%3
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1934.
G EXPLOSION COUNTERFEITERS THE ROYAL NAVY
ENQUIRY
Vim's Pitiful Story
SAMOTHER IN FLAMES
AT WORK
H.K. And S. Bank
Notes Being Circulated
sw my mother being burn- ....eɖpe was crawling into the no I put a cotton quilt over held carried her up Pokfulam Rwhere she was later taken to Government Civil Hospital 81ed the same day." This was pot the story related by one ole inany victims at Central With the exception of a few Mtracy yesterday when the en-minute detalls which would easily q into the circumstances sur pass the eye of the casual ob- filing the terrible gas explosion | server, the forged note would pass ater at West Point on May 14 easily among other notes; and the presumed.
forgers have this sime got very near to the real thing.
The Ingenuity of those who make a living by counterfeiting seems unlimited and the latest example, of their skill is exem- plified in the production of a very clever imitation of the $50 note issued by the Hong Kong and Shanghat Banking Corp.
E. W. Hamilton sat as (mer, assisted by a special jury prising Messrs. P. Tester (fore # L Dunbar and D. Drum- d.
e. W. A. Mackinlay of Messrs. tons watched. the proceedings behalf of the Hongkong and ha Gas Co., Ltd. and Mr. W. Brown, of Messrs. Hastings and represented the interests "of tuin property owners whase perty was damaged by the "ex- sion.
onstable Tao Tze Chuen said it at the time of the explosion was on duty at the traffic sign
opposite the main gate of the iversity. At about 11.05" when was waiting to be relieved. he ard a sound like that of a gun. was then standing in the sen- y box.
He turned round and w the gasometer rising and then omediately going down, it was aveloped in smoke. He then saw ames in the houses in Clarence 'errace.
Evidently the work of a master. the forged note is in almost every way practically similar to the genuine article.
The figure of the woman mount- ed on a wheel with wings, is a wonderful reproduction of the original, but the forgers Have bad- ly slipped up on the water-mark of the figurehead of "Britannia” which appears on the right front of the notes.
The water-mark, is a very bad transfer and is very indistinct. and anyone who makes sure of while the paper itself is too thick his note by feeling it, will at once
detect the forgery.
Then again, on the reverse side of the note. the gure "50" and the word dollars which appear on the right, are almost identical. and by anybody other than an expert, would be taken as genuine.
Public Warned Another bad slip made by the counterfeiters was the printing of the serial numbers on the top and bottom edges of the reverse side of the note." the printing being obviously bad and several of the Agures out of alignment...
Watchman's Story. Hira Singh, a watchman in the mploy of the Hongkong and China Gas Co., Ltd.. told the Court, that he had his quarters, near the Both the Police and the Bank gasometer. He shared it with two are of the opinion that the note fellow-watchmen, Talu Ram and is a clever forgery, and Santa Singh, both of whom have general public, including tourists the since died. There were two apartare warned to be on the, look-out ments in the hut, one for cooking for these notes which is making and the other for sleeping. The their appearance for the first time- cooking room which was nearer to in the Colony. Clarence Terrace had two gas- rings.
On the morning of the explosion, he was in the washing room which was on the other side. of the wasometer. He went there at 10.30
and at the time, of his departure, Talu Ram and Santa Singh were sitting on a bed in the hut.
Coroner: Did you all have your meal that morning?-We finished at 8 o'clock.
Were you off duty at that time?
--Yes.
Was there any cooking going on when you"left the hut?—No.
Were the gas-rings on?——No. Both of them were of.
Had anyone of you ever smoked in that hut?-We are Sikhs. We never smoke..
Hitherto the counterfeiters have confined their efforts to the pro- duction, of forged $5 and $10 notes and have to a certain extent been successful.
The Chartered Bank have been the victims on more than one de nomination and the transfer of "affections" "to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corpora- tion clearly indicates that a very large combine or syndicate are at work, the notes being circulated
from outside the Colony.
She was then just inside the door- way. She was crawling into the house, I put a cotton quilt over her and carried her up Pokfulam Road where she was later, taken
|
Latest Appointments
And Changes
(Special Air Mail Service)
London, May 28. The following appointments were made by the Admiralty -
YOUR VIEWS AND MINE!
A Weekly Column of Local Gossip
By
The
Scout
Gen. St. C. B. Armstrong, who retire in 1927, after a distinguished career in the Royal Marines, has been. appointed. Honorary CoL THE GOVERNMENT LOAN
tical in most of the suggestions Commandant of the Chatham In the "course" of next week or Among the remedies suggested is Division from May 14..
ten days, the public wilt be invited | the stoppage of Crown Land Sales,. Capts.-A. U. Wills, D.SO., toto subscribe to the twenty-ave except for "Industrial and special Nelson, 'in command, tempy, and I million dollars Government Loan. purposes." This would have the as Flag Capt. to Admiral Sir W. H. From the statement of the Colon-effect of arresting the lump" in D. Boyle (May 20); and W. E C. |tal Treasurer at the last meeting | property values; which may in 'the Talt, M.V.O., to President, for duty of the Legislative Couiell, it would end help to improve matters gen- in NID. (May 26).
appear that only $5,000,000 will be
erally. required from the public since It is intended to issue bonds to the extent of $14,000,000 only and of Another suggestion is that the me- this amount $9,000.000 has already thods of searching at the different been taken up. Yielding three wharves be revised. It is 110 and a half per cent. Interest. the secret among the Chinese сот- Surg. Cars.-C. H. Savory, to 35.000.000 open to the public should munity that there is a good deal London (June 11: and N. A. H.
be oversubscribed: as there are not of' disatisfaction about the scar- Barlow, to St. Angelo (June 3). many Investments to-day thatches that are being conducted on
Cmdrs.-C. F. Tower, M.V.O., to 'would yield a steady 30 per cent. Greenwich, May 23: A. D. B. James without the capital being in jeo- to Gannet. In comniand, May 24: | pardy in any way. and W. B. Green, to Arethusa, July 28.
Engr. Cars.-S. H, Sims, M.V.O., to Victory for OF. and LCE. courses (Mag 29); and H. E, Lewis, to Faulknor (on relief).
Cdr. (E).-P. H. F. Mitchell, to Capetown (June 1).
Surgn. Lt.-Omdrs.-H. A. Ginn, Wallace, to Pembroke, for R.N.B. to Greenwich, May 28: and A. W.
May 30:
MORE, RAIN WANTED
WHARF SEARCHES
passengers arriving, and leaving the Colony. No one would like to be held up and searched, but it is difficult to see how wharf searches affect Hongkong trade.. Is it sug- rested that tradespeople do not care to come to Hongkong because of the indignity of a rearch await- ing them on their landing here?
KING'S BIRTHDAY
The heavy rainfall during the
Its wake, was exceedingly welcome week, though bringing tragedy in
and no doubt it is the wish of "Pembroke, for R.N. Hosp., G. Yar-continue. The present water re- Surgn. Lt. J. C. Gent, to many" that the wet weather will
month, June 15.
"striction though offering no real King's Birthday In Hongkong way ney, May 30; and J. J. B. Yorke, its dangers, and if the rain were
Sub-Lts.-S. W. Wright to Rod-hardship, has its inconvenience and celebrated in time-honoured fash- to Rochester, on recommg.
ion and it is gratifying to see that to keep up, it will not be long so many local residents received Bosna.-W. O. Carr, to Ramilles. before the reservoirs will reach' a Birthday Honours from the King: June 15, and F. E
mark where a full water supply The parade was attended by a can be made available to the tremendous crowd who enjoyed the Colony. There should be no fear spectacular display at Statue of wastage this summer, as" the | Square and the subsequent march water charges are too heavy, in through the city which was very spite of the recent reduction by impressive. Incidentally, the troops Government of ten per cent: to
only parade through the city on permit of that,
two occasions during the year King's Birthday and... Armistice IMPROVING TRADE
Day and for many people, it is quite a treat to watch these pa-
Capt. O. Bavir, formerly Execu- tive Officer of the battle cruiser Renown, will commission, the new sloop Leith for trials: to-day, and will command that vessel when she leaves for service on the New Zealand station.
Chamber of Commerce with regard The suggestions by the Chinese
rades.
The cruiser Kent will pay off)
further service on the China sta." and be recommissioned to-day for
tion by Capt. L. B. B. Tower. DS.C.
ORDNANCE COMMITTEE PRE--to possible ways and means to im- † THE MILITARY TATTOO
prove Hongkonga trade are worthy of serious consideration. There
SIDENT
Its chair-
am sure that business men
will
Belfast, June 9-15. From the 16th to the 21st the Halcyon. Dunoon, and Sutton are to be at Fowey," and
It is to be hoped that the con-
the autumn will come off as in- tended. The last tattoo in Hong- kong was in the antumn of 1928 and I do not recollect any attrac- tion during the intervening years which has drawn the same num- ber of people. Large crowds at- tended at Sockunpoo where the Tattoo was held and the "gate" was quite tidy on that occasion; A very interesting competition was held prior to the last tattoo, for a
bairn, C.B.E., whose appointment while I do not think each one of
Rear-Admiral B: W. M. Fair are ten proposals/alfogether, and templated military tattoo during as president of the Ordance Com-the ten is likely to be of use, I mittee was announced in "The "Times" recently, has been vice- agree that there is something prac- president of the committee since January, "1932. This committee is composed of representatives of all three Services, and has an office at Woolwich Arsenal. man is appointed alternately from the Navy and Army. The retiring the Albury at Falmouth. The president, Major-General HR W. cruise ends at Portland on June M. Smith, C.B., C.BE, D.S.Ó., 21. joined the committee as vice-pre- COMMAND OF THE GANNET sident in June, 1930, and was pro-
Commander A. D. B. James has noted to be president in January, been appointed to command from 1932, on the retirement of Vice-to-day the Gannet, one of the Admiral W. Webley Hope. CB, gunboats of the Yangtze Motilla, C.V.O., D.S.O.
last reported at Shanghai, In suc cession to Commander D. O'Connell, who, was appointed twa years ago. Commander C. F. To- Year, succeeds Commander James wer, M.V.O promoted at the New
destroyers at Rosyth.
Rear-Admiral Fairbairn specia
Were you boiling water or tea?
to the Government Civil Hospital.lized in gunnery in 1802-03. and -Not at that time.
was gunnery officer of several Referring to the explosion, wit-She died the same day. I did not
see the
gasometer going down. ships prior to the Every, floor in my house was burn-which he was commander of the War, during
ness sale that he first heard a big noise like that of a gun followed immediately by 龜 duller one. Flames then shot out from the gasometer, which sank shortly afterwards,
B.
Comman-
der James's "last" seagoing com- mand was in the destroyer Water-
He escaped by jumping through any part of Clarence Terrace on service has been alternately in hen, from which he was promoted
the wall. He was not burned but cut his hand by the glass on the
wall.
They used to light the ordinary gas lamp which hang in the roof of the hut, with a match. They lit the light at 7 o'clock in the night but never in the morning. He did not know of any rules about lighting in the yard. On the
morning in question, he got up at 7 o'clock while Talu Ram and Santa Singh woke up earlier.
Victim's StoJ.
design to commemorate the occa- sion, and it brought forth a large number of entales: It is hoped that something on similar lines will be done this time to stimulate interest in the forthcoming display.
LIFE-SAVING CLASSES
Satisfactory Progress
ed except the ground one. I was cruiser Cochrane and the battle-in charge of maintenance reserve burned in the hand when I attempt ship Warspite. and also served on ed to save my mother. Before I the star of the Naval Ordnance beard the explosions I did not see Department, Since the War his
gunndry staff posts and the "com-
In December, 1932. He had pre- The local Elfe-Saving classes mand of the cruiser Dragon and viously commanded the Westcott have recommenced with a good the battleship Ramillles. He took and had served at the Anti-Gas swing, and examinations have al- the 1931 course at the Imperial De-School During the War he was ready been held in the Lincoln- fence College."
Are,
Mr. Brown: Did you see any one working on the gasometer at the time?-No.
the explosion two painters were Mr. Stone: Half an hour before engaged in painting the side of
SCANDINAVIAN CRUISE
In the course of its summer cruise,
the tank near Chung Shing Street. the First Minesweeping Flotilla,
Coroner: They were rather lucky, weren't they?
The case was then adjourned un- til Monday afternoon.
under Captain 'H, Q. Dyke Acland, £8.0, in E.M.B. Halcyon, has been visiting ports in Scandinavia. From Great Yarmouth, is wept through
midshipman of the battleships Glory and Royal OAK and sub-
shooter. He entered Osborne as lieutenant of the destroyer Sharp-
a cadet from Clifton College in May, 1911.
MARRIAGE ALLOWANCES
A revised procedure is to come the Kiel Canai to Horsens, Den into force on July 1 by which the mark, and Arendal, Norway, where
shire Regiment and the 12th Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery. On Tues- day evening, over 20 gunners, un- der the examiner, Sub-Inpsector R. J. Hunt, passed the test for the Bronze Medallion, following 'which® three candidates were successful with Award of Merit. The 12th Heavy Battery are to be con- gratulated on the success of their
it arrived on Tuesday. The flotil-dependents of RNR and R.N.V-achievements which is largely due
да
∙A Matter of Timė, Acting Sub-Inspector L. Tyler A victim of the disaster, Fung said that on the morning of the
to the splendid efforts and time is will leave "next Monday to re- R. ratings who perform training wan formerly of 12, Clarence explosion he was on duty at No.
11.05 he turn home. From May 30 to June for 21 days or less will be paid put in by Eleut. G. D. K Flower- ferrace, ground floor, said that 7. Police Station. At on the morning in question he was heard a booming sound like that 4 the Halcyon, Dunoon, and Button marriage allowance at weekly in-dew. their Sports Officer
tervals during the training, ing The Lincolnshire. Regiment are standing outside the door with of a gun. A few minutes later. he will visit Leith, and the Albury will
also to be congratulated on their his mother who was about a foot received a report from Sanitary go to Granton. The four ships stead of in one payment on con-
clusion of training as at present. visit Loch Kishorn,
extraordinary achievements, in front of him.
Inspector Stevens, saying that an are then to
fewer than 32′ having passed for explosion Kad taken place in the June 5-8; Loch Buy, June 8-9; and
the Bronze Award and 25 for the Gasworks and that the surround-
Award of Merit within the last three weeks The results speak volumes for Major Impey, M.C. and Bergeant Button for the encour agement they have given to the men Sub-Insp. Hunt reports that the classes both in the R.A., and the Lincoln's reached a very high standard of efficiency and, would be hard to equal by any swimming club.
At first he beard a rumbling noise like that of a house. about to collapse, followed immediately by an explosion. He then saw clouds of white and black smoke. He ran back into the house and when he got there he heard two more slight explosions, and, then he saw flames,
Coroner: Are you sure you did not see flames before the explo- Alons?—Yes,
.4.
Witness proceeded: I rushed to to the front cubicle. The flames actually reached the door to the second cubicle. I felt the house shake, and later when I saw no fames about the place, I came out I tried to escape by the back door.
**I then saw my mother being burned. Her clothing was alight,
ing property was on fire. He then
turned out all the Europeans and the Gasworks "say that the ex- Asiaties in the station, and com-plosion occurred just before 11. I municated with the Divisional In- did not sak the witnesses, about spector of Central Police Station the time because I do not want to (Inspector Brennan) asking him waste time and I do not think is
Coroners. Well, this witness, that he looked at the look at the time.
A COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW
Imperial College Of Tropical
Agriculture Report
to send out emergency units and really important. to inform all superintendents to take the necessary steps. He also
The Colonial Secretary has for communicated with the Fire
warded us a copy of the Principal's Station but they had already re- Mr. Mackinlay - I only want Report of the Imperial College of We understand that the Royal celved the message, and also the point out the discrepancy. It does Tropical Agriculture for the Year Corps of Signals have commenced
notr
really matter."
1932-33, and the Accounts for classes and that the Tadian section Government Civil Hospital is he anticipated there would be casual- Mr. Browns My euent seems to the Year ended August 31, 19337 of the HE Police Force are well des
Kama Kamal think that it happened before 11 It is a very comprehensive re-advanced In Band Drit; also the Mr. Mackinlay: The evidence | o'clock too.
hafen und few for the year, and the Balance Chinese Company of the Police Sheet shows a balance of £10,489 | Reserve, Long
up to date seems to show that the Mr. Stone (Manager of the time of the explosion was after Hongkong and China. Gas Co., 11" am but Mr. Stone, and Mr. Ltd.); I think, two or three min- Marshall and all the employees at Iutes before 11.
108, 4d. on the right side while There is every prospect of si OX- the excess of income over expen- cellent year in life-saving training, diture is £2,330 9x. 94.
in the Colony.
Glyn Hats
for Men
Other qualities
Smart
It's the way they're Atyled that earns at distino- these hats the
tion of ultra-smart- ness. The new, soft colour tones, the very artistic lines in their shapings. These are attainmenta, develop- ed by the use of finest of felts and the most adept of hat tailoring. Priced from $16.50 Less 10% Discount for Gash they offer the finest value.
$12.50 to $19,50.
SUN HELMETS
for Naval, Military and Civilian Wear in CORK and PITH
There are many new styles this season.
Wm. POWELL, Ltd.
Specialists. In Gentlemen's Wear 10 Ice House Street.
Columbia
RECORDS
Now
grocess
New Standard of Realism
THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE
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THE MASQUERADEES
“NEWELL, Hand Marthaws and PLANT OB 492-8HE DIDN'T SAY TES
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Fox TROT
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Tel. 21822.
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FOR
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OR STYLE.
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