a crowd, and, At the entrance to the Protestant Ceme the prisoner, having quarrelled for some. noon, a swift stream of water ten fest being a stranger, imagined himself at- wide was pouring out through the gates, tacked by them. He loaded his ride to crossing the road and flowing into the intimidain them, and when they separat main entrance to the Grand Stand the Race Course. The cemeteries themed fired at one of those he thought to selves have suffered by the scour amibe his attackers, intending to disable hira away. Yesterday gangs of coolies were direction as to how their decision stood, many grave mounds have heco carried The jury wished for his Lordship's
only, engaged in replacing these.
At the Matilda Hospital the registar showed a fall of 18.50 inches hetween am, on Tuesday and 9 am, on Welses- day. At the Botanical Gardens the fall was It inches; and at Talpo, between 8am on Tuesday and 8am, on Wednes day, only 4.5 inches were recorded.
RECORD RAINFALLS.
Most of this rain fell during the night From the Director of the Observatory we learn that the fall between 10.30 p.m
an' Tuesday and 6.20 nm on Wedneslay. as registered at the Observatory, was 19578 inches, and the greatest rainfall in any one hour was 2.99 inches between 1.30 am, and 2.30 am. All these figures are recards for the month of October.
The record rainfall for the Colony is 1036 inches in seven hours on May 29th 30th, 1987,
1i
The Observatory record for "one civil day" is 20.495 inches on, May 30th, 1889," and the maximum rainfall for one hour 3,480 inches at 3 p.m. on July 15th, 1886.
The year's record is held by the year 1889 when a total of 119.72 inches fell during the year. The total fall for the present year bas now reached 106.02 inches, against an average of 80.50 inches,
IN THE CITY.
The city of Victoria early yesterday morning presented a picture of desolation There was, and and water everywhere, The bottons of Pedder Street, between the Hongkong Hotel and Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co.'s premises was cover- by sand and mud to a depth in some places of fifteen inches. One could not tell where pavement and roud began. At the top of Puder Street in front of the new Asintig Building there was another. mud flat. Ice House Street at the bot to end was in a similar condition, though not quite as bad as Pedder Street In Wyndham Street just opposite the flower stalls, the road had been broken by the torrents, whilst a little higher up the same street there is a fissure right across the street several inches wide and several inches deep, reminding one of the pictures from Japan of earthquake fis-
"
WANCHAL GAP ROAD.
on.
were
buildings in Wanchai Gap Road
The occupants of two large residential greatly perturbed when the road slong- side collapsed. This portion of the road suffered severely in the last heavy rains, and, as reconstruction work was only partially completed, the heavy rain play- ed havoc with the supporting earth on the hillside, which was exposed to the full force of the heavy downpour. The road alongside one of the buildings has been
the jury returned to the box with no After an ausence of forty minutes, definite decision.
in law. As it was then« nearly two y o'clock. his Lordship decided to adjourn until this morning.
INNOVATION. IMPROVED POLICE METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING PRISONERS.
A new method of transporting prison. the Magistracy is being brought into ers from the outlying police stations to
DAMAGE DONE BY THE SCOUR.sures. When the rain storm was at its washed away almost up to the found operation forthwith. In the past the
THE FIRE BRIGADE'S EXPERI ENCES..
tions, and apparently another heavy fall of rain would cause the whole building to go toppling down the hillside,
IN KOWLOON.
custom has been to bring prisoners from
In future.
As may be expected from a fall of just height eye-witnesses state that the water
the distant stations by tram-car or, if this on sixteen inches of rain in twenty-four bore down Wyndham Street and Upper
was not convenient, to march them there. hours, considerable damage was done in with it large quantities of earth and sand fee House Street like rivers, carrying the Colony by the deluge. Not only were.
Squads of prisoners from any one station road surfaces extensively scoured but and rubile from the sandy embankments
were handcuffed and marched along the roads were damaged in places by the of Glenealy. In Wyndham Street the dislodgment of boulders from the hill flood was caused by the large culvert done and so far as the European district many protests has been made from time In Kowloon very little damage was This antiquated method, against which thoroughfares in the early morning hours: sides, or by inndslides and washouts being unable to take the rush of water is concerned no damage has been reto tine is now abandoned. which neccesitated the closing of the This culvert is about five feet wide and ported to the police. In the New Terri prisoners will be transported to the ronds to trahe. The road round the select doep. It was built with the stories several roads have been closed and Magistracy by motor police van, which island. between Aberdeen and Deep tention of taking rainfall at the rate of at Tai Lum Chun, in the Castle Penk Water Bay has had to be closed, as well four inches in the hour. This also gives District, the floods washed several large large for these roads. The chassis was is of a large and heavy type, perhaps too as Stubbs Road and Seymour Road. The an ides of the immensity of the fall. The rocks on to the roadway. The road in brought out from Home and the body bas Bowen Road conduit has been again culvert was unable to stand the atraio consequence is closed to motor traffic. been built thereon at the Railway en- damaged, and the water supply for the and it hurst open the road surface and The railway for the 2 miles of the British ginearing shops at Kowloon. The body is time being bas to be controlled by bring swept away the heavy grunite blocks on section has not been damaged, but it is of iron with large ventilation spaces ing the rider mains into operation in all the top of the culvert as if they were impossible to state whether any damage rovered with strong wire netting protect-
districts.
pieces of timber. The hole caused is in has been done on the Chinese sectioned by iron bars. The van is capable of the roadway about five feet square. This additional torrent of water did much to owing to the fact that telephone com holding twenty prisoners but in a case of make things very uncomfortable in build- But as only 4 inches of rain was regis her could he taken.
munication with Canton has broken down emergency practically double that num- ings in the block surrounded by Des tered in Taipo in twenty-four hours. it Veux Road, Pedder Street, Queen's Road is probable that no great damage was and Ice House Street. The basement of done in the hinterland, the new A.P.C. Building, which was re- cently occupied by the Netherlands India Commercial Bank, was flooded out. block, and in many of the blocks adjoin
Practically every basement in this ing, were inundated and in several cases where valuable goods were stored con- siderable damage was one. Amongst the and their daughter were awakened duram:-. E A. Webster (cupt.), E G. worst sufferers were the Hongkong Hotel Co., Mesars, A. S. Watson and Co. (the ing the early hours of the morning by whole of the basement of Alexandra sexcre vibration; the house shook and Buildings were flooded doing considerable walls collapsed and fittings and doors damage), Messrs. Donnelly and White's enme down. Mr. Ram hastily rose to warehouse in Ice House Street, the Inter-investigate and discovered that a huge national Banking Corporation on the boulder several tons in weight had rolled comer of Ice House Street and Queen's Road Central
Apart from the statistics we have given, the experiences of the Fire Brigade dur- ing the height of the storm afford per haps the most striking means of convey ing an impression of the terrific down- pour of rain. At about 2.30 a.m. the
Central Fire Brigade received a call for Mosque Street, where it was stated that house had collapsed. The No. 3 ap- pliance fully manned and equipped for Buch work was sent out. The engine nade slow progress as far as Arbuthnot Road and for the remainder of the jour ney the water was right up to the axle trees. In Arbuthnot. Read the rush of water was so grent that large pieces of wood and blocks of granite and boulders were carried with great force against the bonnet of the engine whilst the wheels becaine buried up to the axle in soft mud. Things became so bad that further pro- gress was impossible and it was decided to leave the engine in the road and to proceed on foot. After half an hour's Cautious wading the men arrived at Alos que. Street where it was found that n large contractor's matshed had collapsed burying an Indian watchman who was sheltering there. This man had by that time been removed by the police and sent to hospital
ON THE PEAK AND MIDDLE LEVELS
the storm was that which happened at Perhaps the most alarming incident of
142, Barker Road. Mr. and Mrs. Ram the residence of Mr. E. A. Ram at No.
CONDUIT BROKEN
AGAIN.
Yesterday the rider mains were brought into use again. This was due to the fact that the conduit in Bowen Road had been damaged. The conduit was badly broken by a landslide caused by last August's beavy rains and it had only been temporarily repaired by the construction of a flume. This flume was carried away in the storm and, as the result of this, the Colony has been put on short supply again. The damage to the conduit in nat considered so serious as when it was. damaged in August.
SPORT.
CRICKET.
|_ H.K.C.C. 4. NAVY..
Saturday, on the Club ground, at 2.15 HK.C.C. 1st XI against The Navy on The following team will represent the
Lammert, A. L. Gace, A. C. L. Bowker, A. Y. T. Dean, E. G. England, D). GH. Piercy, C. Blaker, G. R. More, Nicholson and D. B. Feat
H.K.C.CA. UNIVERSITY,
H.K.C.C. 2ND XI. R.E.
G.
The Hongkong C.C. 2nd XI. willment the Royal Engineers at Happy Valley on Saturday at 2.16 p.m.and will consist of F. C. Miller (ept.), I. Grifin, H. H. Day, G. M. Dorkins, C. R. Barou, C. T. Fowle, T., W. Riddell, D. H. T. Mc- Master, A. K Mackenzie, W. Bracken- ridge and J. A. D. Morrison,
down the hillside, crashed through the back wall of the house, knocking down the verandah and coming to rest half in the
In this match on the University ground CLEARING THE MESS,
drawing room and hálf out. Floods of co Saturday at 2.15 p.m., the Hongkong The work of clearing the mess was water and mud flowed through the breach CCA" team will be composed of H. taken up with commendable promptitude, thus caused and the occupants were Hollands (capt.). R. M. Macalpine, and long before many business people forced to leave the house at dawn and W. W. Mackenzie, J. N. Owen, H. B were natur, the Public Works Department make their way to the Peak Ifotel where Taylor, J. R. Way, G. W. Sewell, L. R. were at work making tracks through they are now staying The boulder is Blacking, J. F. Hancock, B. Crowley and the tons of sand and mud in Ice House said to have broken away from just above J. P: Bridger. A motor bus will conveg Street. Coolies were brought in from the Findlay Road and in its career carried members to and from the University Quarry Bay Government Quarries and away part of Plantation Road.
ground, starting at 1.43 p.m. sharp, and hundred or noro of these were set to
returning at 8.20 p.m. work in clearing Pedder Street. Motor- Whilst this engine was out, another call trucks were used to take away the sand. was received at the Central Fire Station. By 10 am.n track wide enough for motor This time the report coming from Pok- cara and rickshas had been opened, but fulum where it was stated that a Chinese it was even then impossible to use the tenement bouse had collapsed. Another thoroughfare to any extent owing to the appliance was sent out, also fully large number of coolies engaged on the munned," but not fully equipped for this job. The débris was not cleared by the special work of removing débris and Mr. late afternoon, but a considerable portion Brooks, the Superintendent decided to of it had disappeared. run down to Wanchai Fire Station and In Ice House Street, through which two there complete his equipment. The en- and a half feet of water rushed during Fios tunde its way along Queen's Road the height of the storm, the collection East, which was covered with many of sand was not so great and this, was inches of water, and after several atopamostly all cleared away during the morn- he started on the return journey but on As to the water in the basements, this arrived at the Station. Having loaded up ing wate arrival at the Naval Yard Gates the floods presented a problem in which a solution has risen considerably, the water reach by coofics and buckets seemed out of the ing the carburettor and patting the motor question, though in some of the eases out of action telephone message was where the final in the cellars was not the nullah by the tremendous rush of sent to the Central Fire Station and the great the water was haled out by water and when recovered some time polico car was sent out to collect the kete. But in cases like Messrs. Watson's, afterwards they were both dead. Brigade. They were crowded into this Donnelly and White's, and the InternaThe site for the New P. and O. build- six seater and a fresh start was made tional Banking Corportation, the ccliure for Pokfulum. They proceeded by the were flooded to the extent of several fortg 1 Des Voeux Boal Central was Dougles and R. W. Williamson
flooded. This will delay lower rond towards West Point, but near and if any impression was to be made zion, for some time building on the path to th
7 Station they found their progress on the influx methods, would have again impeded by a flood which came to be resorted to, The Fire Brigade, gushing down the side streets Progress under the supervision of Mr. E. D.G. was so slow that Mr. Brooks decided to Wolfe, Captain Superintendent of Police, make for No. 7 Police Station near by came to the rescue and the fre engines and find out if any further details of the were used to pump these cellars out. In collapse had been received. Near the the case of Messrs. A. S. Watson's cellar Saiyingpun School he and several other it took our engine three hours and five firemen wore nearly swept, off their foot minutes to clear out the water, whilst in and only managed to retain their bal- the case of Messrs. Donnolly and White's ance by holding on to each other. The godown another cogine took nearly four Sayingpua School was a proper weir.hours to clear not the muddy water.
OTHER ITEMS
Third Street. In making their escape A woman and a child were drowned in From a house in the dark the woman over- balanced and fell into a nullah. The woman and her child were carried down
FOOTBALL.
H.K.P.C. RES. . HMS. HOLLYOAK."
Reserves in & End division lengue match The following will represent the Clut against H.M.8 plyout on the Navy
Burton and D. Lyon, J. Gardner, G. da ground, Happy Valley, on Saturday (kick-off, 245 p.)À E Paul, H. T. Man and S. H. Garred T. A. Barelny, A. Ferguson, J. Roberts, W. Railton and V. RamsayReserves: "AJ
KFC. HALS. “DIOMEDE.”
Huge deposits of earth and houlder fell gainst the blocks of fats and houses in The debris carried away the coal sheds a 1st XI. in a lot division league match The following will represent the Club May Road. Tregunter Mansions escaped. the back of Branksomo Towers.
The approach to Mr. Apear's house in
against HM.S. Diomede on the Navy "A" ground, Happy Valley, on Satur- Mng Boad www.carried away whilst a day (kick-off, 4.15 p.m.):R. Hutchison: portion of the Treganier Path hadis W. Gerrard and G. E. Bishop: . Angus, appeared. pulver med JA Stewart and J. W R McPhail R Half of Mr. Montague Edo's tennis Bell. A. 8. Forsyth, H. G. Howard, G. Court at his midence on the Peak was Watson and S. D. Bogg. Reserve: A washed away.
Mair,
ON WITH THE DANCE.
Before deciding on your New Gown for the Ball. call and see our delightful selection.
A new consignment of Evening Dresses has just arrived from Ion- don and Paris, together with some very sme Hair Ornaments, and other dainty accessories.
AFTER THE BALL for the car ride home. a Jaeger Wrap or Scarf is the very thing to prevent chill.
NOTE OUR NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER
4567-4 LINES
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Itd