ON'S "AUTO- "PHONES.
DISPUTE OVER OLD CONTRACT.
*NO WORK DONE FOR 19 MONTHS."
A lively dispute is in progress in Canton, according to the Canton Gazelle, over the contracts for the installation" of an autoraatio Tele-
MODERN CHINESE
THEATRE.
THE KO SHING OPENED YESTERDAY.
BUILDING COSTS OVER THREE LAKHS.
MODERN DANCING AND CHINESE PLAYS.
•
Another modern Chinese theatre phone Service, and the Cantons added to the Colony's places Municipality has furnished a report of entertainment when the Ko to Marshal Li's headquarters.
Shing Theatre was officially opened The first contract, was signed yesterday by the Hon. Dr. R. H. during Mr. Sun Fo's regime as Kotewall, C.M.G. Mayer, the contractors being the The new premises on the site of Automatic Electric Incorporated. an ancient theatre are in Queen's The second contract was concluded Road West, just at the foot of the slope leading to the Government only a few months ago, the "con-Uivil Hospital. That part of the tractor being the Chita Electric town, as is generally known, is not Co.
very pre-possessing with its lines The later contract shows a saving of second-hand clothes shops, and of G.450,000 in the prios of the old and delapidated Chinese tene- tender, in addition to which the meat houses, but with the new suppliers are to build the central building which has just been com exchange offices, whereas in the pleted, the locality has undergone earlier contract the cost of the a great change. It has the look building was not included, so that of opulence characteristic of the in weighing up the values of the business part of the city. two wontracts the cost of the central offices would have to be taken into consideration.
No Work Dons.
it'
|
THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, JULY 31st, 1928. -
CORRESPONDENCE.
WATER SHORTAGE,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "HONG KONG „DAILY FRESS."]
Sin-The water shortage question is a perennial one with us in Hong Kong. Would that some perennial spring could be found on the Island that would effectively drown the bubject. Until then, it will exercise the minds of the Authorities con- tinually and, incidentally, supply excellent "copy" for newspaper
writers..
Your leader writer refers to the discussion in the Sanitary Board six months ago and criticizesthe pen picture of a queue of Chinese women and children awaiting their supply of the precious fuid at street hydrants and suggests that Dr. Kotowall and I might perhaps be better employed " in endeavour- ing to teach the coolies that waste is very frequently, if not invariably, followed by want."
em.
HOSPITAL PROCE-
DURE.
CASE RECEIVED AT TUNG WAH WITHOUT HISTORY.
HERBAL TREATMENT-
DISCUSSED. ・・
CAUŠĖ OF AGED COOLIE'S DEATH.
regarding
Important questions hospital procedure when patients are transferred, and the efficacy
of Chinese Herbal treatment were discussed yesterday at a resumed inquest, held by Mr. R. E. Lindsell and a jury at the Central Magis- tracy, into the death of an aged coolie who had been the injured in' a motor accident.
Dr. Kisk, Superintendent of the Tung Wah Hospital, re-called, said that the immediate cause of death might have been a clot of blood in the heart, but in any case the man's body, was in a very septic state. Dr. Kirk said that the opinion of
Your suggestion is but a para- phrase of the very argument ployed on the occasion of the Sani- tary Board discussion on the 10th January last when I quoted the well-known adage that it is the i The building was designed by sinful waste that makes woeful the Chinese herbalist as to the cause Mestre. „Palmer & Turner, and the want.""
of death was certainly to be respect contractors were Messrs. Hang On that same occasion I urged | ed. Sang & Co. The work was to be that "it behoves every resident to completed according to the con- impose upon himself as a daty the tract in 17 months, but the con- obligation to reduce water wastage tractors, working day and night, as much as possible and to educate were able to turn the new premises the masses against auch wastage, over
I have italicised the words on the plea for education that readers of the Daily P'res might not be misled" into the belief that your advocacy of education of the Chinese coolie is any new argument of which the protagonists of water conservation entirely neglected in the course of their public discussions.
The
new
The report states that after the conclusion of the first contract, for nineteen months nothing was done. The foreign representative of the
to the owners after ten. contracting company then went to America and not a word was sent to months' work. The entire building cost $230,000, added to which was the Municipality regarding this con track. This company had a Chinese another lakh spent in furnishing as local resident representative, but and installing modern fittings.
theatre is tastefully this man also did not approach the Municipality until March of the pre-furnished, and the most expensive sent year when discussions were sitting accommodation, as is al under way with regard to the second Chinese houses of entertainment, is The second contract. This silence on the part on the ground floor.
class seats are on the first floor, of the first contracting company was while the third class patrons will taken us tacit surrender of their rights and responsibilities under have to climb another fight" of their contract, which is therefore steps. For the convenience of the considered cancelled and void. patrons, a restaurant is included
in the building.
Mr. Fung Wai, Head of the Bureau of Public Utilities, states
M
The Coroner made pointed re- marks on the fact that the Tung Wah Hospital whe received the case from the Government Civil Hospital had been given no history of the case and no warning that it was a
police case."..
J
The deceased was admitted to the Government Civil Hospital on April 5th last and on May 7th he was transferred, at his own wish, to the Tung Wah Hospital where he wish
More recently Sir Henry Pollock, in a series of questions to the Gov ernment in the Legislative Council, suggested the labelling of notices ed to receive Chinese herbal treat- The patient died on July or dises on street hydrants warning ment. users against waste. The method 7th. At the previous hearing is so simple and at the same time medical evidence as to the causes. so inexpensive and may casily that it has not yet been adopted. Kirk, who also remarked that as prove effective that the surprise is of "death was given by Dr. F. W. If any fault should exist because far as he knew no history of the
fa lack of proper educative methods it lies not with the repre- patient's case was received from sentatives of the people who have the G.C.H., and that the man was time and again urged for the intro treated as a casual patient. His Suggestions and recommendations death, therefore, was not reported can only be made; their carrying to the Police, out becomes a matter of discretion with the authorities concerned.
It must not be forgotten that the Chinese are a people amenable to reason, and must be taught before they can learn to know better Yours faithfully,
admitted to
the
Wish For Chinese Treatment. Dr. T. G. Ware of the G.C.H., giving evidence said that when the deceased was Hospital he was accompanied by J. P. BRAGA. Chinese Police Officer No. 65. He Hong Kong, July 30th.
was suffering from a simple fracture NOTE: We did not criticise Mr. and before the treatment had been Braga's picture of Chinese women and children waiting for water at completed he asked to be removed the street hydrants, but the contrast to the Tung Wah Hospital where be he drew between that spectacle and could receive Chinese berbal treat Peak residents callously wasting gallons of "precious fluid" on water- ment. After five weeks' treatment In discussions it was discovered that the fracture ing their gardens. on water shortage such, contrasts had not united satisfactorily. The are often made. They are unjust and misleading and may do a great patient was advised to undergo an deal of harm-ED., H.K.D.P. operation for plating, but refused and expressed his wish to receive Chinese treatment. The skin wound had healed and to all external appearance, the patient appear ed healthy at the time he was trans- ferred.
The loyer of the theatre is that when he was acting as Director with Chinese scrolls and miniature roomy and beautifully decorated of the Telephone Company last year, in June, a foreign representa artiicial flower baskets. The front tive of the Automatic Electric Le-facade of the building is of granite corporated called on him and men-
The Opening Ceremony. tioned the existence of the contract. Hundreds of guests were waiting He then delved into the old filea outside the banding for the Hou and discovered that the original Dr. Kotewail to open the premises.duction of some simple system. plan of the municipality was that Among those noticed were, Mr. the Chamber of Commerce should Justine P. Jacks and Mrs. Jacke, raise $600,000 as an advance in the Mr. and Mrs. M. K. Lo, Mr. and interests of the contract. After ara. W. J. Carrie, Mr. and Mrs. period of several months the sum Talati, Major C. Willson, Lt. Col of 280,000 only was raised, and this L. G. Bira (of Mesra Palmer & being insufficient to meet the re Turner), Mr. and Mrs. Ho Kam quirements of the contract, was re- Tong, Mr. and Mrs. P. P. J. Wode- tained in the hands of the Chamber house, Mr. J. F. Braga, Mr. Ho of Commerce pending the accumula Leung, Mr. Ho Kwong, Mr. Li tion of further sums.
Yau Tsun, Mn, Ip Lan Chuen, Mr. On this being explained to him, Wong Kwong Tin, and Mr. Brooks, the representative of Automatic Superintendent of the Fire Brigade. Electric Inc. then announced his The Hon, Dr. Kotewall, Mrs, intention of returning to America, Kotewall and Miss Kotewall arrived but said that within the next few in a motor-car. They were met at months, five months at the most, he the door by Mr. M.-K. Lo and would devise some means by which Mr. Lui Wai Chau. Dr. Kotewall the finance difficulty could be over. was then handed the key of the come and the contract could be pro- building with which he opened the ceeded with. Nothing more was main gate leading to the foyer. heard of the matter however, and The Ko Shing Theatre Becomes his remark was considered no more
Young Again, than a polite expression, of sym pathy. During the remainder of Dr. Kotewall, in a
After the guest, had assembled, characteristic- Mr. Fung's tenure of office in the aily eloquent speech in Chinese, Telephone Company no communi said that it was a great pleasure cation had been received from this to him, to perform this important Sang & Co. for the splendid work contracting company.
ceremony. The pleasure was the dona and the quick time in which No Reply.
greater because the manager of the After his appointment as head of theatre was a relative of his. The it was completed. Last but not the Bureau of Public Utilities, Mr. speaker then touched upon the least, the speaker continued, he Fung hat to take up the question bistory of the Ko Shing Theatre would also thank Miss Violet Cape!! and her talented pupils for consent again in view of the inadequacy of and said that he still could re-ing to give a dancing display that the existing telephone service. Hemember vividly how when he was afternoons. Note wrote to the Hong Kong office of a boy of eight or nine, his grand-
Miss Capell And Her Pupils. the Automatic, Electric Incorporat mother used to lead him by the
The guests then entered the lofty ed, enquiring as to their intentions band and take him to see wonder- with regard to their contract, but ful Chinese plays in the Ko Shing and "commodious theatre with its about forty artistic decorations and elaborate no reply was received, and he then Theatre. That was
and now that be,lighting effects. Miss Violet Capel! approached the new company, the years China Electric Company,
Kotewall, had become and her pupils gave an excellent had lived dancing display, in which all the With regard to the protest lodged bald,-(aughter)-he
the ace
Ko Shing Theatre artistes were loudly applauded, by the Automatic Electric Incor to
young again. The Ko
Goddess And Heavenly Flowers. porated against the cancellation of become their contract, the Municipality Shing Theatre, may well be con-
Following the dancing diaplay, holds the view that since no wort eidered the oldest Chinees thea-
the little dancers were each pre- had been performed under that contrical house in the Colony. Its sented with a bouquet of flowers. tract, it must be considered to have history goes back sixty or more
A Chinsee play entitled A God deas Scattering Heavenly Flowers' lapsed.
was presented.
In comparing the two contracts for the installation of the automatic telephone system, Municipal officials are of opinion that the later contract offers a total saving of around
$200,000.
GENERAL WONG SHIU
HUNG, A MAKES MOVE TO DISBAND TROOPS.
sgo
ilobert
A
Thanks Where Thanks Are Due.
The speaker went on to thank eontractors, Men Hang
the
Coroner: Was any history of the patient's accident sont to the Tung Wah Hospital ?
Witness: No, but the Police were informed of the transfer and raised no objection.
Dr. Iu Kong Yiu, junior doctor of the Tung Wah Hospital, who was on duty at the time' the de ceased was admitted from the .C.H., said that he did not re- ceive any history or report with the case. He did not know that this was a police case.
Coroner: Did you not ask the patient himself 1
Witness: Yes, he only said that he wanted to receive Chinese herbal treatment and that his leg was broken. He munde' no reference to the accident whatever,
Coroner: Was the patient's death reported to you.
Witness: Yes, but he did not come under my care after bis
entry
Coroner: You realise the import- ance of cases like these ?—Yes..
Accident Cases Not Encouraged! ** Witnesa explained to the Coroner that it was written in “black and white" in the Hospital regulations that the Hospital was not anxious to admit accident cases. They were told to avoid as far as possible all accident cases and that only in eases of emergency would they be ad- mitted; otherwise they were to be forwarded to other hospitals. “In fact," said witness, "I took it for granted that this was a case of ordinary Fracture, as the hospital does not often receive cases from the Police."
"This Is Extremely Important.”
The Coroner replied that not very long ago they admitted the late billiard boy of the Craigengower Cricket Club." Witness replied that that was an emergency case.
Mr. Lindsell: I must ask you, in future, to be absolutely certain as to the nature of any case which you may accept and if no history accompanies the patient to refer the matter to Dr. Kirk. extremely important from the Coroner's and Police point of view. You should have questioned the patient more closely."
This is
The Chinese Herbalist. Lum Cheun Wah, the Chinese Wah Heapital who attended the herbalist on the staff of the Tung deceased from the time of his ad- mittance, said that the treatment of the fracture was completed within 20 days, and that the patien; was up and walking about. He did not
still weak and virtually destitute. leave the hospital because he was On the day of the patient's death he was well in the morning and ate two bowls of rice; but during the
His condition gradually grew worse, afternoon he became a little sick. and just before his death the patient was seized with fits of cough ing, sickness and gasping for breath. He died at about mid-night the same day.
Questioned by the Coroner, the witness said that the fracture of the deceased's leg was in no way associated with the cause of the man's death. In his opinion the patient died from natural causes." Witness also remarked that had the patient been sent away to a "dry", place and away from salt water!! he would have recovered. The patient died from a disease which was not uncommon. in the Colony but "any one who had lived in the Colony for over 40 years would be immune from this complaint."
Questioned by the Coroner as to the exact symptoms of the patient prior to his death, witness remark ed that it was guck hay. The exact definition of this phrase could not be translated, but it was put down as cramp in the leg. The phrase, was also used for defining "beri-beri," but the Coroner over- ruled this statement as absurd.
Traffic Sergeant, Scrim then gave formal police evidence of where the accident occurred
Dr. Kirk And The Herbalist's
Opinion...
C
Coroner: Can you say whether the Tung Wah Hospital authorities were notified that this was & Police case !
Owing to the somewhat contradic- Witness: According to the gentory opinion of the cause of death eral routine the Tung Wah Hospital given by the Chinese herbal prac- would have been notified that this titioner, the Coroner asked for Dr. was a case for the Police.
Kirk, of the Tung Wah Hospital, to be recalled.
The Coroner asked witness whe ther in his opinion the failure of the bones to unite would set up blood poisoning...
Dr. Kirk said that the herbalist's opinion as to the cause of death was to be respected. "It was quite possible that the fracture caused a clot to form and this had worked to the heart and was the direct cause of death. The symptoms des cribed by the herbalist were cou- sistent with this view,
years, and in another sixty year the Ko Shing Theatre will once more be rejuvensted and probably
The play is primarily an exhibi- | Witness replied that although it still more spacious tion of autique Chinese dancing would not be the actual cause it housed in
and music The plot, which is would render the patient liable to building, more modern than ever and in keeping with the strides of quite simple, has its origin from the disease. The failure of the Father Time.
Buddhist books.
bones to unite might also have set In conclusion, Dr. Kotewall wish-
The goddess is in charge of the up, a delayed form of blood poison- ed the
owner, Mr. Lee Cheong flowers in the Heavenly garden and ing, which often does not show for Witness; added that he had based his original opinion of " death from Hing, and the syndicate, headed by Mr. Lui Wai Chau, who has it is her duty, while Buddha is months
giving lectures on the great doc The Coroner pointed out to wit blood poisoning" from the results leased the theatre, every success trine to his chief disciples and the ness that the records went to show of the post-mortem examination. in their undertaking.
gods in Heaven, to scalter flowers that the patient had finally develop-The body was wasted and yellow, which would suggest that the wound among them. The progress and ed blood poisoning, but witness re-
had caused septic poisoning. Saying that it was his duty to attainment made by any disciple is plied that there was no reason to In accordance with a recent order return thanks where thanks were judged by the quantity of Bowers suspect that the case would take The Coroner replied that the cause of death was very important. á serious turn at the time the man from the Central Government order- due, Mr. M. K. Lo said that before adhering to his body.
Should the decision as to the cause ing the disbandment of superfluous he would allow the manager, Mr. Wai Moa Buddhist disciple of left the G.C.H troops General Wong Shiu Hung is Lui, to speak, he would like to no mean degree, gives & lecture on Dr. Ware told the Coroner that of death be "natural causes," then reported to have given orders for thank the Hon. Dr... Kotewall for the Buddhist Doctrine. The leche was not present when the patient these proceedings could drag. If on the other band" primary frac- was admitted and that the two the demobilisation of the troops of eatting aside his arduous and im ture is so perfect that even the
ture and blood poisoning the Supplementary Battalion attach-portant public duties to come here gods and the godly disciples attend doctors on duty at the time and ed to the division commanded by and open the building. Thanks the gathering, Divisional Commander. Wong Yuk were also due, the speaker went on By order of Buddha, the goddess who were, responsible for the Hos- the causes he would have to take Cho. This Battalion is at the mo to say, to Messi, Palmer & Turner, is requested to, ecetler, flowers pital records were now on leave. ment stationed at Lastung, and dis: the designers of the beautiful pre- among the audience, as a detine To Take Particular Care in Future. deceased at the time.
The Coroner
foroner pointed out to wit The Coroner decided that witness bandment is to be completed by mises, and particularly to Lieut.-tive mark of honour bestowed on
ness that Dr. Kirk in his evidence should hold a consultation with ¿ Col. L. G.. Bird, who was present | Wai Mp.; August 1st.
Since receipt of the order, the as a representative of the firm. The play reaches ite climax when had deposed that as far as he knew Dr, Thomas and the Chinese herbal commander of the battalion has The building. Mr. Lo said, will be a the goddess; ie scattering flowers.no history of the patient had accom- practitioner and that he would call been making preparations for the worthy memorial of the architec- She sings and dances simultaneous panied him at the time of transfer. Dr. Thomas to give his opinion as
He would ask witness to take partito the cause of death. disbandment, closing all accounts tural. genius of the firm of Mesere. ly, and it requires an actor of
calar care in luture to see that this and settling up affairs-Canton Palmer & Turner.
great ability to play the part Gazette.
is carried out. adequately,
•
(Continued on next Oolumn).
I
were
farther evidence of the accident "from the coolies who were with the
The hearing was then adjourned till next Wednesday at 2.30 p.m.
Wm. POWELL, Ltd.
Telephone C. 4578.
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