Page
WAR CLOUD IN CANTON.
CITY QUIET BUT APPREHENSIVE.
"PLANES AND MEN GOING NORTH.
PROMISSORY NOTE
CLAIM.
DEFENCE OPEN THEIR CASE.
ANOTHER ADJOURNMENT,
The action brought by Lam Ting [FROM OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT] On, as head of the King On Tong
CANTON, March 23. The military situation in Canton
THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MARCH 39, 1929.
NUMBER PLEASE!
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A TELEPHONE OPERATOR.
THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM.
When you tilt your receiver a small red light is it on the tele- phone exchange operator's desk. "Number Please," and with the connection made her share is over
firm, of 20, Third Street, against the Ma Pak Leung firm, of 310, Queen's Road Central, for money and, if you can make the. "boy" ja unchanged. Troops are
still alleged to be due under a promisit is you want to speak to, you can at the other end understand to moving northward in great num-sory note was continued yesterday proceed with your gossip or busi bern. and 1,200 gendarmes left before the Chief Justice (Sir Henry Canton to take up the task of mili. Gollan).. tary police.
Mr. F. C. Jenkin, instrupted by Many of the more nervous people Mr. E. S. C. Brooks (Messrs. tear another Communist uprising Hastings, Dennys & Bowley) is for oving to the exodus of troops and the plaintiff and Mr. C. G. Alabas a number of people have gone to 'ter," K.C., and Mr. Eldon Potter, Hong Kong and Macao to seek K.C., instructed by Mr. F. X safety. But in spite of apprehen. d'Aimada, sen., are for the defen- sions, Canton is quiet.
dants...
ness.
That is all most of us know about the telephone system except that anywhere the world over, it is "a scandal" or words to that effect. The Skeleton of the Anfematic Exchange.
3th Boor of Exchange Building There is a big bare room on the
which is strewn with packing cases. at one end a great steel frame
ferro-concrete
No reply having been received from Chiang Kai Shok, the Canton the defendants made.s promissory work, not unlike
It is alleged by the plaintiff that Government is drafting a declara. note for 82,000 in favour of the tion of war on Nanking which willing On Tong family in January,struction, is the beginning of what
include & strong denunciation of Chiang. The charges dwell, on his treachery towards Marshal Li, his exploitation at the Kuomintang Congress for his own ends, and ends with a reminder of how he forsook his wife to marry another
woman!
Cablegrams and wirelesi messages to Canton are being closely censor- ed and recipients of suspicious me
together with interest. making a 1921. The plaintiff claims this som total of 84,603.
Addressing the Court, Mr. Alabaster submitted that he had
no case to answer.
building in the first stages of con-
Exchange. will be next year the Automatic There are forty lead encased cables running up through shaft from the stress, each of which holds 500 circuits, which will The Chief Justice decided that The automatic switch board is of be connected with the frame-werk. there was a case to answer, and sufficient capacity to carry 15,000 counsel proceeded to open the detinas and should the development of He referred to the first the Colony call for more there is that the defendanta denied making extension. ground of the defence which was plenty of space in the room for an the note on the date alleged or on 8,000 subscribers will be served by It is estimated that any other date. He would call the automatic exchange when the
fence.
DEATH BY MISADVENTURE.
POLICE EXONERATED IN YAUMATI SHOOTING AFFAIR.
THE LAW GOVERNING POLICE USE OF FIREARMS.
The inquest into the death of the little Chinese girl, Wong Mui Tsai, who was shot in Yaumati on the morning of March 9, while the police were in pursuit of an alleged offender, was concluded at the Kowloon Magistracy yesterday afternoon with a verdict of death by misadventure.
Mr. T. S. Whyte Smith acted as Coroner assisted by a jury consisting of Messrs. J. A. Plummet (foreman) Wong Kam Fuk and Cheng Shou Kan. Mr. T. Murphy, A.S.P.,, watched the pro- ceedings on behalf of the police.
The Stealing of the Revolvers. Sub-Inspector Michael Murphy
Police and the Use of Firearms. Mr. T. Murphy, A.S.P. (Assis
Police officers are instructed to use firearms in the following cir-
cumstances:-
said that on March 8, at 7 a....ligence) handed to the Coroner and of No. 2 Police Station, Wanchal, tant Director of Criminal Intel- he discovered that his revolver and Jury copies of the existing police holster had been stolen from his regulations governing the use of chest of drawers. He made a refirearms by police officers, which same time Sergeants Kelly and port to the charge room and at the were as follows:
Hargreaves also reported the loss of their revolvers. Suspicion fell on a former room-boy named Ng morning witness saw Chau in the Chau. At about 15 Bm, the same
custody of two Chinese detectives. Later witness accompanied Ng Chau, three Chinese detectives and
King's Park where one of the re- Lance Sergeant Hendersen
volvers was found. Ng Chau was questioned about the third revolver and he volunteered to take the palice to find Chaa. Lee who he said had the revolver.
to
sages are being questioned by the Ma Cheung Yu to say that the chop change-over is made in Jannars how the police suddenly met Chan
police.
No. 1 Military Aviation Company, under Captain Wong Kwong Yui, has been ordered North and the Aviation Bureau hopes to have about a dozen machines available for military use.
The Enancial situation is very much better, thanks to vigorous action by merchants and Govers ment and the run on the Central Bank is at an end
MR. HO FOOK'S GRAVE.
CLAIM IN THE SUMMARY COURT.
on the note was not his, but was that of another firm of the same. name.
1930.
4
(a) If a man draws a weapon with the obvious intention of resisting arrest, or search. (b) If a man suspected of a crime of violence or unlawful possession of arms, resista ar- reat or search and his re sistance cannot be overcome by other means. (e) If a man suspected of having
committed
a robbery runa
away or cannot otherwise by arrested.
Coroner's Summing Up. -
he would cek the jury to give a In summing up the Coroner said finding as to who they considered fired the fatal shot.
Witness then went on to relate:
Mr. Plummer, on behalf of the In the Manual Exchange.
Lee and the pursuit which Sergt. the girl was killed by one of the jury, replied that they found that ton and Hong Kong are separate? His Lordship: The firms in Con-
Opening off this room is a small detail. He said that he was about two shots fired in the scavenging Henderson described yesterday in Yes. They are quite different as
manual exchange which has lately been put on in addition to the big, dersen all the time. He saw no
6 or 7 yards behind Sergeant Hen-lane by Sergeant Headersen. regards capital and partners,
central exchange.
The Coroner: Your next duty is! esme
The old Ma Pak Leung firm
Every subscriber should be given fugitive and Sergeant Hendersen. Hendersen was. to blame for the body, in the Lane 'except the
to say whether or not Sergeant into existence, said Mr. Alabaster, something like a century and see for themselves what it Sergeant Hendersen was about 30 death of the girl.
an opportunity to enter this room ago and was a family firm estab
The Coroner means to be a telephone operator. he fired his two shots and about 65 or 40 yards from the fugitive when lished originally at Fatshen. It The haughty young lady of the was now a part of four family comic papers turns out to be as from the street fountain. He Tongs. Members of the family living machine who is working at were entitled to act as general top speed with the utmost concer managers in turn of the old firm.tration. During the busy hours &
Asked why he retraced his steps Ma Cheung Yu, who was alleged calls are on an average made at to the scene of the shooting in the to have given the note was at one the same time and must be attend. lane, witness said that at the time time a general manager and his ed to by the same operator, and be had suspicions that the fugitive to be manslaughter if B had been elder brother, Ma Sau Fong had each girl often deals with 200 calls was in possession of the revolver killed, again A would be held also held a similar post.
an hour. To make connection and they retraced their steps to see responsible for the death of C. But About the year 1903 the
means several movements. When if he had dropped or thrown it if it was found to be justifiable brothers Ma Sou Foix and Mashe, sees light flash up she has away. He did not think that behomicide if A shot at B, then A Cheung Yu founded a Hong Kong to put a plug in the bole marked would have seen the deceased girl would not be guilty of the murder
shots fired in the lane. at street fountain
two
A COMMISSION DISPUTE.
and this had nothing to do with A defendant in a claim brought the old firm. The Hong Kong firm against him at the Summary Court. Were now the defendants. yesterday afternoon before the
The local firm sold goods produe Puise Judge (Mr. Justice Wood) ed in the factory of the old firm emphatically denied that the plain-n factory of their own at Macao. on commission but now they had tiff had anything to do with the That may have aroused jealousy building of a stone grave or that he was acquainted with a witness among other members of the Tong who stated he was acting as a
because the Hong Kong firm was mediator between the parties at the mainly using the products of its time the writ was issued.
The plaintiff, who was not legal- ly represented, was Wa Kwok Ying, of 25, Peel Street, who claim ed 8587 from So Dit Suen, pro- prietor of the Chuen Fat firm, of Main Street, Little Hong Kong, for balance of commission, due in respect of a stone grave contract for the late Mr. Ho Fook in the Ho Tung Cemetery at Pokfulam. Mr. Horace Lo appeared for the defendant
Ho
The
own
Macao factory instead of patronising the old firm. He aug- gested that that might explain why the plaintiff was trying to make the defendants, na the Hong Kong the old firm in which, the tongs concern, responsible for debts of
were interested.
the number he wante and plug it. When you have finished speaking the process must be reversed, and in the meantime she will have con. nected and disconnected a dozen others.
general principals of the law of then laid before the jury the shooting. If A fired at B hut miss- did not see anybody as he passeded B and hit C. First it must be the street fountain.
asked would it have been murder to be murder then A would be held if it had killed B. If it was found guilty for the death of C.
If in the same case it was found
dict of death by misadventure would be returned.
Ne Random Shooting. The Coroner: In what sort of
But no matter who a person was manner did. Sergeant Hendersen aiming at, or whether the shot was Are? Deliberately or carelessly.
justified or not, if the shot was Witness: He did not fire eareless-atanders was killed it would be man- carelessly fired and one of the by- slaughter. But how far the police entitled to fire was the other quës": in the execution of their duty were tion.
Short Shifts. The strain never relaxes and evenly a skilled operator can only work for 2-hour shifts. In the summer here constant short shifts have to be arranged, for no-girl can work at that rate when it is very hot.
Buch
-
shot hit the girl-One of the two Coroner: Do you know which shots fired in the Lane.
Would you say that one of the Taking the three rules governing that, but only two shots were fired the Coroner said that the fugitive shots must have hit her 1-No, not the use of firearms by police officers, in the lane..
did not draw any weapon, por did Mr. Murphy also question withe offer resistance to arrest for no ness and asked if he saw any water struggle took place. buckets at the street fountain. Another rule not mentioned in Witness replied that he jumped the police regulation of police were about ten there. over some in his pursuit. There being justified in the use of fire- arms was in self-defence. When the fugitive was caught no revolver was found in his possession. May- be he had thrown it away, but both was seen to put his hand to his hip police officers said that the fugitive and both interred from that action that the fugitive was about to take the stolen revolver from his hip. Both had every reason to believe that he was an armed man and it. would be unfair if the police had to wait in such a case.
Mr. Murphy: "When the shots were fired in Canton Road were there any people abou. -No, there the shots were fired there was no was nobody about, in fact where body about.
Mr. Plummer aaked witness if he thought the fugitive was going to fire at the police when he turned did around. Witness replied that he
Sergeant Hendersen fred because Mr. Plammer: "Do you think of the fugitive's suspicious move ment! Might I say that if you were in front you would probably have done the same thing Yes.
Would you have fired under the circumstances merely to stop the
had the two spots, been crowded. have fired under any circumstances fugitive-Yes, but I would not
A telephone operator is born, not made, and it needs a peculiar tem perament to do a job with machine- calls at the same like rapidity and precision, which. time for the exercise of intelligence. defence, the application of the
As regards the last ground of The exhibitions of il humour to which many of the best of us give a1080 over the translations of the the operator a little, but the trou- Statute of Limitations, & difficulty way do no good. They may worry note, it being pointed out that if ble may not be within her control. Mr. Jenkin's copy which was off- -Helped to Secure Contract.
For example the battery working cially before His Lordship was cor-your light at the exchange may be Plaintiff stated that he was in the the action had been start run down. No bell rings in the stramental in introducing the de-ed within six years and the Statute exchange and if the light doesn't fendant to Mr. Ho Kwong, who could not be applied to bar the show, naturally nothing happens. desired to erect a monument over action. If Mr. Alabaster's copy In 1930 many of these his father's grave, and in obtain was correct, and this was not as maligned operators will have to ing the contract for the work. He yet before His Lordship, then the find other employment, for the sub acted as interpreter to the defen-action had been started after six seriber will have to get his own dant, who spoke the Fukien dialect; years and the action was barred.
number instead of having it done during their visits to Mr.
The Chief Justice replied that for him. A certain number will be Kwong's office when plaintiff ex-Mr. Alabaster could take up the kept on to answer enquiries and plained the plans of stone graves, matter of the correctness or other complaints to which the automatic one of which was accepted.
wise of the translations of the note. will turn a deaf ear, defendant later secured the con- The case will be continted on Mon- tract for the work, and the sum
day." claimed was five per cent. commis sion on 12,000 which the defendant promised to pay for plaintiff's ser- not know the witness, Ho Cheok vices. Plaintiff said that he had Lim. Arrangements for building only received 813 out of the 8600 the grave were conducted by the promised, and he had made repeat-defendant himself, who was intro ed demands without success." duced to Mr. Ho Kwong by a In the course of cross-examina- friend in Amoy. Defendant stated tion plaintiff admitted that he took emphatically that the plaintiff had no part in the building of the nothing to do with the work, nor grave and was promised the com- had he (witness) promised him any mission only for introducing the commission. business. The defendant, had ap Mr. Ho Kwong, who was called to. proached him before with a pro- as a witness, said that in his There are various noises in the re- they were standing beside the posal to act as his agent and in-negotiations with the defendant heceiver, one of which informe you fountain troduce business wherever possible. did not see the plaintiff at any that there
The plaintiff eailed two witnesses time. The plaintiff may have visit. to support his claim. One of them,ed his office, but he did not remem Ho Cheok Lim, atated that after ber seeing him. Further be under the writ was issued early this stood the defendant perfectly well month the defendant requested hire and had no need of an interpreter, to act as mediator in settling the Plaintiff protested that he did. matter on the basis of a payment ese Mr. Ho Kwong and explained of 8300 to 8350 to the plaintiff. the plans to him. He asked how Witness communicated this offer to it was possible to know all the ar- the plaintiff, who accepted it, but rangements disclosed in Court an the defendant did not do anything less be had taken a part in the further. Witnesa was a country negotiations man of the defendant and had known him for ten years.
When the automatic comes "the intelligence and patience will have to be on the part of the subscriber, bler will long for the helpful "aum- and probably many a former grum ber please when confronted with a machine which has a cold con tempt for his incompetence.
Every Man His Own Operator. year. You will find a numbered This is what will happen next dial on your 'phone, and if you turn it correctly, you will be connected with the number you wish to speak Then you will have to listen.
Witness agreed with Mr. Plum mer that there was no doubt the girl was hit where she was found lying-against the street hydrant in the roadway,
concluded Mr.. Whyte Smith, "did "The next question will be," Sergeant Hendersen fire. in self- defence "
But asuming that he did fire in self-defence. Did he show reason- able enze for the other people in show gross negligence sad want of the lane and waterfront? Did he care for other people in the street Both Sergeant Hendersen and Sub- Inspector Murphy said that they did not see anyone, and the lane was very narrow with the fugitive in front. The two cook boys how- The Eye-witnesses of the Affair,
ever said that the girl was lying on the opposite side to that on Two Chinese cooks who were which the two Europeans passed. drawing water from the hydrant at Finally there was the statement by
Hendersen had fired carefully, the time of the shooting said that Sub-Inspector Murphy that Sergt. the time when they The Coroner asked the jury to Do answer, another of heard two shots fired in succession, gire their answer to the following engaged, a third that you are tween then and she fell after the Henderson a different key that the line is The deceased girl was standing be through. It was not, you will dis. second report
two questions. (a) Did Sergeant in self-defence?
when her voice gave you either of were about five or cover, always the operator's fauit ran to the side of the road. There want of care for bystanders or They immediately (b) Did he or did he not show gross the two first answers Meanwhile gathered around the hydrant at the street fountain? all sorts of activity has been going time. Some were waiting to draw
six people people drawing water from the
on up in the 5th floor of Exchange water, and others were washing gave their verdict of "Yes" to the The jury retired and returning dial tiny hammers tap out the num- Building. Each time you swing the clothes. her, and "telephone
The other witness said that he second. They expressed their sym- first question, but "No" to the "it to the turned directly he heard the repathy to the parents of the deceas Giving judgment for the defen- cated frame-work the digits of the ing a thiet
exchange. There on that compli-ports and saw two Europeans chased child and asked if the police dant with coste, His Lordship said number you call, as for example,
could not see their way to make a that in his opinion the plaintiff 256 align themselves and make the
small compensation to the parents. had not established his case, It was connection. Each number on the In the witness-box the defendant possible that he helped the defen- dial takes one second to get into ed to give formal evidence of his palice authorities and he had every The father, Wong Kwai war call-would bring the matter before the Mr. Murphy replied that he denied that he had undertaken any daat in' the early days of the can place, so that if you are negotiations about a settlement tract, but it had not been proved petant as the present operators it so the Coroner offered his deepest ba done... after the writ was issued. He did that he had been promised any com
as com daughter's death, and having done hope that something like that will (Continued on next Column). inission.
will take you three seconds to get sympathy to the parent in his be any three-figure number.
reavement,
Defendant's Denials.
Coroner Extends Sympathy,
fire
The Coroner returned a verdict
of death by misadventure.
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