1889-03-23 — Page 2

Intimations.

DAKIŃ

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1889.

SARAH Bernhardt denies the report that she is growing fleshy. The mistake arose through an interview by a green reporter who saw her with

her sawdust on.

THE English villages are diminishing in popula BROTHERS. tion, owing to the exodus of the unemployed, who are flocking into the towns at the rate of F0,000 or 70,000 a year.

--DISINFECTANT;

SOLUBLE

EFFICIENT,

CRESOL,

ENGLISH people even now seem strongly averse to medern inventions. It is certainly significant that London, with a population of 4,765,000, has only 4193 subscribers to the telephone, We are requested to state that the share register

of the Punjom and Sunghie Dua Samantan ECONOMICAL, Mining Co., Ltd. has not been closed, as inad-

NON-CORROSIVE.vertently reported in this afternoon's Express.

[ON-POISONOUS,

N°

One part to one thousand of water forms a strong reliable Disinfecting solution, that removes noxious odours by destroying all

contagious matter and arresting putrefaction, It purifies and sweetens drains, latrines, cesspools, &c., while it will not infura persons or fabrics.

Sold in Box, and 160s. Bottles,

(Telephone No. 60.) Hongkong, 18th March, 1889.

}

[31

A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.,

Established A.D, 1841..

WATSON'S

EXTRA SUPERFINE TOILET SOAPS. Specially made with the finest and best materials and perfumed with the choicest Floral Extracts.

Undoubtedly the next

ADVICES from Sierra Leone received at Liverpool on the 14th ultimo were to the effect that Largot, the capital of the chief Mackiah, has been cap. tured and destroyed by a force of English troops, under the command of Governor Hay. About, 700 prisoners held captive by the chief were found in the place and were liberated. MR. Edison says: great discovery will be same metbed of getting electricity from coal direct without the interven tion of boilers to make steam, steam-driven engines to run dynamos, which in their turn, with the intervention of magnetism, do work, whether in operating motors or in making light. RARELY has a woman changed her name so often as the wife of the Chairman of the mori. bund London Board of Works. It be gone through the following metamorphoses:-Miss Pennant, the Hon. Miss Pennant (when her father was made Lord Penrhyn),, Lady James Hogg (when she became the consort of Sir James Hogg) Lady M'Garel-Hogg (when he sssumed that prenomen on receipt of a fortune) and finally Lady Magheramore.

A VERY learned dog appeared before Mr. O'Donnel in the Dublin Police-court, on the 8th February, as a witness on a dispute as to the ownership. A Mr. Burke claimed to be bis owner as against a man named Smith, who had The following kinds are those in most general the animal since last August, when Mr. Burke

use and demand :-----

Watson's Pure Transparent Soap,

27

11

#

1)

(Unscented). Glycerine Soap, Shaving Soap.

Watson's Pure Opaque Tollet Soap.

The following are the favorite kinds :— Treble Scented Cold Cream Soap.

JI

#

+9

12

White Windsor Soap.

Musk Brown Windsor Scap. Pure Bloom of Lavender Soap, Pure Hard Water Soap,

·Celebrated Naples Soap, &c.

THE HONGKONG DISPENSARY. Hongkong, 12th March, 1889.

[s

The Hongkong Telegraph

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1889.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A BALLET troupe came to grief in a Westen town. the other day and a hotel-keeper seized the girls' costumes for a board bill. He is not happy, however. He says the wardrobe of the fifteen girls when placed together will not make a dress large enough to fit his wife-and she doesn't wear a train to her gowns, either.

Tut New York Sun thus sums up English journalism :-"There is nothing in the way of an intellectual production that is more stupid than a London newspaper. It is not a news. paper at all. It does not print the news. It is A dall, heavy, platitudinous, gaseous commodity. nastying, unsympathetic, and inadequate Our New York contemporary makes one slight mistake. There is one thing that, from an

intellectual point of view, is even more stupid than London newspaper. And that is the New York Sun.

Doctors like a good story as well as any other class of people, and a very taking one, told at the expense of a specialist in throat-diseases, went the rounds at the late Intercolonial Medical Congress in Australia. The specialist was boast- ing of the powers of the laryngoscope he had in a lady's throat, telling her that with it he could see every vein and muscle in her anatomy, as though her whole body were illuminated. "Oh, doctor," she said, as soon as she was able to speak; and checking the withdrawal of the intrament, "do tell me if both my boots are laced.

THE Russian physician and publicist, Portugaloff, declares that strychnine in subcutaneous injections is an immediate and infallible remedy for drunkenness. The craving of the inebriate for drink in changed into positive, avertion in a day, and after a treatment of eight or ten days, the patient may be discharged. Even should the appetité return months afterwards, the first painful and nauseating sensations that the person attempt to resume drinking will produce such Will tum away from the liquor in disgust. The

strychnine is administered by dissolving one grain in two hundred drops of water, and injecting five drops of the solution every twenty-four hours. Dr. Portugaloff recomends the establishment of inebriate dispensaries in connection with police- stations.

injury to private rights. The Secretary of State, however, did not take this view, and bas decided that in any case negotiations have gone too far to impose any such stipulation now; and he ac- cordingly sanctioned with some minor modifica tions the terms provisionally arranged with the lot-holders and approved the draft of the Ordin- ance now submitted for carrying them into effect.

THE THEFT OF HORSESHOES DY JUNKMEN Four, men who had been found guilty of stealing and receiving a,sco lbs. of horseshoes, the property of the Godown Co., were up next.

His Lordship said that the first prisoner was the worst, as he was the head man. The pro- perly was entrusted to them for converance to the godowns, and they committed a breach of trest. It was possible to guard against outside "hiever, but when men were entrusted with

The Ordinance in its present form bas there properly and relied upon to be honest, if they

fore already received the careful consideration of stole that property they were worse than ordinary Her Majesty's Government; and the Governor Aleves. The first man, would be sentenced to has much pleasure in giving effect to the Secretary Three years' imprisonment, the second and third of State's decision on the scheme, which, what to eighteen months, and the fourth to one year.ever the gain of individuals, is fraught with un

questionably great advantages to the public. These are shortly as follows:

THEFT BY, A. TALLYMAN, Tan Ho, charged with stealing a bale of Spanish stripe, the property of the Godown Company, was similarly addressed, and sentenced to two years hard labour.

THE BRIDGES STREET OUTRAGE, ·

Ng Awa, found guilty of entering 58 Bridges Street, grievously assaulting Euphemia Almario, in elderly widow, and stealing jewely worth $:00, was addressed as follows:-You, and nother entered this room where the old

lady was tied and gagged her, cat her across be head, and pressed her face to the floor wallet your companios robbed her. You managed your plaas so as to go when her boy was at the Races and the amah away—indeed 1 cannot help thinking you had some connection with some of the servants, knowing the ways of the house so well and when she was likely to be unprotected from your outrages. You are sentenced to five years' imprisonment, and to be whipped twice, aj strokes each time.

CHINA AND MANILA STEAMSHIP

COMPANY.

The sixth ordinary general meeting of this of Messrs. Russell and Co, general agents. Mr. Company was held at noon to-day at the office

W. H. Forbes presided, and Messra. D, Gillies, C. A. Tomes, W Legge, E. W. Rutter, F. A. Dewer, J. H. Patts, Joseph, and R. Shewan (secretary) were present.

said he lost him. Mr. Burke, who has been in India, said he taught the dog Hindustani and Tamil, and the dog, on being brought into court and addressed by him in those languages imme diately responded, did several things he was desired to do, and was therefore restored to Mr.high, fell in, Bo persons, guests and employés, ́in excellent condition, and were put at a reason, Burke.

THE Jewish Chronicle says that shortly, the Jewish community in London will receive a fare guest in the person of a lady Bachelor of Arts of the Bombay University, Misi Miriam Samuel. She is the daughter of a Persian merchant settled in Bombay, and has obtained her position at the University solely through private instruction. Miss Samuel intends to study medicine in London with the view of prac tising subsequently as a doctor in India. It is well known that Oriental women are averse to being attended to by male doctors. A promising career should, therefore, be open to Miss Samuel ON the 14th inst., at noon, Mr. Mather, the Green Island lighthouse-keeper, was in Hillier Street when he saw a number of men robbing another, who was on the ground. They had just cut the victim's belt and purse off when Maiber arrived, but on seeing à Europeno rani away. The old veteran ran after them, but one of the thieves threw the perse away, and Mather picked it up and went back. He found that the man who had been robbed had lost a pair of trousers also, but was not much hurt. Three men were afterwards arrested; and one, whom Mather recognised as one of the gang, was to- day sentenced to six months' hard labour.

THE prisoner Delanchie has been committed for TEACHING Her a Lesson-Uncle Rastus (who trial on the charge of wilful murder.

THE

P. & Q. S, N. Co.'s extra steamer Thibet left Bombay for this port yesterday at sp.m. THE Hon. J. Macneile Price, Miss Withers, and the Marquis de Mores left this afternoon by the steamer Outanic for Yokohama and San Francisco.

ROUTLEDGE'S publishing firm sold 3,000,000 volumes of sixpenny novels in three years. James Grant's "Romance of War" topped the list with 100,000 caples.

WE hear that a telegram has been received in the Colony announcing the total loss of the ship Transit on her way from Singapore to this port with a cargo of lumber.

A COLOURED women told the Judge at trial in Standford, Ky. "that she would have been killed had she not seen the bullet, which was coming straight at her, and dodged it."-

1

COLONEL Greeley's work on Arctic research is an edition of 4,500 copies, of which 1,150 go to the Senate, 3,500 to the House of Representa- tives, and go to the Signal Service/ "FOND MOTHER-So you are pleased with Mr. Grool, Amelis? Fond Daughter-I'am ; he's a man after my own heart."Are you sure of A man after my ouse; he asked to for it last

evening."

ONE of the best-dressed women in Europe Is Maria Pia, Queen of Portugal, who is also the possessor of some of the most beautiful jewels, her parures of rubi and diamonds being a famous as her moustache.

THE Sydney Bulletin says the editor ofa certain Melbourne publication has been known to consume 14 dozen oysters and 14 stouts at one sitting, the performance concluding with Scotch whiskeys and a cigar. As a sustained literary effort this requires a lot of wiping out. THE Queensland Government geologist mays that the Mount Morgan Company's stone is said to yield about yoz par ton. With the present plant 1,500 tons are manipulated weekly. How does that "pan out" when compared, with the Pun Jom products? We shall be glad to have an answer to this query,

THE London Times of the 19th February gives full particulars of the terrible boiler explosion at Hartford the previous day. The explosion took place in the Park Central Hotel, in consequence of which the whole main building, five storeys

being carried down with the wreck, of whom about 20 escaped. The ruins caught fire, and several persons were burnt to death in sight of the crowd. The force of the explosion broke the windows of all the adjacent buildings. Rescuing parties set to work at ance after day- light, and the troops having been ordered out, mounted guard around the scene. The rallway companies furnished labourers and machinery The flames to aid in removing the debris. having been partially subdued, several bodies were brought oal, and six injured persons were sent to the hospital. The explosion is reported tohave been caused by a drunken engineer, who left the boiler with low water, thus causing the explosion which killed him. Up to 1 o'clock: that afternoon eight persons stil living ind eight dead bodies had been recovered from the wreck of the hotel. According to the latest estimates, the fatalities have been reduced to about 25.

SUPREME COURT.

IN CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

(Before the Chief Justice.) ̧.

SENTENCES.

The Chairman in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet said the figures spoke for them selves, and it gave him much pleasure to lay such a statement before them after the uphill fight the Company bid had to make for some years. They were now in a solid and satisfactory position, both their vessels were

abit valuation in the books. They could not of course, expect to continue, such business as they had last year, now there was more opposi tion, but they were doing good business, which seemed likely to continue..

Mr. Rutter seconded the motion, and it was passed.

The Chairman moved the confirmation of Mr. D. Gillies to a seat on the Board, to which he had been invited by the general Managers. No other gentlemen had heen found to serve on the Committee, and unless the shareholders elected one the General Managers would have to do so. The remuneration given to the members of the Consulting Committee was at present nomi- nal, and might with advantage be increased.

Mr. Legge proposed that both questions be left to the General Managers.

Mr. Rutter seconded, and it was agreed to. Messrs. Arnold and Cox having been re-elected dividend warrants would be ready on Monday, and the proceedings terminated.

auditors the Chairman announced that, the

THE PRAYA RECLAMATION

· · SCHEME.

The following is the text of the Governor's His Lordship passed sentence in the following Message read at the meeting of the Legislative

Council yesterday:-

Cases.

THE GAROTTING CASE,

Chun Kan, who had pleaded guilty to stealing, by violence, wearing apparel from a merchant who was walking along Praya West one evening, was the first,

has caused the arrest of his wife for assault)-I. want yo' ter gib it to her, Jedge; gib her de imick ob de law. Dis ain't de fust time she 'sablted me. Judge I'm afraid, Aunty, I'll have to fine you ten dollars. Aunty-Well, yo'

His Lordship said :-This is a case of garot honan, I aint got ten cents. Judge (to Uncle ting, but there is no evidence to show that you Rastus)- 11 he ten dollars, Uncle Rastus.

were armed, nor did the prosecutor receive any Uncle Rastus (handing over the money, with a injury, but he was seized by three or four men bewildered look, as who should say, This may and nearly choked, and his long coat and jacket be right or this may be wrong)-All right, solen. You have been already convicted by Jedge; dere's de money. (To wife as they leave the Magistrate, although this is your first Court together)-Dar, ole woman, I trus disappearance here, therefore I must pass 1 yére sperience 'll l'arn yo'a lesson what yo'won'

heavier sentence on you, although not so fergit.

heavy as it would have been if you had been one of an armed party. You are sentenced to three years' imprisonment, and one whipping of twenty-five strokes.

IN an amusing skotch of Prince Henry of Batten- berg, the husband of Princess Beatrice, recently appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight (greatly to the disgust of the Islanders), an English con temporary gives a long list of the ladies who had declined the honor of the impecunious pria. celing's hand before he finally succeeded in his matrimonial designs. Among the number was one whom it will not be difficult to recognize and who is described as "the daughter of an American inventor who, has since become the wife of an Italian premier. Several others are mentioned, including an actress or two and other women, an alliance with whom would not have been particularly creditable,

E

THE ATTACK ON A SIKE AT WANCHAL

His Lordship said to the prisoner in this case: This is a very bad case; you and two others were apprehended by a Sikh constable in St. Francis, Street, Wanchal, and you set upon him and cut him on the head with a sword very severely, indeed if he had not had a turban is there li every reason to believe that the blow would have

split his head, in which case instead of being convicted of maliciously wounding with intent you would have been convicted of murder. You slashed him in the face and cut his note in two,

was found by Mr. Goulborne, and he had to be so that one half was lying on his cheek when he uken to Hospital. Not only this, but you showed the greatest ferocity when you were overcome by the Sikh-you bit his finger clean through the bone, besides trying to hang him with a piece of rope and nearly choking him with his turban. You are able to penal isrvitude for life. This isa very bad case, and the lightest sentence I can impose is ten years' imprisonment. I think the Sikh behaved with the greatest courage, and I shall take an early opportunity of calling the attention of the Governor to it.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IN THE HARBOUR.

Chan Po, a tly ruffian who ought to have been charged with attempted murder, and who had been found guilty of robbery with violence, was addressed as follows It is apt possible to have a worse case than this. You took this old man's boat to row you across the Harbour, and when hallway you deliberately took out a sword while he was at the helm and hacked

SIR HENRY JAMES, one of the leading counsel for the Times, has the reputation of being the most incurable snob at the English Bar. He is built that way, and can't help it. The Sydney Ir is quite refreshing to know that Adelina Patt! Bulletin relates that, an treasurer of the society cheers herself with glass of hot water and of the Middle Temple, he had the duty lemons every morning, and drinks whitty In the recently of entertaining two distinguished guests evening. She always feels better in the evening.the Duke of Teck and Mr. Phelps, the So do we.

American Minister. The attention of the host was entirely devoted to the elevated German pauper, and all through that long and weary feed be exhausted himself in laborious efforts to find some topic of conversation suited to the comprehension of the poor, tot'exing Duke, so that he might be saved the painful new alty of appearing a greater ass than be really was Meanwhile the American ambassador sat apart, utterly neglected and unnoticed, and smiled grimly at the spectacle of poor Teck floundering In the bog of British grammar and drivelling faintly about things of which he knew a little as a cow does of medicine and surgery. THEInformation which appears in the "Personalbim over the bead and then threw him into the column of the Macas Independents this week is water. Then when he tried to save himself by certainly worthy of the attentive perusal of clinging to the boat you struck him on the fingers every one interested in that wonderful production with your weapon. You were perfectly prepared to commit murder for the sake of the five or six of the Lusitanian mind which goes by the naine of Matao journalism. We would fain reproduse dollars he had, and the few things in the boat. specimens of the select language, the refined You were found in possession of the boat, and expressions, and the high thoughts which shine two women identified you clearly and positively THUS a home paper-The latest on dit is that like precious gems in the columns of the semi- as the man who cut and chopped him over the the next British Minister to Washington will be official dish-clout, but we are afraid to adorn ingers when he tried to save himself. The not Sir Julian Pauncefote, but Sir John Walsham, ourselves with a borrowed parura of so much sentence is one of ten years Imprisonment, the present Minister to Peking, Another is that value! Macao writers are certainly original in | and two fiɔggings of 25 strokes each within the what is perhaps the most lucrative post in the the choice of their language. If a literary contest fest six months la colonial, judiciil, and legal service is about to were established at the Paris Exhibition, we His Lordship then asked if the boatman who become vacant. This is the Attorney-Generalship would lay aager that a Monkey-town taved the prosecutor's life was present. On of Hongkong. A few years as Attorney General representative would carry the day, They are being told that he was not, be expressed a desire in Hongkong make a man's fortune,

as matchless in low invective and personal abuse that he should be found. On his lense there as they are unequalled in prejudice, superstition yass notice in Chinese exhorting him to assist THE worst enemy of Miss Jeannie M'Gregor and servility. Macao newspapers have invari in saving life, and in that case be rendered such couldn't cast anything in two of that young ably been conspicuous for their intolerance of good service that he (the Chief Justice) would lady's teeth, because she swallowed them the all opinions which are subversive of their bigotted recommend the Government to grant him a free other week Jeannie was brought to Melbourne ideas. The Independents, which enjoys the license, as was usually done. Saving life was Hospital, but after an ineffectual course of reputation of being a semi-official paper, Car very meritorious act with the Chinese, mich fishing for her lost grinders, the fair patient was surpasses its contemporaries in specimens of the more than with western nations, and he would discharged in deep distress. She was in the act" Arizons Kicker" style. As we have often said draw the attention of the authorities to it of eating a bantua when those articles of werin before, it is, after all, the sampan sisterhood that The prisoner when leaving the dock, said that vanished into the unknown, with "plate ale is to be blamed for this deplorable state of things he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment

1hò might as will be hangode li tacked "

in the Holy City

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has given directions that there shall be laid before the Legislative Council an Ordinance to be entitled "The Praya Reclama- tion Ordinance, 1889" containing the necessary provisions (or carrying out a great scheme of western portions of the Town of Victoria.

Though the general nature of the scheme and the manner in which it is proposed to be carried out have become well known to Honourable Members and to the community, the various questions connected with this great undertaking are now for the first time brought under the consideration of the Legislative Council; and it may be well therefore to make a short state- ment on the subject for the information of interested persons outside the Colony, and for the purpose of convenient reference in the

future.

The project for carrying out which it in the object of this Ordinance to provide, is shortly

as follows:-

Te build a cat-stone sea-wall in front of the present Praya and at an average distance from it of about 260 feet, along its whole length extending from the War Ofic property at the North Barracks to the Gas Works, a 'distance of some 3,400 yards, or-nearly two miles. To fill in with earth and stone the intervening space, comprising an area of some 56 acres, in such a manner that it shall be available for building purposes) and To construct upon this reclaimed area the

necessary streets with all requisite channels and sewers, a work which besides a considerable number of cross streets, will include a new Praya, 75 feet in width along the whole length of the new seawall, and the widening to 75 feet for a similar distance of the present Praya which will thut become an inland street. The cost of all these works, the amount of which is estimated at somewhat more than $1,500,000, is to be defrayed by the owners of the marine frontage affected by the proposed reclamation, on the terms arranged in the correspondence which has been published, and now expressed in this Ordinance.

pass the Governor has already appointed an Engineer who will, under the supervision of the Surveyor-General,” devote himself exclusively to he reclamation, and will submit at once for consideration bis view as to the staff which will be required in order to begin and prosecute the works with all possible speed,

With a view to cause as little obstruction as possible to the trade of the Port, it is proposed that only two, at the most three of the seven sections of the reclamation shall be taken in hand at a time; and it is probable that a com- mencement will be made on those at the two extremes of the foreshore.

Before concluding the Governor deems it well to acknowledge thus publicly the service which has been rendered to the Colony by the Honour (1) The provision of some 32 acres of building ble C. P. Chater, in initiating this great enter- iles, which, when covered with houses (as | prise and in assisting to bring about the arrange they are morally certain to be as soon as comment under which it will be accomplished. It pleted) will afford a substantial relief to the is also only right to mention in this place the present congested, condition of the Town of Honourable J. M. Price, whose able reports on Victoria or at least will tend to prevent the the project bare secured its approval by the still further overcrowding of that contiguous highest engineering authority in England and its portion of the Town which already is probably sanction by the Secretary of State, and who has more densely populated than any other equal thus rendered not the least of the many valuable space in the world.

services, now unhappily come to a close, which will render his name ever memorable in this Colony.

(2.) The conversion into wholesome drained land of the present noxious foreshore, which is becoming year by year a more serious nui- ance, and involving an ever increasing dan ger to the health of the community. (3.) A great improvement in the Port, as re- gards the conditions of discharging cargoes, arising from the fact that vessels of large draught will be able to lie alongside the pro- posed sea-wall throughout its entire length, and thus save considerable sums in lighterage. (4) A large pecuniary gain to the Colonial

Treasury consisting of :--

(4) The profit from that portion of the re-

clamation to be undertaken by the Govern ment in front of, its own property; the land to be thus reclaimed being estimated at the value of $1,803,956, against an estimated cost of $161,369, showing a probable net prost of $1,441,587.

A probable return estimated, (according to the low rate of $1 per square foot), at $300,000, from land in Kennedytown now useless, which will be converted into valu- able building sites by the removal of rock and earth for the proposed reclamation, (c) Rent from the sites last mentioned and from the reclaimed land estimated at $29.2-0 per annum.

Briefly summarised the pecuniary profit which is estimated as likely to accrue to the Govern ment from this scheme is $1,741,587 from land sales and an annual income from rent amounting to $29,300.

It will be observed that in the above estimate of advantages no account has been taken of the large amount, estimated at $100,000 per annum to be derived from the rates that will be payable in 'respect of the buildings erected on the reclaimed land and on the Kennedy town sites mentioned, the reason of the omission being that it is difficult to forecast at the moment how fir this sum will be absorbed by additional charges for Police Stations, Police, Lighting, &c. It is not at all probable that these charges will reach so large a total or anything like it but in setting forth the benefits of the scheme, the Governor desires to err, if at all, on the side ofunder-statement,

There is, however, another beneficial result which may be fairly added, as though principally of an aesthetic nature, it ie nevertheless a very appreciable one, vix.: the greatly Improved appearance in the front of the Town which will be brought about by, the supervision to be exercised in respect of the character of the buildings erected.

In view of this catalogue of advantages, it cannot be doubted that the prosecution of this great scheme is to the strictest sense # "public purpose "as defined by the Ordinance, and, the question whether the lot-holders should receive somewhat more or less profit would seem, after all, of such comparative insignificance, that it should not be permitted for a moment to stand in the way of so vast a public improvement,

For against the expected prof's of the private persons, concerned has to be set the risk, by no means slight, which they will have to incur in respect of typhoons and other accidents; while as regards both the reht to be paid by them, ($800 per acre), and the large area (26 acres) for streets, which the public will obtain free of cost, the conditions under which this work will be undertaken are at least more onerous than have been exacted from the adjoining lot-owners in the case of any previous reclamations. And when it is moreover considered that an enterprise in volving great, many and varied interests will be carried out with comparatively little, and it is hoped, without any litigation, the Governor cannot but feel that the Colony is to be congratulated on the conclusion of the arrangement to be sanctioned by this Ordinance, which, whether it is, or is not, as perfect as it might havebeen, will in any case confer incalculable benefits on the community.

The details of the Ordinance, which may very possibly require amendment, will perhaps be best left for discussion in Committee; but the Governor thinks it well to refer briefly to an objection which he understands has been made to the third paragraph of the 6th clause of the published draft, by which compensation to dissentient lot- holders is left to the discretion of the Governor,

It may morcover be noticed in this connection that the plans, also elaborated by Mr. Price, for the junction of the East and West Prayas were sent to England for the approval of Her Ma jesty's Govemment some two months ago. As the local Naval and Military authorities are now in entire agreement with the Civil Government on this subject, and as the Imperial Government is only asked to pay towards the cost, a sum teas. by several hundred thousand dollars than the value of the reclaimed land to be acquired by the War Department and the Admiralty, it may be hoped that this great work of improvement, now by the growth of the population become absolutely necessary, will also be very soon commenced, and that the negociations of the last twenty years, hitherto unhappily fruitless, will thus at length be brought to a satisfactory termination. **Should this prove to be the case, the first, and most important, steps will have been taken to- wards the realization of the hope, which the Governor earnestly entertains, that before the close of his administration these two great works may be finished-works which la adding a new face to the Town throughout neatly three of the four miles of its length and affording increased. opportunity for its expansion in three different. directions, may be expected to gire a very power- ful impetus to the advancement of the Colony.

By Command,

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary. Government House, Hongkong, 22nd March, 1889.

H.E. THE GOVERNOR AND THE

··· CONCERT AT THE CIVIL

HOSPITAL.

the following discussion arose-

At the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon

Mr. Chater said :-I sent notice to the Colonial

Secretary of a question which I would like to ask with your permission. I am not sure whether may be permitted to do so, because the notice was a very short one.

His Excellency said the question might be put.

Mr. Chater then put the following question:-- "Whether there is any objection to stating the circumstances under which permission was recently refuted for holding a concert in the Civil Hospital which has been prepared for the patients."

His Excellency-I will answer this question. The incident to which the hon. member refers has lately been the subject of remarks in the English Press; and as I am bound, in any case where a question is likely to be asked in Parlia ment, to supply the Secretary of State with the full particulars so that he can give a satisfactory reply, I have addressed the Secretary of State on the subject. In order to save the time of the Council I will place the despatch on the table, and it may be read by the hon, member or any member who pleases.

The following is the despatch :—

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, Hongkong, 18th March, 1889 MY LORD,-A story has been for some months in circulation which represcals me as having, arbitrarily and from unworthy motives, denied an innocent pleasure to the patients in the public hospital here. So long as this slander was confined to the local newspapers I paid no allention to it. For the Governor of a Crown Colony, in the course of his duty to the public, is compelled to cause disappointment to so many individuals, that it would occupy much more time than he has, or ought to have, at his disposal, if he were ordinarily to give any heed to irresponsible attacks. But as in this particular 'cate, misrepresentation has now reached the English Press, and it is possible that it may be made the subject of à question in Parliament, I think it well that Your Lordship, should beur made acquainted with the facts, which are an follows.

1.----On the 18th of December last I returned to the Colony after three weeks' leave of absence;

and on the next day I received from Dr. Aticiason,

the Surgeon of the "Hospital," an Invitation, addressed to my wife and myself, for a Concert to be given at the Public Hospital two days afterwards. On enquiry from the Colonial Secretary, who had been administering the Government during my absence, I found to my surprise that he knew nothing of the matter except from a similar invitation received only the day before He had heard, however, that the Concert was intended for the patients in the hospital, and he had reason to believe that many invitations had been previously fated. Under these circumstances I caused a communi cation to be addressed to Dr. Atkinson, polating 'out in that such · an entertainment could not take place in a public institution, and ought not to have been undertaken, without permiulon, and that before granting permission, I required statement of the object intended and = satis- factory answer to what appeared obvious objec tions. In his reply Dr. Atkinson said that he WAS UDAWAID shy, permission was required and that the object of the Concert was to give pleasure to the fifty two (out of 71) patients who would be able to attend, and to promote a more general public interest in the welfare of the hospital and he answered the most obvious objection by the statement, that the concert was to be given in a new wing of the hospital, which was isolated from the rest, and had not yet been used, vegeta

It is needless to say that the Government has no desire to accord other than the fullest Justice in respect of private rights; and though the provision in question has no doubt an arbitrary appearance, that aspect of it will probably diappear altogether from unprejudiced minds when the circumstances are fully considered. It should be remembered in the first place that the tenure of every one of the lot-holders is under a lease containing a condition, by which his land may at any time be resumed för a public purpose, the Surveyor-General being in such case constituted the sols arbitrator-so that if the land of any lot-holder were to be, as It legitimately might be, resumed for this public As, however, the maintenance of the new sea-purpose, the position created for him' by a wall when completed will be a charge on the condition to which he has voluntarily submitted public funds, it has been deemed necessary that already could hardly be regarded as preferable ita construction should be under the strict super-te that contemplated by the proposed enactment. vision of the Government. So that for this There is, however, a more important considera reason and on other grounds of obvious conve- tion to be taken into account. The provision alence the whole of the works will be under-was presumably drafted, and sanctioned by the taken by the Surveyor-General's Department Secretary of State, on the assumption of the under a special Engineer appointed for the conecteas of the opinion above referred to, purpose. Though the owners of frontage-lots, according to which the frontage lot-holders As the Governor is advised on high authority, have no legal rights in the foreshore In are not in a position analogous to that of riparian this view they are strictly entitled to compensa proprietors, inasmuch as they have no immediate tion only in respect of the actual depreciation of their property by the reclamation in front of it; access to the sea (the foreshore having for many years been, occupied by a wide public street), it and as in the case of former reclamations Here held that whatever may be their legal rights the value of the adjoining land has never, the they have for various reasons, well understood Governor understands, been affected otherwise here, a moral claim to compensation in respect than favourably, it is very possible that the lot He further stated that such concerts were of reclamations in front of their land. On this holder, if in this case left to his legal rights alone," common in London Hospitals, and that he had. ground, therefore, and in order to avoid the would obtain no compensation at all. But by the attended such eren in wards adjacent to those cadicas litigation that would otherwise arise in provision in question, there can be taken lato ocupled by pallentam respect of the complicated interests involved, it account the moral claims above mentioned so If these were wards in which there were, has been deemed right to come to terms with that instead of being a harship to the dissentient or were liable to be, patients in a critical condi them, under which they will undertake the lot-holder, the clause in reality will operate for tion, the proceeding appears to me to have been whole cost and risk of the work, and will receive his protection. If, however, there should prove a very questionable ones and in any case the in return a very large share of the profits, to be any lot-holder who not only declines the precedeat did not seem to me sa desirable of estimated from the present value of frontage agreement which has received the approval of the adoption here. For fur public hospital in land to reach the large total of over 15,000,000. gitat majority sad is embodied in this Ordinance, small one (the great majority of the Chinesp The Governor was of opinion that this profit but also prefer to stand solely on his legal rights prefening to be treated by their own dogtani ih on the part of the lot-holders was undoly large; it seems only fair that means should be found the Teng Wab Hospital), and a concert held in and that either they should pay considerable for enabling him to do so,

woy part of it, even the isolated Wing referred to, could scarcely fail to be beard all over it, Even if note of the sgpatients who were unable to attend the poncert ware la'n'ernipal mandulon,

sum by way of premium, or the Government Anticipating as certain the approval of the should carry out the reclamation on fis own ace Council to the prosecution of the scheme, whit. county paying equitable' Compensation feg sayaver the form in which this Ordinasof may finally,