1933-08-05 — Page 7

DEATH BY MISADVENTURĖ

"

Verdict in Pokfulam

Road Inquest

“CAMBER DANGEROUS & SHOULD BE CORRECTED

The Inquiry into the Pokfulam Bus Tragedy was concluded before Mr. W. Schofield at Central Magis tracy yesterday when the jury re turned a verdic, of death by mis- adventure. The following riders were also brought in:-

1. That the camber of Pokfulam, Read, near Second Street, is, in our opinion, definitely dangerous and should be corrected as soon as pos- Bible;

2. That the bus service should in reduced to a minimum until such alterations are completed;,

CLAIM AGAINST

MESSRS. GILMAN'S

PUISNE JUDGE RESERVE JUDGMENT

case

Ta

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1933

CORRESPONDENCE

CANTON NOTES JAPANESE COTTON

All letters intended for, Trade Conditions For

ration Bulet he reompanied by the. name and address of the writer, not for publication, unless so desired but as evidence of good faith.—Ep. ]

Judgment was reserved by Mr. Justice. Lindsell in the which Luk Hip Kee is suing Messrs, Gilman & Company for $948, representing capital and, in terest loaned by plaintiff to the TO THE EDITOR OF THE Sun Taxicab Company.

THE GOVERNMENT AND NORTH POINT

The operating of the taxis of the Sun Taxicab Company, under cer. tain conditions, was undertaken by the defendants and the point. at issue was whether or not Mesars, Gilman & Co. were transferees in the eyes of the law.

Yesterday's hearing was confined to addresses to the Court by Mr. Davidson for the defendants and Mr. Rendall for the plaintiff,

Mr. Davidson contended that there had been no transfer of the Sun Taxicab Company's business (or a part of the business) to the 3. The Bus Company to be in defendant's. He cited numerous structed to see tha; all automatic-authorities to support bis arga windscreen wipers on their buses are in good working order.

It will be recalled that as the result of, the accident along Pokfu- lam Road, on July 12, a Chinese

ment. His Lordship after hearing 3r. Rendall in reply. reserved judgment,

SOCIETY

hool girl was killed while another CHUNG SING BENEVOLENT

The Inquiry has was injurel necessited several hearings on which. the Coroner was assisted by a jury comprising Messrs. Wolffy (fre man), Osmund and Wong.

ir

resumed

NIGHT FETE ON SUNDAY AT RATHING PAVILION

The Driver's Evidence.

The Chung Sing Benevolent S. When the inquiry was yesterday. Ng Kam Chuen, the city announce that their first driver of the bus at the time of night fete at their bathing pavilion the accident, said he had held a bust West Point, Kennedy Town, will driver's licence sine last December. te held next Sunday, the 8th Aug." On July 12, he was driving bus 400 zencing at 7.30 p.m. From Aberdeen to Eastern Street postponed like week end owing to leaving the former place at 12.30 the typhoon.

j..

As it was raining, when he got to the top of the Pokialam Road hill, he shifted to second gear before ing down, while he also had his There were hand brake partly on. six or seven passengers on the bus at the time, and the bus was going

a spend of about 7 m.p.h. When his 45 searing Second Street, he saw a lorry coming from This vehi the opposite directim.

It was

There are two open events in the programme, the 30 metres breast stroke for men, and the 400 metres Breast Stroke for ladies open to nerabers of the Hongkong Interna tional, A., Swimming Association Chinese and European Orchestras will play throughout the evening..

TRAFFIC CASES

THREE OFFENDERS

FINED

Defendant admitted the sumports and was fined $5.

DAILY PRESS."}

HONG KONG

SIR-Concerning the resumption of sites at North Point, more cor rectly, Teat-tre-mui, the members of the eight Chinese bathing clubs down there have been discussing during the past week the advi ability of forming an amalgamated athletic club, with a co-operative society to handle the buying and selling of all the necessaries and accessories, and to seek to promote the 15,000 other amenities for members, plus the few hundred people visiting the clubs during the summer. The object is to prevent the scheme being commercialised later. I would not be surprised if some day in the near future this project materialised. There can be no question that these bathing pavilions are filling a great need in the Chinese community, from the standpoints of public health and recreation during the long summer months in Hong Kong.

That the Hong Kong Govern- ment are well aware of it may be deduced when the speech of Six Cecil Clementi, at the opening of a is recalled. These are his words: new bathing shed on June 28, 1929, Government The Hongkong

has been glad to provide this site for the Association's bathing pa- vilions. The structure newly erected is a vast improvement on the matsheds which preceded it and will, I hope, be only the first of many other bathing pavilions hereafter to be erected both in Hongkong Island and on, the mainland. I wish the South China Athletic Association every success."

Lady Clementi also spoke and expressed the hope that before long the roll of lady members would equal that of the men.

Sure enough, to-day the number of women and children going to these, pavilions is on the increase every year. What a severe setback indeed to the health and recreation

Yours etc.,

PUBLIC HEALTH.

Past Half-Year

ROAD BUILDING IN CITY

(From Our Own Correspondent)

TRADE

W.E.C. DELEGATE ON LABOUR CONDITIONS:

One of the leading members of the Japanese delegation to the Economic Conference has made the following reply to a latter, publish ed in the London Times, regarding labour conditions in the Japanese cotton industry :-

י - ·

CANTON, August 3. Taking stock, of the trade con-

Mr. Smalley is quite wrong in ditions prevailing during the past half-year period, business circles in stating that the labour of the cotton Canton have little cause for gatisrailis in Japan is virtually con- faction. Hopes held at the begin script. It is no such thing. Labour ning of the year that the depres for the mills must of necessity be sion had already reached its worst obtained from the country districts. and would be slowly passing away In order to meet the difficulties of are far from being realised, for in accommodating so many workers in face conditions during the past few the towns, the millowners early months have been even worse than undertook full responsibility for housing arrangements. Thus dormi- tories were built and in these every any

possible comfort is provided for the

The

workers,

hitherto experienced. The Buy Domestic Gloods movement so enthusiastically launched early in the year had a little favourable

In answer to the exaggerated effect on same native industries particularly the native cloth trade, picture presented by Mr. Smalley, a result of dumping activities by report of Mr. Arno S. Pearse, but the boom was soon arrested as it is only necessary to refer to the foreign producers. The failure of International Federation of Master several of the new industries in the Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers city added to the list of the Association, Manchester, who visit: unemployed whose numbers had ed. Japan and personally inves tigated the conditions existing in He describes in already reached enormous propor tions with the unchecked influx the mills there.

detail on page 91 ei seg, the com into this part of the country ofditions of the workers, and his com unemployed from overseas. rice crops in different parts of the tent on page 91 is as follows:

The writer doubts whether many province have been fairly satisfac tory, but the importation during girls in expensive boarding schools the past few months of larger than in Europe (pensionats) are better usual quantities of foreign rice cared for or have more freedom commodity. The old Chinese nduge ed. The competitions of getting a forced down the price level of this than the girls of the big milla visit that cheap rice spells injury for sufficient supply of girls is alone "guarantee for their good treat. the farmer" still holds good and. the cheapness of rice has had a veryment, and there has developed bad effect on the welfare of the among the mill owners farmers As these constitute by far praiseworthy race in endeavouring the greater majority of the populato outdo the other as regards wel-

fare work tion, this depreciation of their pur- chasing power reacts on practically avery trade. A general feeling of pessimiam therefore prevails and though it is hoped that conditions in the latter part of the year will show improvement with the stabili sation of the financial position of the province and cther reforms by the Government, it is felt that the losses suffered thus far cannot be made good.

cle was on the wrong side of the od and witness said he had to

Alcohol Manufacture. serve to avoid an nesident. The bus then began to skid to the left and witness said he tried to correct

Another new industry now being this and swerved to the right. Al-At Central Magistracy before

Mr. Shofield, In Yan Man the of the Chinese Community and the established in this part of the coun though the bus was going very slowly, it got out of control and driver of a private car, was sum- rapid progress made in that directry is the manufacture of commer finally ended up by running against moned for causing obstruction in tion, if the Hongkong Government cial alcohol, for various industrial One factory, started a fruit stall. Witness, then said he the alleyway between the Asiatic have decided to resume these sites enterprises.

by private interests, is already in got out with the intention of push Petroleum Company Building and at any "cost.

operation in Canton, as is another ing the bus back and it was then Kayamally Building.

in Kwangsi which is Government owned. that he heard eries of "safe life."

The Canton Government With the aid of some of the pra-

has also announced that it is pat. ple in the vicinity, witness pushed

ting such works Profiting by the the bus back sufficiently to release

experience of other industries, like the rubber and the electric torch the two girls who were placed inside his vehicle, He then went

manufactures, in which cases the to telephone for an ankulance,

initial success of the enterprises led after which he went to the police

to the starting of too many fac tation to make a report.

tories, with consequent overproduc- tion, those engaged in the alcohol industry are proposing to ask the Government to adopt measures re- gulating the establishment of future factories so that the supply will not tend to out-grow the demand,

After the witness had been cross "xamined, Mr. Loseby, representing the father of the dead girl, in a Arief address said that he felt there would be no difficulty in finding. that.. the child was killed by a bus n he was walking home. It would e for the Court to find if any blime attaches to anybody, and if o, to whoni The road the sub initted, was dangerous and was rendered the more so by the fact that it was built with 北 wrong gamber.

Mr. Lovely went on to say that there were three points to which he wanted to call attention and they

were

Had the driver sufficient skill to be trusted with a bus on that road; If in fact he had, did he use such -kill when driving his vehicle;

Were there any defects in the bus which contributed to the ae- cident.

Mr. Loeby also suggested that the jury make recommendations that the camber be changed, that only skilled drivers be given charge of buses on that particular route, and that the road be closed to bus traffic until such time ns the cam Tur has been changed."

Traffic Sergeant Howell summoon- ed Li Hing-sung, the driver of n private car, with driving in a dan gerous manner in Queen's Road East

It was alleged that defendant cuf in front of a bus ; the junction of Queen's Road and Arsenal Street, and narrowly missed a car coming in the opposite direction which had the right of way.

A fine of $30 was imposed. An Cheung-fai, the driver of a taxicab, was fined $20 for exces. sive speed in Hennessy Rond...

Traffic Sergeant Brittain said de- fendant drove between 30- and 36 Johnstone miles an hour from Road to the Garden Theatre.

THIEVES BARRED

FROM STREET BOYS CLUB

A Chinese boot-black

STA

NO NUDISM IN CANTON

AN OFFICIAL BAN

naked

The steps taken at Shanghai to suppress any manifestation of the Nudist Movement are being closely followed by Canton where, although Nudism is not prominent as a cult, the police have issued notification and warning that if any person is discovered exposing the body either in swimming or any other form of exercise, the said person will be contravening the law and is therefore liable to be arrest ed for a crime against decency. Arrests have already been made of naked swimmers found sporting themselves in the river near Honam.

Thus the authorities of another brought before Mr. Wynne-Jones large city have joined forces with

*

at Central Magistracy yesterday the large number of councils instruction within the present muni- morning on a charge of stealing a various parts of the world in this bottle of "Quich White" from a necessary drive to suppress Nudism shop in Hollywood Road.

In Hong Kong it is languishing and its life bangs, in appropriately, by a thread.

Sub-Inspector Salicy said that boys who commit larcency are not allowed to join the Street Boys' Club because they set a bad exam- ple to the others.

.

A very

It may be remarked that this was written in 1929, since then con- ditions if anything have improved.

23

1.

Wages.

Mr. Smalley makes some errone- ous statement on the question of wages. First, it is obvious that he ha converted into sterling at the present, rate of exchange the yen amounts of wages. As every one will admit, this does not give a true indication of the real value of

The wages internally.

internal value of the yen is roughly the same as it was when the exchange was around par. The indices of retail prices and of the cost of living here, until recently, shown little change. On the other hand, the real value of wages to-day is 50 per cent. higher than in 1926. Since that year the index of cost of living has fallen from 100 to 88, while the wage index is about the same to-day as in 1920. This means that the real wage index is round. about 350.

The position of the workers is,. therefore, improving, and actually in the last few months there has been a marked upward move in cash wages paid in Japan. This fact is mentioned in the Report of Mr. Sansom, British Commercial Counsellor at Tokyo (1933) on page

27.

ན "

No Deductions.

Secondly, Mr. Smalley, says that out of their wages the workers are The Partly clothed, fed, and housed, This is entirely inaccurate. cash wages are free of any deduc tions for the direct services to work OTAL

Halt for Maloo Building Activities. Of all the work undertaken in recent years for the reconstruction the achievement in the building of and development of Canton city, maloos (roads) has certainly been tain public men are now of the the most noticeable. Indeed, cer-

As a matter of fact,, direct and opinion that the mods completed vital services to, workers are an so far are quite adequate for the essential part of their remunera- use of the public, and that a halt tion. They take the form of should be called for to maloo con- special medical and surgical treat

ment, additional education, amuse- cipal limits, which are fairly well ments, and general welfare services. served with roads. The attention They have been variously estimated of the authorities should, it is conas equivalent to an additional 10d. tended, be directed to the expansion to là 2d. a day (at par). (See the of the municipality, and to the Report of the British Cotton Mis- prosperity of the suburbs It is sion to the Far East.) The lowest. understood that a communication cash wages paid in the cotton-in- will be addressed to the Govern dustry are about 7 yen per week ment on the matter:

for male workers and about 5 yen for females. The highest 21 yen in each case. Add to these rates a fur- ther 350 yen at least for indirect wage contributions, and the figures. Rumours, which have been curare respectively10.50 yen (la), Fent recently, to the effect that the 8.50 yen (178), and 24.60 yen (£2,

Ling

A Chinese youth named Wong Government intends to mint a new. 8). Was charged before Mr. copper cant for circulation on the Schofield at Central Magistracy market are denied in semi-official yesterday morning with soliciting circles. It is pointed out that the A visit to the Government Civil in Johnstone Road.

putting into effculation of the new that particular point was far from Hospital yesterday morning elecit- Sub-Inspector Kolloth, prosecut-coin would increase the chaos in As to the point about the skilled the fact that Mrs. J. C. Polson. ing, said that defendant, who was the value of the different issues of victim of the dastardly attack in obviously a new hand, approached the coppers, unless those coppers of the drivers, Mr. Evans said it Quarry Bay and spent a comfort two military policemen with the now in circulation are withdrawn, would be rather difficult to make able night and her condition is usual offer.

which is apparently impracticablo. any decision one way or the other, improving, There were some people who had- Although the authorities know months' bard labour

J

Mr. D. B. Evans who was watch- ing the proceedings on behalf of tht China Motor Bus Co., said he wished to call attention to what. seemed the approximate cause of the accident. He added that the presence of the lorry in the road at the time was not denied and nded that the road surface at

good.

"

been driving for over twenty years

Defendant was given four strokes with the cans.

MRS. POLSON MAKING GOOD PROGRESS FAVOURABLE REPORT FROM

G.C.H.

the fame and have the description

only

and who were still dangerous driv ers while some people ne

of the assailant, they have so far

not succeeded in locating him, but drive a couple of months to become an arrest is confidently expected. experts.

Regarding the camber of the road, Mr. Evans said he entirely associat ed himself with what Mr. Loseby said.

Concluding. Mr. Evans said that this driver did everything he bow sibly could to avoid a smash, and the fact, which he admits, that the

I was out of control, should not

ken against him..

...

the driver from all blame and it

A PESTILENT YOUTH

INQUIRY IN THE WRONG QUARTER.

Defendant was sentenced to two

"Mister, yo' sho yo' all got me is my submission that he did all be down on the pay roll 7" could under the circumstances

Kinting of Coppers.

Fortune Tellers

While, as Mr. Smalley states, it is true that the mills work on Sun day, it must, nevertheless, be re membered that at least two days, and in certain circumstances four days, holiday a month are compul." sory.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

CHOKURO KADONO, Chief Adviser to the Japanese. Delegation to the Mone tary and Economic Conference. Grosvenor House, W., June 30

Saibo was hired on a railway

As a result of the strict enforce xang At the close of the first ment by the Hong Kong authorities ahift he was.all tired out and of the regulations restricting sought the bors.

fortune-tellers, and palmists, a number of these people have come up to Canton from the British Calony. While the local autho

club was gwing a dinner ies. At the shortcake “Sure," said the boss. Here's rities at present, do not absolutely for Mr. Schofield maid that in his your name Samho Simpson, That prodibit these professions, those

them was seen to opinion there was not

Then he sufficient right1 evidence to bring in a verdict of Yes sub replied Hambo, register with the Bureau of Social

In them are required", jengaged

neighbour manslaughter, and the alternative.

Does this call for an, iron br was deal by disadventure. ;

Al just thought you might have Adairs. It is no doubt the object

Courier Jour nidehti of the Government to have the spoon.

practice gradually abolished

ld ask you to exonerate The jury, after a brief consultas down s

al foot of next column)tion, found as stated,

"fied.

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