J
TER, HONGKONG DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1718, 1925.
TRAGEDY REIGNS AT HAPPY VALLEY.
AVALANCHE OF WATER AND MASONRY BRINGS DEATH TO SEVERAL PERSONS.
DETAILS OF DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE COLONY.
Stark tragedy broods over Happy Valley. One of the Colony's prettiest and most pleasant places. is at present a scene of pitiful desolation. its well made roads hidden in plares with shattered masonry which rises up from mud and water Test in depth, and its trim racecourse' flooded. This is, the chaotic result of a terrific avalanche and landslide which occurred shortly before midnight on Monday on the hillside at the North-eastern corner of the valley, crashing down the retaining wall above the Yeung Wa Sursing Home, and hurling before it human beings and heavy vehicles: A Daily Press representative who' visited the sceng of tragedy writes :--
#i
The Director of the Royal Observatory The corner of Happy Valley by Kon Ma Termeg; and the Young Wo Nursing issued the following statement to the Ifame was a scens of terrible destruction || Press, yesterday :----
inches.
yesterday, which was rendered all the MONDAY NIGHT'S RAINSTORM more pitiful by the groups of Chinese
The rain commcneed shortly before residents. many of whose houses and.. on Monday night, and at 11.30am property had been damaged, who erept yesterday morning had totalled 103 forlornly about the place talking miser- ably in undertones, and glancing hope- fully from time to time at the British police officers and other officials who were visiting the spot in the course of their duties.
It appears that between 1 p.m. and midnight on Monday during the torren-
Between sp, and midnight Monday over 75 inches fell, as follows:--
inches. between 8.30 and 9.30 pm....tols 9.0 .. 10.30 1..2010 10.30
...:0
IL.30 .. 12.30 •
་་
10
-...1.32)
The maximum rainfall on one day was
MOTORISTS IN TROUBLE..
PROCESSION OF OFFENDERS AT | KOWLOON' MAGISTRACY.
At the Kowloon Magistracy yester day, before Mr. E. W. Hamilton several motorists appeared on charges of con- travening the traffic regulations.
"Mr. Wi Pui Wah, of No. 4, Yeo On Terrace, was charged at the instigation uf Inspector Aris with driving a car at an excessive speed in Nathan Road on the 31st May.
Mr. M. R. Lo, who defended, said he had always understood that defendants in such cases' Wors informed within reasonable time of their having commit ted an offence. But the first time his client had heard of the offence was
when he was automated. fourteen days after its alleged occurrence
His Worship: He might have been going too fast to be stopped. ·
Mr. Lo: Did you anyone in the ear return a slipper to one of the boys? - Witness: No, and if that were so, it must have been thrown to him, because the car did not stop.
Continuing, witness said the car, in which he was, was only about 25 yards behind and he noticed that after the accident the car in front was going over the road like a jerab and it was evident that the driver knew nothing about driv ing or else was upset at the time.
Defendant, giving evidence, said that there was i bus at the spot where the accident happened. This bus had its headlights full on and she was under the impression that it was in motion. La order to pass she slowed down, and when she approached the bus, which she found to be stationary, two cyclista rede across the road from behind the stationary vehicle and collided with the rear part of her car. The boys fell and she im Mr. Lo, continuing, asked tow could mediately slowed down, and her amah his client remember something, that bap-handed a slipper which lay on the foot- pened 14 days before the summons we board back to one of the cyclists. The issued. His attention was not drawn to boys were achurt, neither were the the alleged offence at the time. It was bicycles damaged, and, there was only a unfair that particulars of the offence slight scratch on the mudguard of her were not given. As it stood, the charge was too vague and for that reason he (M Lo) would ask for a remand for weck.
His Worship said he had no objection
car.
tial downpour that he then prevailed / Delta inches on May 30th, 1989, and the but if that were done he would have the he was under the impressica that ac
For some hours, and continued for hours after, an immense volume of water car. ried away
large portion of the retain- ing wall above the Yeung Wo Nursing Home at the North-East corner of Happy Valley. This masonry, swept along by the avalanche erashed down past the Nursing House premises (which were
present fall has been exceeded on many other occasions.„,
THE PEAK DISTRICT. The Peak district also received its share of Hooding and landslides.
Stubbs Road, in particular, suffered. The road was badly freached in two places just above the cemeteries and there
Questioned by His Worship as to why she did not report the matter to the police, defendant, said she was acquainted. with the regulations on her licence but
licence cancelled until the next hearing.cidents need not be reported unless a Mr. Lo: What reason has your Wor person was injured. She said she had. ship to do that? You are practically related the same story to the Europeani prejudging the case when you say that sergeant. the licence should be withdrawn before hearing the case, - His Worship: said that.
Mr. Lo submitted that the only person who could report an accident to the I have, not definitely police was one who was injured or one
whose car had been collided with I was also consonant with the practics of
provideatially untouched) and sashing/ were one or two slips noticed higher up. duty in Nathan Road, on the evening of drivers not to report slight occurrences, Į
Eight ears were imprisoned at various down the lower garden wall of the in-
points along the road through landslides stitution, hurled itself into the valley. -
having occurred before and behind them A mustor car, which was standing out-
while in motion. Although the occupants side the Nursing Home gates, its owner!ad narrow escapes, no injuries had been haying gone inside, was caught up and dashed against I house" some Aftern yards away. It now lies upturned and almost entirely covered with earth and masonry only, a small section of two tyres being visible.
A steam roller, which was on the rond higher up the incline, was entried along for about fifty yards, and a P.W. watchman who was standing guard over it was killed
FIVE BELIEVED KILLED, A Chinese stall, at which ten and other commodities were sold, stund just under the garden wall of the nursing home, and the wall was projected, practically in one piece, right on top of the stall, "
it is not known how many people were at the stall at the time, but it is believed that at least five Chinese, including the proprietor of the stall. are lying under the wall.
roadway.
reported up to yesterday afternoon Two of the cars belonged to the Hotels Company.
Stubbs Road so far as the section he tween the bottom of Bowen Road was impassable all through yesterday, but it was hoped to clear, this particular section by last evening and cable cars to preced to Repulse Bay provided there were no further land-slides on the new Wong Nei Chong Gup to Repulse Bay
section.
Inspector Aris said he was on patrol
May 31st, when a motor car came from the direction of Yaumati and going up- hill into Nathan Road was travelling bes tween 20 and 25 miles per hour. He (the Inspector) shouted to the driver to stop, but the car continued on its way at the same speed. There were several children in the roadway at the time. No bora had been sounded, and there were no other vehicles on the road.
His Worship said that it appeared to him that the case against defendant was that he did not blow bis born, where- upon Mr. Lo contended that his client was not summoned on that charge and that he must really know what the pro secution's case was.
#
and further they need not do so unless some person or persons were injured.
His Worship, addressing defendant, asid: I find this to be a very grave charge indeed and I accept the evidence, of Mr. Willes entirely. You will be fined
$30.
THE COURT'S FINDING. Mr. Lo: May I ask what is your Worship's Ending
His Worship: I find that the cyclists were knocked over by a car which was
driven by this lady. I say definitely that this is exactly what she should have reported, but she did not do so.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lo, the Inspec-
Mr. Lo': If your Worship does not tor said that defendant did not attempt fad that she did not stop after injuring
approached the to slow down when
Worship to state a
But if you children and added that they were the boys I shall be obliged to ask your actually saved from, being knocked over my she should have stopped I shall be by running across the road.
content.
casc.
His Worship: I do not find that there was injury, but she should certainly have stopped.
No reports regarding this section had been received up to yesterday afternoon. It was thought quite probable, however, that it would take an extra day's work to clear the debris from Bowen Road to the Peak and that it might take ever longer in the case of the new sector of
Mr. Lo said he would plead guilty the road from Bowen Road to Re- pulse Bay and the round-the-island road to the charge of not sounding the horn from Repulse Bay to Shaukiwan. The it the first charge were withdrawn. road to the Peak was closed yesterday. Continuing, he said that no one, except
MAN KNOCKED DOWN. Those who were moturing up to the Peak, a lunatic would want to run down child- on Monday night, bad to finish their ren. Inspectar Aris said defendant hud
Mr. S. Hillier, of Messrs. Lane' and journey fact. The old road to Repulse not been charged with not sounding his Bay hy way of Pokfulam and Aberdeen horn, but he (the Enspector) still pre-Crawford, Ltd., was charged with hay- was open yesterday, and the Public ferred the charge of negligent driving Works Department will be hard at work against him. to-day again clearning the two big slips in the road around the Istund.
IN THE CITY.
The case was adjourned until next Tuesday.
ing driven a motor cycle negligently in Nathan Road on May 27th and with fail- ing to produce his driving licence.
Inspector Aris said defendant while pegotiating the corner at the junction between Nathan Road and Gascoigne, Road "knocked down a man who was standing in the roadway, a bus wate travelling in front and had be waited until the bus bad fully negotiated the He was not travelling quickly at the corner, the toad would have been clear. time.
A second motor-ent was swept from the road by the race-course right over the big stone artificial nullah onto the
TWO CYCLISTS KNOCKED OVER racecourse itself, and lay upturned in The City itself seems to have escaped
Mrs. Wo Pui Wah, 4, Yec On Terrace, sleep mid some thirty yards from the the effect of the downpour exceptionally (the wife of the defendant in the last well and there has been little incon venience caused. Houses in Wanchai, case, who was driving another car), was It is believed that the driver was in little more than coolie matsheds, collaps summoned for having failed to report an the car at the time and that his body ed, but at mid-day yesterday, apart from accident to the police on the evening of
pools and traces of where quantities of the 1st May. Mr. M. K. Lo defended. is underneath it. The enn had not; how-earth had fallen or been carried by the Sergeant Smith said that be received
a message for Tsim Sha Chui, police Defendant said that, as he turned the ever, been moved at a late hour yester-rushing waters, little remained to in-station on the night of May at to the corner, a man who was riding on the bus, dicate what the main roads were like at effect that a motor accident had occurred jumped of and ran into him. He was day:
the height of the storm on Monday night. The masonry of the stone nullah on A few shops in the neighbourhood of in Nathan Road, which had been report travelling vary slowly and stopped his the farther side was carried away, and the Tabaqueria Filipina suffered mainly ed to them by Mr. Willes, a member of machine almost at once. Had the man the enormous volume of water poured through their low lying position, Practi- the staff of the Hongkong Daily Pre looked where he was going, the accident
cally all the lower lying roads were in- No accident had been reported by the would not have happened.
owner of the car. At 8.30 that night be
Inspector Aris in reply to His Wor rescourse and golf links, undated and in some houses there were the which are now flooded, and thickly no less than five fect of water on the (the Bergeant) stopped the car which ship, agreed that defendant immediately
was being driven by a Chinese in Nathan pulled up. covered in places with huge deposits of ground floors.
Road. The driver said his mistress had driven the car earlier in the evening mud and débris.
Next morning the lady admitted that the previous evening her car collided with two evelista in Nathan Road. The boys did not report the matter to the police, neither. did a Mr. Lloyd with whose car defendant had collided earlier in the He was naked to appear in evening. court but he said he would rather not do
unto
The cemetery wall was also smashed down for a space of about sixty yards extending eastwards from the Members' cutrance to the racecourse enclosure, and gangs of coolies were at work" yes terday, repairing the damage.
At St. Francis Street, Wanchai, number of houses were in danger of
Des
His Worship: These people are such fools, but we have to legislate for them. The case is dismissed,
Defendant pleaded guilty to the second charge and was fined $5.
OBSTRUCTION,
Mr. Mara, 7, Queen's Road Central, pleaded guilty to a charge of obstruction in Nathan Road. Sergt. Hallam said that defendant had left his motor-cycle on the pathway.
Fined $5...
collapsing through the floods and the Fire Brigade were summoned. The water was pumped out by the Brigade, and the occupants were told to leave the houses, which appeared really in danger of collapsing. In some instances a few of The northern side of the tramline was, the weaker structures were swept away. of course, put out of action, and trams There were no casualtica, however
The Fire Brigade, as asunt, deserve so accordingly made a temporary terminus
His Worship: If he is wanted he can at Koun Ma Terrace, close to the commendation for their prompt and eff Nursing Home.
cient action. On Monday night and be subpoenaed.
Sergeant Smith continuing, said that All the roads in the low lying areas during the early hours of yesterday he had examined the ear and found one
NO BEAR LIGHT. were awash yesterday and water, carry. morning, they received two calls, one in
Mr. G. Margin was fined $5 for having ang with it debris and earth from the connection with the landslide and collapse of the front mudguards damaged. hillsides, rushed in torrcats down the of a house in the Wong Nei Chong Road, fat bad ruumid benefice no rear light on his car. nullabs into the sen. This was particular- tion with the dangerous condition of the within a reasonable time.
Happy Valley, and the other in cooses had not reported the matter to the police
THE RIGHT MAN. ty noticeable at Causeway Bay, where the houses in St. Francis Street,
Mr. J. S.Willes, of the Hongkong
Mr. H. Duncan pleaded guilty to Polo Ground and the Chinese Recreation
Among other smaller landslides were Daily Press, Baid that he was returning. Club's Ground was practically under those which occurred at the junction of by car from Castle Peak on the evening having driven a motor-cycle dangerously water all over. There have been landslides Kennedy Road and Macdonnell Road and of May 31st, when in Nathan Road het in. Nathan Road on May 26th. At a of a minor nature also in this district also at Magazine, Gap Road, just above saw car No. 1430 collide with two Chinege previous bearing his brother, Mr. A. from the hillside near the St. Paul's May Rond level
cyclists, who were pitched against a Duncan, had been summoned, for the French Convent Hospital and in Sook.
So far as can be ascertained, the roads stationary bus. He had no doubt that offence, but he proved that he had not
After ridden the motor-cycle that day, unpoo Valley Building operations are on the mainland have not been sufficiently the car ran into the cyclists
"Defendant was stated to have been being carried out on the hill opposite the damaged to warrant them being closed. knocking the boys over the driver be travelling at the rate of 30 miles an hour, Polo Ground and the earth foundations
Witch car followed the other In connection with the actual rain-fall, an. · that have recently been laid for a light the figures of which are given elsewhere up and overtook it at the Star Ferry, but he pleaded that as he had railway for transportation of building in this report, it is shown that 73 inches Witness questioned a Chinese man, who speedometer he had no idea that he was material were undermined by the torren- fell between 8 pm, and midnight on appeared to be the hand of the party going at such a speed. He was fined tial raios, a large quantity of earth and Monday and that a total of 10.25 inches in car No. 1430, comenining the collision.
NO LIGHTS, stone tumbling down onto the roadways had been reached by 11-20 yesterday with the two cyclists. The man replied
morning. The heaviest rainfall was be- that be locked back and aw that the Mr. D. 8. Green was charged with The Tai Hing village in the Causeway, tween 10-20 p.m. and 11-30 p.m. on Mon-boys were unhurt. Questioned as to having driven a car without lights in Bay district also suffered very much from day when 2.160 inches fell onto whether he intended to report the matter Nathan Road on June 1st. Defendant the effects of flooding and small land- A landslide occurred at upper Albert to the polies ho replied in the negative, and the lamps were lit, but the light was slides, many of the house's being dwark Road, at 5 o'clock laat evening, but whereupon ho (witness) immediately in not strong. The case was adjourned Idr in the basemcat.
fortunately no one was injured.
formed the policy.
Doneath.
a week.
mo
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