404
06:
P.C. Mahomad Bux said that on Saturday morning he was ordered to keep back a mob of Chinese, and that when he went to do so he was pelted with stones. The defendant was one of those who threw a missile, and he arrested him.
Fined $50 or two months' in default.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS
and the unhappy patients on the bulk must be brought to the Tung Wah branch Hospital, and those of the sick who so desire could be permitted to introduce the full disease into their native villages on the mainland! Splendid illustration of the intelligence and perspicuity, to say nothing of the gratitude, of these so-called representatives of the native community!
P.C. Rossball Singh charged a coolie with a similar offense on the same occasion.
Fined $50 or two months' in default.
Two coolies were charged with disorderly conduct in Po Yan Street on the 20th.
A Sikh constable said that during the morning a Chinese gentleman came out of the Tung Wah Hospital and got into his chair. The coolies were about to carry him when a mob of Chinese turned the chair upside down, with the gentleman in it. The occupant of the chair got out and ran back into the hospital. The first defendant was one of those who got hold of the chair. Witness blew his whistle and arrested the defendants. At the same time some stones were thrown. Some watchmen belonging to the Tung Wah Hospital came to witness's assistance and the mob was cleared away.
Fined $50 each or two months' in default.
Three old women were next brought up, charged with assaulting Inspector R. Germain, an officer of the Sanitary Board, while in the execution of his duty.
Complainant said—On the 20th inst. at 8.30 a.m. I was on the house-to-house inspection duty in Station Street, Taipingshan. I was called away to Market Street for ten minutes and on returning to Station Street I found the whole place in an uproar.
I pacified the people as best I could and went on with the inspection. On coming out of the next house I was met with a shower of stones and bricks and rubbish. The first defendant threw the brick produced, and the second and third defendants were the ringleaders, urging the others to attack us. I had two inkongs in uniform with me. I arrested the defendants. The people objected to the house-to-house visitation. I was the only man inspecting at the time; I had no soldiers. The house-to-house visitation has been going on for some time every day, and there have been no disturbances hitherto. I have ceased to suppose that it was in consequence of the employment of soldiers that the disturbances arose. The soldiers have been employed for four days.
Mr. F.H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police said—I ask for a severe penalty. This is part of an organized arrangement for disturbing the measures taken by the authorities to deal with the plague. The disturbances are only kept under control by the presence of an armed body of police in the Taipingshan district.
The first defendant was fined $10 or one month's imprisonment, and the other two defendants $5 each or six weeks' in default.
Nearly all the fines were paid.
We regret to learn that Inspector Quincey and several of the officers who have been so actively engaged in the work of visiting the houses are incapacitated by illness from duty.
The house-to-house visitation, which daily discloses the unreported existence of plague and sometimes discovers the dead bodies of victims in the rotting dampness of basement floors, is to be still more vigorously carried on. Fifty volunteers for this highly necessary work are asked for, and in view of the danger and gravity of the situation, not only to the trade and commerce of the port but to the health of the entire population, these volunteers and probably more, will doubtless be speedily forthcoming.
The insinuations which have been cast upon the military employed as special sanitary officers, and the reports current that it is this to which the chief objection to the house-to-house visitation is due, caused us to make enquiries in this direction. We learn on the best authority that since their enrollment in this work the military employed have worked very satisfactorily and effectively, that no complaint of their conduct has been made, and that as a matter of fact the majority of the householders were not aware that the men visiting their houses were military, until they were incited by the anti-foreign leaders behind to make demonstrations of vindictiveness. The soldiers employed are all picked men, and the majority are non-commissioned officers. Twelve men of the Shropshire regiment are still engaged in the work of inspection and twelve engineers in disinfecting. Each sanitary officer is accompanied by a likong, and there are now twenty-one men on this special duty in the infected area.
We might mention, to remove any misconception, that the Government have not completely abrogated their authority even over the Chinese Hospital at the Glassworks. Dr. Penny, R.N., makes visits twice daily to see that things are in a sanitary condition, and European police are on duty at the gates keeping statistics of cases.
It is said by some who have had so intimate an acquaintance with the development and character of the plague since its appearance here, that the attacks now do not appear to be quite as virulent as a week ago. It may be added that several of the new cases in the Glassworks have been discharged on diagnosis as not suffering from plague. Whether such are being sent to the Hospital accidentally or intentionally it is difficult to say, but plausibility is lent to the latter suggestion by the natural desire among the Chinese to be able to record in their statistics a higher percentage of "discharged cured" than the European doctors were able to do.
23rd May. The following are the returns for the twenty-four hours to noon yesterday:
Hospital Admissions Deaths Ken-edy Hospital 3 1 Chinese Hospital 19 10 City Hospital 7 10 Tung Wah Hospital 27 18 Total 56 39The patients under Chinese medical direction are treated with a decoction made from the root of an aquatic plant, which is said to have been wonderfully successful in dealing with serious cases at Canton. After being infused in hot water for some time for some time the liquid is strained off and administered at regular intervals, while the pulp is applied externally to the buboes as a poultice.
Under treatment 21
"A quiet day; plague in a measure abating," practically sums up the reports received yesterday. The concessions made by the Government in no longer insisting upon the transfer of patients to the Hygeia and in giving permission (speedily availed of) to establish a Chinese hospital under Chinese control, acted like oil on the troubled waters and no further disturbances took place, or were even attempted, after the Glassworks had been converted into a hospital. The native prejudice, however, not having been largely removed, large numbers of coolies continued yesterday in every way possible to leave the colony, both by steamer and passage-boat, and the exodus appears to be increasing.
At the Magistracy yesterday a hawker was fined $10 for creating a disturbance near the Tung Wah Hospital.
DEPUTATION TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
IMPORTANT PRONOUNCEMENT.
At one o'clock yesterday afternoon a deputation from the Tung Wah Hospital, accompanied by the Hon. J.H. Stewart Lockhart (Registrar-General) waited on His Excellency the Governor at Government House for the purpose of representing a certain feeling existing among some sections of the native community. The deputation presented to His Excellency a long petition, the principal points of which were:
(1)—That the house-to-house visitation should cease.
(2)—That sick persons should be allowed to return to their own country.
(3)—That the patients on the Hygeia should be sent to the Glassworks Hospital.
(4)—That all sick persons should be sent to the Glassworks Hospital.
After listening attentively to the recital of this document, His Excellency said that he would take the last point first. In reply to that, all he had to say was that sick people might elect to go to any hospital they liked. There was no interference with their choice whatever, and no intention on the part of the Government to force patients into any particular hospital for treatment. As to the request that the sick on the Hygeia should be moved to the branch Hospital, he altogether declined such a responsibility. The idea, he said, was absurd, as if the petitioners' prayer was granted it might result in much unnecessary loss of life. He therefore declined to grant it. As to the request contained in paragraph 2, His Excellency said that he had nothing to do with the return of the people to their own country. If the authorities in Kwang-tung refused to allow persons from Hongkong to go to Macao or elsewhere, he could not coerce those authorities or interfere with their decision.
And as regards the first point of the petition—that the house-to-house visitation should cease—His Excellency said that he considered such visitation to be absolutely necessary, and he had no intention whatever to relax the morning regulations in that respect.
The morning paper had shown how necessary it was, for they reported that three or four dead bodies had been taken out of one house, which would never have been discovered but for the house-to-house visitation. His Excellency reminded the deputation that this was an English colony, and said that the Tung Wah Committee should assist him in carrying out the law and persuading others to obey it. Holding up the proclamation he stated that that was now the law, and it would be carried out. He promised that every consideration should be shown to women and children, and that if any unnecessary damage was done on proof thereof the persons suffering would be recompensed. To show his own opinion of the necessity for visitation he had asked that all the outbuildings and coolie quarters at Government House should be inspected. His Excellency further said that he intended largely to increase the force of Sanitary Inspectors and he hoped that in a few weeks' time all danger would be at an end. He asked the Tung Wah Committee to assist him by getting additional help.
A fatal case has been reported from Queen's Gardens. A day or two ago a coolie employed at the Royal Engineers' mess was taken ill and died before knowledge of the nature of his ailment—which was plague—was known to his companions. The premises have been thoroughly disinfected.
His Excellency concluded by saying that he was responsible not only for the health of the Chinese but of the Europeans and the Army and Navy, that his decision was embodied in the proclamation, that this proclamation was now the law, and that persons transgressing it would be arrested and punished.
The Registrar-General frequently interpreted His Excellency's remarks and the deputation withdrew, if not actually satisfied, at any rate fully aware of the determination of the Government to do its best to stamp out and prevent the spread of this insidious disease.
Tung Wah Hospital on Monday.
A meeting of the Consular Body, held at Shanghai on the 15th inst., it was unanimously decided to request the taotai, through the Customs, to enforce No. 15 of the Harbour Regulations, as a measure of precaution, against vessels arriving from the South. The Regulation in question is as follows:—"Vessel arriving from a place infected with cholera or other contagious disease on board shall not come nearer the lower limit of the Harbour than one mile, shall fly at the fore a yellow flag, and shall not allow any one to disembark or come on board without permission from the Harbour Master's Office."
There is some talk of closing the schools at which Chinese scholars attend. We believe that Dr. Bateson Wright has applied to the Governor for permission to close Queen's College, and it is probable if the disease does not receive a decided check during the next few days that this precautionary measure will be adopted.
THE PROCLAMATION.
The following is a precis of the proclamation issued by H.E. Sir William Robinson:
Whereas Hongkong is now visited by a plague which is killing Chinese at the rate of between 30 and 40 a day, and it is understood that 8,000 people have succumbed to it since the commencement of the outbreak. It is the general opinion that the outbreak was caused simply by the bad smells from large numbers of dead rats. This has also been proved by a foreign doctor on Shameen, who, after examining some of the newly dead rats, found many worms in the lungs. He advised people not to eat them, as they are a great poison.
22nd May.
We are glad to be able to announce that the plague in Canton has further diminished during the past three days. The doctors have now discovered the proper method of treating the patients, and the percentage of deaths amongst those who have been attended by them is only twenty per cent. or less.
17th May.
Mr. Leach concluded his arguments on the point raised by Mr. Francis as to whether the case should be dealt with in its present form, and Mr. Francis replied.
His Lordship reserved his decision.
IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR MR. A.G. WISE, ACTING PUISNE JUDGE.
CHOI CHU vs. CHEUNG KAM TIM.
Mr. Creasy Ewens appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. Phillippo for the defendant.
This was a claim of $400. money alleged to have been lent by the plaintiff, a woman, to the defendant's wife for the purchase of necessaries.
The plaintiff gave very contradictory evidence as to the circumstances of this loan, and His Lordship, not considering that there was sufficient proof of the debt, gave judgment for the defendant with costs.
ALLEGED SINGULAR AND FATAL MISTAKE.
A correspondent writes:—"Is it a fact that a Chinese woman was sent on board the Hygeia by the Sanitary Authorities supposed to be suffering from the plague, but which proved to be a case of pregnancy? And is it true that the mistake was not found out until it was too late to save the patient's life? This is the tale told to me by my servants, and two of them have left my employ in a terrible fright to take their wives out of the colony."
SUPREME COURT.
15th May.
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR MR. E.J. ACKROYD, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE.
In re THE CHINA LAND AND FINANCE COMPANY, LIMITED.
The bearing was resumed of the motion by the Comptoir National d'Escompte de Paris to be placed on the register of shareholders of the China Land and Finance Company, Limited, in respect of 1,500 shares in the Company which had been deposited by Ng Chan Fong, the Bank's compradore, as security for advances made or that might be incurred in future by Ng Chan Fong to the Bank, being additional security under terms of an agreement of the 16th February, 1891, and a bond dated 14th December, 1891.
Mr. A.J. Leach, Q.C., instructed by Mr. G.C. Master (of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master), appeared on behalf of the Bank; and Mr. J.J. Francis, Q.C. (instructed by Mr. C. Ewens), on behalf of the Company and Ng Woon Sun How Qua, who had been served with notice of the motion.
His Lordship, on taking his seat, said—In this case Mr. Leach, before answering Mr. Francis's application that I should not deal with this case at the present stage, asked me to allow him to complete his evidence by cross-examining certain parties upon the affidavits filed by Mr. Francis's clients.
18th May.
IN CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR MR. E.J. ACKROYD, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE, AND COMMON JURY.
ATTEMPTED ARSON.
Chan Sik Ming, an apprentice, aged 19, was charged with feloniously and wilfully attempting to set fire to No. 7, Queen's Road West, occupied by a boot and shoe dealer who employed the defendant, on the 6th inst.
Mr. A.J. Leach, Acting Attorney-General (instructed by Mr. A.B. Johnson, Crown Solicitor), prosecuted for the Crown.
Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Another apprentice who had been committed as an accomplice was discharged by proclamation.
The following jury was empanelled:—Messrs. Chow Dart Tong, A. Sharp, J.M. Gutierrez, F.G. Barres, F. Hubbe, D.W. Craddock, and Thos. Grimshaw.
The facts of the case were that on the night of the day in question the proprietor of the shop awoke and found the defendant setting fire, by means of a large joss stick, gunpowder, and matches, to a box of shavings in one of the rooms on the ground floor.
The Jury returned a verdict of guilty.
His Lordship reserved sentence, which was delivered on the 22nd.
His Lordship (addressing the prisoner) said—The jury have found you guilty of preparing a joss-stick with matches and gunpowder and with having set fire to it. They found that you knew what you were doing, and that you placed it close to a box of shavings in order to set fire to the house; and everything points to the supposition that you did this because your master had given you a few slaps two or three days before. The consequence of your foolish act might have been very serious. The sentence of the Court is that you be imprisoned for one week and that you receive six strokes with a rattan.
21st May.
FORGERY.
Pun Long, a clerk, was charged with uttering a forged note purporting to be endorsed by one Chao Yan Lok in January last, with intent to defraud Messrs. Arthur and Co.
Mr. A.J. Leach, Acting Attorney-General (instructed by Mr. A.B. Johnson, Crown Solicitor), appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. J.J. Francis, Q.C. (instructed by Mr. H.L. Dennys), for the defence.
The following jury was empanelled:—Messrs. A.O. Gutierrez, C.F. de Carvalho, R.S. Philpott, C.A. Plumb, E.J. Moses, M.S. Northcote, and F. Gomes.
Prisoner pleaded not guilty.