1909-07-23 — Page 14

$273

CANTON Electric LIGHT WORKS.

EXCĻOŠIVE PRIVILEGE POR NEW CONCERN. [From Our Own Correspondent.]

Cantos, 21st July.

A merchant named Ho Shio Ki and several others Jolatly submitted a petition to the Taoral for the Development of Native Industries re questing him to grant them permission for the establishment of a gasworks in Canton. In reply the Tootsi refused to acquierce in their application on the ground that the Cantoa Electric Light Works have recently been purchased from foreigners by the Kwangtung Electric Light Company Limited, which cop cera has now the exclusive privilege to supply light installations to the residents of Canton. No privilege can therefore be granted to other merchants for the supply of gas to the citizens which would be calculated to compete with the Kwangtung Electric Light Company, Limited.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH FRIDAY JULY 23-1900.

QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS.

-`REPLY FROM, SINGAPORE AND BUANGHAI,

‚་༑་ “་

We have been favoured by the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce with the fol lowing correspondence for publication :→→

"Colonial Secretary's Office, |||2th July, 1909-19 Sir-With reference to my letter No. 1563 1909 of the 5th instant. I am directed to inform you that I am in receipt of a telegram from the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements dated the 6th instant expressing regret that at present the quarantine against Hongkong at Singapore cannot be reduced,I am, &c.

(Sgd.), C. CLEMENTI,

for Colonial Secretary, F. S.-Since writing above I have received enclosed telegram from His Britannic Ma | jesty's Canaul-General at Shanghai.

The Secretary,

Chamber of Commerce.

די

[Enclosure]

Your telegram of 5th July. Quarantine con- siste of inspection of vassel lusting for ip no' case than one hour,

chinese grievaNCES IN NEW to reduce this slight precaution da long as cases Quarantine Authorities consider idadvisable of plague reported at Hongkong.

(Sgd.) WARREN.

ZEALAND.

CONSUL'S ACTION.

According to a New Zealand paper of the 5th ultimo, Mr. W: Tong, of Auckland, representing a large number of Chinese arrived in Welling- ton on the 4th June with a list of grievances, which he brought under the notice of the Coa aul, Mr. HWADK

BODL

The following freply was sent to the Govern-

Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, 8th July, 1909. Sir, have the honour to acknowledga.with many thanks the receipt or your latter of 7th instant (No. 1563/1909).

present, the period of quarantine against Hong- kong, and that with reference to shanghai, Britannic Majesty's Consul-General- vistes, in bis telegraphic reply, that the quarantine im- posed at that part is only a matter of an hour.

My committee learn therefrom that the Gov. A case, which appears to be one of considererament of Singapore are unable to reduce, at able hardship is that of a party of Cantonese consisting of five women, two children, and two men, who were passing through Auckland on their way from Christon to Papeste. They had bona three weeks on the water from Hongkong to Sydney, and after a brief stay in Sydney came on to Auckland to jals the steamer for Tabiti. They were not permitted to land antil a sum of 1,800a had been deposited in cash with the Customs as an undertaking that they would not remain in New Zealand. This ap pears to be made up of roo pall tax and an other £100 for their inability to pass the edu. cation test for each individual. The money would, of course, be returned as soon as they 'left New Zealand.

Vitberto-at least, until three months ago- Chinese transit were allowed to land upen payment of £roo pall tax, which was returned as soon as they left the country in resumption of their journey. This has generally been found by Chinese in Wellington or Auckland, as the port of call might be. But to immediately find L1,800 la money was more than the Chinese of Auckland could do.. The party were then, trans. ferred from the Sydney steamer in the Northern Company's old steamer Wellington, which he's been lying up in Rotten Row, among the coal hulks off, Freeman's Bay, Auckland, for year. The women and children who were delighted with the prospect of once again sen ting foot onshore before finishing their long journey, were cruelly disappointed to find that they were to be transferred to a small steamer, and detained practically as prisoners.

& TOUCHING APPEAL

They sent a most touching appeal to the Chinese in Auckland, who, while unable to find so much money as the Customs demanded, immediately dispatched Mr. Tong to Welling.

top to see the consul

Mr. Hwang called upon the Minister for Customs (Hou. A. W. Hogg) on the morning of the 5th instant, and brought the above and biber matters under his notice. Upon being seen after the interview, Mr. Hwang said he had no special communication to make on the matters to which he had referred in his inter- view with the Minister.

The case of the detained Chinese was then brought before the Minister by a represen® tative of the Wellington Evening Post Mr. Hogg said the matter had been adjusted by a poll tax of £100 each, or 6900 being made payable, instead of the 8oo demanded by the customs, and the acceptance of bond for 100 each from Auckland Chinese or other species that the transients should resume their purney by the next steamer proceeding to Tabiti from Auckland.

——————CHINESE-IN-TÄRITI.—

My commities desire me to ask you to be good enough to convey to His Excellency the Governor their appreciation of the prompt ac tion taken by him. I have, &c.,

•

·

༄*་"་

(Sgd.), E. A. M. Willians,.

Secretary.. Hon. Mr. A. M. Thomson, Colonial Secretary.

AGRICULTURE IN MALAYA.

RESIDENT GENERAL REVIEWS THE SITUATION.

in the course of his report on the F.M.S. William Taylor, refers to Mr. Carruthers' re- for the past year, the Resident General, Sir port. The director of agriculture for the F.M.S. puts the agricultural acreage of the F.M.S. at

319.732 acres,

According to him this acreage, which ex- cludes padi lands and horticulture, was planted with staplo, products as follows: - Coconuts 118,697 acres, rubber 168,048 acres, coffee 8,431 acres, other forms of cultivation, chiefly topioca, 14,546 acres. Total 319,722 acres.

FISH DEALERS ON STRIKE.

COLLISION AT SHANGHAI.

SUUDEN DEATH OF CAPTAIN

KIKOBERTS PE

News was received in Shanghal yesterday, says the N. C. D. New of 17th instant, of the death of Captain Roberts, master of the G. N.S. Afinnesota, by the agents here, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Death, which took place on Tabiday last between Kobe and Nagasaki, was dus to kid- may trouble. Captain Roberts took command of the Afferofa at Seattle from Captain Austin, who was well-known in this port, and was on his first visit to the East in command of the Mirria, Captain Roberts was formerly in

3. Co. The Minnesota lest Seattle on June 19, and will be dispatched from Wessong for Manila on Monday next. Mr. Ravear; the Best officer, is in chargo.

The Shanghai Mircury of 17th inat, says A CURRENCY DIFFICULTY,

About 10.45 am. to-day a collision took place Shanghai residents are liable to go without on the river opposite the Foochow Road, any fish for the next few days, owing to a boy which resulted in considerable damage al cott, that was insituted this morning by the though fortunately there was no loss of life Sah dealers of the Settlement against the fish owing to the promptness with which assistance merchants who have their headquarters at the. was forthcoming. At the time mentioned the East Gate of the native city, reports the small Chinese steamer Tak Woo, which trades Shanghat Mercury, of the 17th inst. For some between Shanghal and the towns round the considerable time past the local dealers bave mouth of the river, was coming up stream and small been buying their fish from the city, dealers when about opposite Foochow Road, at the rate of one hundred cash per junk laden with a cargo of oil drums was beat- catty but during the past few days, theng across the river. While the junk was tack-charge of the Skatest, of the Boston S. merchants, owing to the low rate of exchange log she drifted across the bows of the steamer, that has been prevailing, bave been threatening which blew her whistle and tried to avoid the raise their prics to which the local dealers junk but it was too late, and she crashed into her tearing a large hole in her side through objected. However this morning, when the dealers went to the East Gate to make which the water poured and she began to setila their usual purchases, they were informed rapidly and the crew were left floundering in the that in future, and beginning that mora. water, while the all drums weat floating about ing, all purchases would have to be paid in all directions. The accident had been wit- for in silver or else the equivalent in casbossed on board H.M.S. Britomart and B.M.S. to the value of the silver cola. This the Clio and no time was lost in despatching several local dealers and hawkers refused to do and at steam planaces to the rescue of the struggling once instituted a boycott against the merchants.

men. A number of steam launches, from the various jetties, sampras,etc., also hurried to the The result was that no fish was to be had, this violatice was threatened by either dealers or morning at any of the Municipal markets. No scene and the crew were picked up none the

worse for their involuntary bath. The sams merchants and none is anticipated and it is ex- pans were also reaping a harvast in gathering pected that the trouble will soon he adjusted,

up the derelict oil drums,patil the arrival of the but it is not believed that the dealers will acceda customs and River Police launches put them to the merchants demand. In the meantime to flight, Meanwhile the sinking junk, was taken there is no fish to be bad beyond the tinned in tow and beached in shallow water on the Pootung side. The Tah Woo, which had variety.

anchored, on saging that no lives had been los! hore up her anchor and proceeded to bar what off the Chinese city.

THE JAPAHNSE ARMY”

SÓMK INTERESTING FIGURES,

with

The Blochi Shimbun giver some interesting. particulars about the strength of the Japanese. Army. The figures, the Japan Mail writes in the course of a summary, may or may not be accurate, but we presume that they are a toler- ably close approximation. Everybody is ac- quainted

the general fact that the Japanese Army Dow consists of 19 Divisions, but littla or to information has hitherto been procurable about troops superaumary to the above., Our Tokio con- temporary now tells us that these additional troops comprise thres brigades of field artillery, four brigades of cavalry, two brigades and nina battalions of heavy artillery, one brigade of communications troops and three battalions of mountain artillery. With regard to the cavalry, two brigades have still to be embodied, the bar racks for their reception not being yet finished. This, however, is a matter of a few days. It is further stated that the establishment of the cavalry is five battalions to one regiment and two regiments to one brigade. Torning now to the question of the member of troops actually under arms, in other words the number of meo serving with the colours, the Hochi gives the the following figure, but does not claim absolute accuracy for them since they are in every case somewhat below the reality.

Infantry

Cavalry İŞ Artillery ......

.......! 129,960 İPVinum 14,500 11,370

Engineeraus marines

10,400

Commissarisİ....................................... .....................9,240. Heavy Artillery..... Mountain Communications troops

Total

45

$,600 1,010 2,000

r84,590

TRADE IN THE STRAITS,

BIG DECLINE IN VALUES. OF IMPORTS + AND EXPORTS,

The report of Mr. A, Stuart, registrar of im- ports and exports, on the trade of the Straits Settlements for the year 1908 has been issued and from it we make the following excepts:-

The value of merchandise imported into the Colony (Singapore Penang, Malacca, Dindings, Christmas Island and Labuan) from other countries in 1908, reached Sag6,612,744 (634, 604.820), a decline of about $32,673,000 $3. 812,000) or nearly 10 per cent, compared with 1907. Exports of merchandise to other coun tries were recorded to the value of Sa61,459,toa (30,620,228), a reduction of about $18,776 coo(£3,774,000) or of 83 par cent.

In the case of Singapore the value of tio and ora fell by $11,300,000, that of produce and other raw materials by $5,200,000, of all manu- factured and partly manufactured goods by $10,200,000 of which cottons and other sextiles contributed $5,800,000, miscellaneous mana factures $1,300,000, and metals the balance, but rose in the class live stock, foods, drinks, and narcotics by nearly $400,000.

Experts from Singapore showed less value in tin and tin ore, etc., by nearly sa million dollars in produce and other raw materials by four million dollars, id mapufactured textiles by $3,000,000, and in other manufactures by $1,400,000; foods, drinks, narcotics, etc., giving much the same value.

|

Captain Roberts was apparently a stranger in these waters as his name was not familiar to any of the pilots or officers at the Mercantile Marine Officers Association. But the Seattle Timer writing under date of june la says:

Captain Roberts, who succeeds Captain Austin, is also a well-known figure in local marine circles. He was rosted from cabin boy to commander in the American Ilau and served in nearly all the boats of that company on the Atlantic including the St. Paul and St. Louis, His first trip to this port was in command of the Ohio, operated by the Empite Trans-

rican line, between Seattle and Alaska, He potation Company, subsidiary to the Ame- returned to the Atlantic Coast and in the Now York-to-Liverpool lies made an excellent re- | putation. He again came to Seattle, in com- mand of the Shawmut, about five years ago, and last spring delivered her to the government at New York, taking bar round the Horn from Seattle.

Before leaving Sextile on her present journey the Minnesota was dry docked at Brimerton on June 15 to have her port tail shaft repaired. This shaft won fractured whilst en route to Seattle.

פן

RUBBER SHARESE

In view of the recent #rubber levar *"which appears to havespread to Hongkong, the follow log article extracted from the Roolemiet of June 13 will be read with aridity by those who. have ventured. Into the new form of enter- prisen van T

The obvious strating point for a review of this kind is the beginning of 1907, when finn hard Pars after a long rise to gs. 6d. per 15% and a long period of steadiness round about 51. begun. to fall in price; and dropped more thas. In (welve months. "The cause of this”stamp" was

seems now to have been certainly don'tó" the at the time a matter of some dispute, but it American crisis, for, in spite of the increased pro duction, prices have recovered steadily eversince trade in the United States begun to improve. Anyhow, whatever the cause may have been the value of rubber fell by nearly 50 per cent. in 1907, but, strangely enough, the market for rubber securities was, for a large part of the year, unusually active, and for the best-known shares record prices were obtained. For ex- ample, Selangor Rubber, which had, never before gove beyod ros, louched 208 36, while Shelford Rubber rose from 1ốn gỗ to zau Tojd, and Anglo-Malay from sto; so that at time when the value of rubber itself was con tlaually falling, the share market was'aujoying boom that will bear comparison with the rike of the last three months. Clearly, however, this could not last, and 'before the and of the your share prices had in some cases falled back to about half their former figure, the difference between the highest and lowest points of 2007 boing extremely wide. Afterwards came the recovery of roof followed by the present boom, in which prices have been run up to freak records, and the ground lost has beno maila good. Thus in the course of about two years The market has had two boons and one bad lamp, quotations have varied enormously, and for so comparatively 'amall" a`market very large sums of money matt have been made and lost. The extent of the fluctuationa can be shown by taking a few typical securities and tracing their price movements in the last | three years :-

1907

1908 Present H'est. L'est. H'er. L'ent,' Pcs.

Anglo-Malay...511 244 25/32 347/32 57

135/1517

415/25

·3 5/16 17 ****

15/16.2 15/16 25/31 1

9/16.11

Batu Caves ...5*** 19/16 4, Bukit Rajah „.724)........ Cons. Malay Highlands and

Lowlands. Linggi........ Pataling..... Selango Vallambrosa...31/33 For the sake of simplicity we quote all the shares in fractions of £t, even where the...

nomiosi valas is only zá.

615/164

19/16

THE SUNNING RAILWAY,

Vice-Contul General William B. Hall, of Canton, notes:-Manufacturers of railway sup plies looking for export trade will do well to give some attention to China, as with the pre- sant activity there is every indication that the market will be in time one of considerable im portance. The first terminal of the Susning Railway is located at Kang Yik port, 120 miles southwest of Cautoc. Kung Yik is a port re- claimed by the villagers of Sunning district 1905, having an area of about to acres, of which the railway owns a little over one-half, the rest being owned by thewillagers. About 700 houses of semi-European construction have been built at Kung Yik. The whole line when completed will be about 40 miles. Upan,

It will be seen that, for the most part, pricea obtaining the approval of the Board of Trans-

are higher now than in the boom of 1907, and portations and Posts the lips will be extended

19 it is generally agreed that the high prices of to Kong Moon, a distance of about 36 miles, that year were overdone, we might assume that and the capital will be increased by $500,000 the present level of values is, ipro fatto, con.. The idea of building this railroad'originated with Mr. Chia Geo Hes, who was then in the dombed. But though caution is undoubtedly United States, and come subscriptions for acessary, we must remember that in many stock wore secured from other Chinese re points the position is more healthy DOW than it was two year ago. In the Brat. sidents of the United States. The majority place, the price of rabber it rising Instead of the stock, however, -' is now owned by of failing, and the balls' confidence in the TRADE DEPRESSION."" The trade of the Straits Bettlements in Igof residents of the province of Kangtung market has so far been justified secondly, suffered from consistently severe depression, The line is being constructed entirely by

the advantages of tame over wild rubber have and although the volume of exports was greater non-scientific Chiness. No person of any

become more clear; and lastly, a number of than in 1907 this was more than counterbal-nationality other than Chinese has ever been

companies have sincs 1907 come to the stage of paying dividenda, very large profits are being anced by the extremely poor prices obtainable connected in any way with the building of

this road. It is being built under the direc-asrged, and the output is being increased with That this depression was general is seen by the reduced sales io almost every article of tion of Mr. Chin, president of the railway, who

opt, apparently, endangering the strength of European import, and the low returns for near returned to China from the United States after

the market. All these are strong, ball pojais, a ly all the principal cisssss of produce exported about 40 years experience there, some of which and no one who understands the industry ill has no engineering or railroad knowledge other vestors and speculators must always bear in www maller and much less profitable than in 1907, which, again, was not equal to that of pre- thao the experience gained while in the United mind that, present quotations discogat a very vious years. The second half of the year States. He has the help of about 100 Chinese considerable advance in profits, and that when proved less favourable than the first, probably foremen and labourers who came back from the the industry is ultimately established on its United States, all with more or less experience true basis, the yields will be far larger than are because there was an entire absence of the

in railroad construction. The coastraction work at the present time. As we pointed out in a in- speculative element, and dealers themselves

cent article, rubber companies' shares will nevar curtailed credite with their customers at the commenced in the middle of 1956 and part of

the line was open to traffic at the beginning of be 5 per cent, investments, and yet at present out-ports, who were thus compelled to confins indents to their immediate requirements. 1908. The whole road is provided with tele.

dividend-paying companies varias from 1 to 37 A movement among the principal British phone lines for dispatching. The president and quotations the relure to be obtained from the firms to come to an agreement to limit credits-constructor of the railway-ban-cover-received per cent, Consolidate Malay, for example, more than nominal salary of about $40 per with a 171 per cast, dividend, yields about 31 to 60 days, and to insist on deliveries within

per cent; the Federated Selangor, whose last the same period met with some measure of month, support, and an attempt to give effect to these

Interim dividend was at the rate of 10 per cent,, decisions will be made in 199g. The volume

retores, at recent prices, less then 14 per cent. of business in hard goods including metals was

while the Malacca Rubber preference shares less by probably 30 per cent The tendency

give a yield of a per cent.' All thusa, of of the larger firms to restrict credits and press

producing companies that course, deliveries was apparent, and sales-were-there-- fors restricted, but beneficial results followed,

have paid dividend, but the shares of others, such as the Batu Caves," which and at the close of the year it was generally felt that the market was in a bealthier and

hava: so far made no distribution, stand tion of dividends of 30; 40 or 50 per cent. more natural condition than it has been for

at a very considerable promiom iz anticipa some-years-Thirty-one-dealers suspended payment in Singapore, incurring liabilities to

Perhaps the clearest way of showing the extent of $1,080,000 compared with

position of the market is to contrast the no- minal value of the companies' capital with the aggregate, market valué, at recent quotations, $1,600,000 in 1997.

and so in the following table, wo tuka. '15' different concerns, and state in each case

Nomical Market Share Value

VALO,

With regard to this total we may observo en passant that as the number of men eligible for conscription every year is 450,000, it would seem that about 40 per cent. of the whole are taken for service. Turning now to the interesting quesThe Important business done in plece goods i was av a railroad foreman and contractor. He deoy their force. But, on the other hand, ja

The increase in the rubber acreage was made up of 10,539 acres in Perak, 20,574 acres in Selangor, 9,649 acres in Negri Sem- bilan, and 931 acres io Pabang. Rubber bar now become the most important forms of cul. tivation in these States, and the acreage of the estates devated to rubber is much in excess of the acreage of any other form, of cultivation The director gives the number of rubber estates in the Federated Malay States as 300 and their acreage as 455,595, with 168,048 acres actually planted with rubber. The number of trees hetion of the strength of the Japanese Army of a Rives a 25,165,310. The out-tura of dry rub-

war footing, the Hocki puts it at 1,214,000; ex- ber is quoted as 3,190,000 lbs. (1,425 tons) clusive of 10,000 troops serving in Farmoss; against 1,980,000 lbs. (=885 to).in 1957.

15,000 officers serving with the colour, and a vary large number of officers and non-commis. stoned officers whose names are borne on the reserves. We may bero recall the facts that when Japan entered the lists against China la 1894 the number of men serving with the colours was 60,000. This was increased to between eighty and ninety thousand in the first post bellum reorganization, and now the number is about doubled in the sequel of the recept war

RUNDER LANDS,

2

The lands under rabber in the several States were: Perak 56,706 Selangor 82,246. Negri Sembilan 27,305, Pabang 1,791. Total 168,048 acres.

Although the applications for land for the purposes of rubber cultivation showed a falling off, there appears to have been no decreases of activity in planting operations. A feature of

rubber cultivation is the extent to which Para rubber holds the field to the almost entire ex- clusion of rambong (Facus elastica), which as being indigenous, as growing freely, and as yielding a rubber of excellent quality, was re- garded_with_favour by many a few years ago. It would seem according to Mr. Tong, that The symmetrical stem of the Para rubber tree, there are 1,400 Chinese settled in Tahiti and the regularity of its growth, the facility with engaged in trade for the most part. Some di which the latex can be collected and its reaction || them are wealthy men. They have no other

to wounds appear to commend it to those en- way to reaching the French possessions except.-gaged.in rubber cultivation, by way of Sydney and Auckland, They could go by way of San Francisco, of course, but that would be too long and too costly, and, as a matter of fact, they had reached Tahiti vin Syd- Doy or Sydney and Auckland,

JAIKOO DOCKYARD.

TESTING MACHINE.

Dockyard and

equipment of the Taikoo Engineering Company of Hong- koog, Limited, Messrs. Samuel Denison and Son, Limited, of Leeds, have just forwarded a horizontal testing machine of go tons capacity The price of rubber, according to the director, arranged for applying proof loads to chains, varied from 35, a pound in the early part of the wire ropes, rivers, and metal specimens. The year to ss. od. towards the close; the average stress is applied to the specimen by means of the he states was about 45. 3d, and the cost of pro-suitable hydraulic ram and cylinder placed at duction he puts at-11. to 18, ód, so that even ons end of the machine bed. The water pres- though the year was not to good as the preced- sure required to work the machine is 1,000 lbs.

arily large.

. HIGH FREIGHTS, Our export trade is suffering from high freights, and the outports which formerly sent

SINGAPORE PALMS.

art

tax has been collected by the New Zealanding on the margin of profit was still extraordi-per square inch, and the stroke, or run-out, of produce to Singapore find it more profitable department, including Messrs. Bryant, Crake, the premium at which the capital stands

It is only quite recently that the Lion poll Customs, and that in the case of one man, Mr. Tong said he had been instrumental in Introducing Chinese storekeepers in Tabiti, who were passing through Auckland, to Auckland business houses, and most satisfactory trade relations had been the result, many orders for tinned meats and other goods in which Auck land specialises, having been sent there by Chinese storekeepers in the French island in *preference to Sao Francisco or Sydney. If such restrictions are placed upon the people that they cannot come into touch with merchants -in Auckland, as they do when' going to or re toming from China, then that business is likely to be lost.

ANOTHER GRIEVANCE.

Trouble was experienced during the year on many, if not on most, estates owing to the ravages of white auts (Tormes gestrol) and to

a fungoid discsic, caused by the Fomes Sem-weight in traversed along the steelyard by testus. These matters are receiving the earnest means of a screw, operated by a a hand-whee! attention of the entomologist and of the myco-through spur gearing. Specimens from to in fogist, and it is hoped that practical means of long up to to it. long can be dealt with equally cure and of prevention may be discovered. wall-Z & C. Express.

AVERAGE VIELD,

4

The yield of rubber trees is of course, a mat- ter of the first importance, and in this connec tion the director given some interesting figures, The average yield for-1908 over the whole peninsula the director puts at rib. 15ƒ01, an increase of 11 per cent as compared with the preceding year. This he considers to be a satisfactory yield having regard to the fact that most of the trees that were tapped were in their first year.. In Negri Sembilan the average was 3lb zfos, and this as the average yield of nearly a million trees he regarde as extraordinarily high. Negri Sembilan trees show a higher average than other trees because of their great er age, but the figure la question is satisfactory as showing what may be expected in respect of treer that have been tapped for two or three years.

In Parit Buntar an interesting experiment has been carried out in connection with the tapping of eight 17-year-old trees, which, tapped every other day, gave an average yield of 28] lbs, of dry rubber.

|

SHANGRAI TRADE,

the machine is 36 in. The amount of proof with an equal, which is really a preferential feed on the specimen is indicated by a steal- yard, which is graduated by a dividing engine rate, to avoid the market, or as in the case of up to the full load of 50 tons. The poise jelutoag from Borneo 'to send it here for tran- shipment only. A slight alteration was made in the rates of freight on gattas and robbers, raising those over 6d, per lb. to 60s, and lower ing those under that rate to 42/6, but otherwise Do material changes were affected.

The imports of merchandise from the United Kingdom were valued at 30.6 million dollars, a fall of five million or over 14 per cert, colton piece goods being reduced by three inillion, coal (including patent fuel) by nearly $650,000 and apparel, hosiery, etc., by $326,000, followed by tin plates, bar and corrugated iron, brandy, and hardware with declines ranging from $200 000 to $236,000 exch, and by woollen cloth, umbrellas, woollen blankets, sewing thread, crockery and earthenware, steel, malt liquors, and zinc, with reductions la value of from $110,000 to $167,000 each,

Messrs. Ilbert and Co.'s piece goods market report says:-

Exports were valued at 625 million dollars a fall of 5.4 million or 7.5 per cent. Tin alone accounted for a fall of over 11 million dollars; gutta-percha for $813,005, tapioca (fake and pearl) for $670,000, hides for $647,000, India and Borneo rubbers for $810,000 and sugar for $296,000, while other reductions between 5110,000 and $120,000, are seen in hainglass, coconut oil, and gom copal The value of imports from the Federated Malay States amounted to $60,200,000, a decline of nearly 10j millions or over 13 per cent, of which decline Selangor contributed 5,3 mil; llons, Perak 38 millions and the Negr Sembilan 1.7 millions, while from Pahang im. ports increased by $298,000,

94,500

Prs.

́miona

A NEW OPIUM PLANT. Totbe Customs officials at Fremantle, has been revealed still another instance of the cunning of the Chinese in their efforts to keep the sup. ply of opium up to the level of the local de mand. In this case & suggestion of impudence makes itself apparent when it is stated that tips of opium were found in pols containing palms on the tables of the dining saloon-under the eyes of all and yet secure in their unusual fest. ing place:

In accordance with the usual practice, a number of the boarding staff of the Customs

Featherstone, Tappin, and Farrell, boarded the bloo-fatnel liner Gorgon during one morning to make the customary search- of: steamers Anglo-Malay... £ 46,500 270,000 254" on their arrival from Singapore. While

17/6 90,500 608,000577 this was proceeding the officials entered Batu Caves $22,000 108,600-394-

Bala Tiga.....................21 - 60,000 cast about for possible hiding-places for opium, Bukit Rajah ..............£1. 66.700 516,900 675 the first-class dining salcon in order to In the course of the search one of the officers Consolidated took up one of the pot-plants which adorn the centre of the tables in the saloon and noted the waightiness of the pot. He was prompted to investigate, and at the bottom of the pot an aight-ounce tin of optim was discover" "Highlands & Low ed. This led to a search of the other pots, in each of which 'a tin of the drug was found,|| Klanang making a total of four tins in all containing Lecadron, opium, valued at about 61 It is stated that tinggi. the palms, which are kept in pots on the table, Pataling are of a type bought at very cheap rates at Selangor voyage only. On the retum of the vessel from Vallambrosa Singapore, and are procured to last one United Serdang Fremantle new palms are procured and plant. ed in the pot. It is surmised that during the transplanting operations the Chinese boys planted the tins of opium, and thes, placing the palms on tops, filled in the soll to cover both roots and drag. Naturally no clue as to the owership of the opium was discovered,

The officials continued the search of the ship in other parts, but after two hours spent in the quest they failed to unearth any more of the drug

·IRBAIMENT OP DYSENTERY.

†

Malay....................£I 255,007 · 247,500 $50 Demantara ..............61 103,500 - 307,500 · 200 Federated

"(Sataogor). ....£r -33,000 127,800 451

535,000 40

lands...nd

dig,

23,000 191,393

88,314 121,500 333400 230,000 $2,500

250,603 569,000 1,925

184,000 450,000

1,216,863 6,196,600 09 Thus over a range of 15 companies a marker

value of more than 66,000,000 has been built up; the average premium is "409 per cent; the lowest premiam is 7 per cent," and the highest 1,275 par cant. We are not concerned here with the merits of the particular com praias or the attractiveness of particular shares, nor are we arguing that the general levet of values is necesarily too bigă. 'What we would make clear is that with so high a market. investors must make their cholce vary care-- fully, and not buy blindly! in the hope of a for -ther tisa. The position of the rubber.companies, whose combined output must for some time remain comparatively small, in certainly strong, but one can scarcely believe that in any in- dustry so small a capital can continue to cara so large a profit. Fab capital, must be al- (traċied—is, in fact, constantly being attracted

The market throughout is strong, Importers naturally taking up a very firm attitude in re Another grievance is that Chinese who have

gaid to spot sales owing to the present utter temporarily left New Zealand, and have deposit

impossibility of replacing except at prices which ed with the Castoms their finger prints-to

show so wide discrepancy compared to value which very strong exception is takoa-their

bere as to make avan the boldest operator portraits, signatures, and other maries of

pause. The price of Americas cotton continues Identification, have to pay £100 poll tax on

its upward career, with occasional brief set, their return to New Zealand and that they have

backs in price which are presumably caused by to wait for several weeks for the refund of this

profit-takings. Actual business from most of tax while their identity is being established. It

the principal producing centres however ap. Is thought that as they are mes of slender

pears to be showing little or na improvement means the “ hanging up" of this, to them, large

and the rising price of cotton is being followed sam of money, it unduly vexatious. They re-

in a very reluctant manner by actual consumers, cognia the Inw on the subject, and are bound

the prices for standard cloths having in most to submit to it; but they reseal anything which

instances, gone up in, pothing like com Is not absolutely within the four corner of the

mensurate properties to the rise in the raw Act. -

shatorial, which it 18% dearer than a month ago. The case of a Chioase student, too, may be

Up to a week ago the agricoltural outlook brought under the police of the Minister. This

According to the director the labour employ- for practically the whole of the Yangtsan river -man, having_a_bzolbox in Dunedin, desired to ed on rubber estates in the Federated Malar delta was extremely grave owing to the heavy bo. with him, and, at the same time obtain States in over $7,000. Of these labourers 43,515 | and unceasing downpour of rain which con- "Western learning.” In America; or England | are Tamils, 4,999 are Japanese, 1,961 are-Ma- tinued for over a month with hardly a let up) of France, of Germany, he would have been "laya, and 6,595 aựa Chinese. - Tha health of the A week of brilliant and hot weather has, how- allowed to enter the country without restriction labour force improved owing to the greater at ever, done much towards retrieving the post, Alhough imports of coal increased by or tax so long, in the case of America- tention given to matters of sanitation on estates tion, and to many districts where the young $910,000 value, matches fall of by half-a-mil he satisfied the authorities that he was and to theopaning of estate hospitals forthetreat rice was reported to be washed away by the fion deliars, Japanware doenumerated by bona fide, student or traveller, and not is ment and care of the sick. A similarímprove food it is found that the actual damage sus: $241,000, and Insikishna and parts by $155,000 reading to trade. In the case of the Dunedin ment is not recorded in the case of the managers tained is less than a tenth cof what was sup: followed by fish, apparel, and coftags: with The medicament! le prepared as follows to this field, and balore buying the shares of student, he arrived in the southern city or superintendents and their assistants, who in posed, while the cotton crop which was weedy smaller reductions. From Australia, excluding From 50 to 60 grammes of alantuss any company as their present premiumin an mortar with investor should satisfy himself that the return. absolutely ignoret of English or any other

many instances suffer severely from malaria, and backward is now coming on well tones. New Zealand, Imports record a value of bark are triturated in subject, save such as are comprehended in, the Mr. Carruthers estimates at a very high figure Deliveries of goods from stock are keeping nearly $63, millions, a decline of $674,000 from 40 to 60 grammes of water. The during the next low year will be very con

these he ontrast loads proficient. He attached simacil a larger, yield and protection the probable outpot of rubber in these States up satisfactorily for the time of year, but some or 9 per cent and exports over millen grayish liquid with a penetrating odour which is siderably increased so as to provide alm'at to the Dunedin, High School, where he is still yes hence and be asserts that the Malays, sarly large quantity and the present! enforced student and it is asserted; follows no other oc possesses the finest climate in the world for the indivliyin forward purchases from producing cupation:He has applied for refund of the poll rapid and healthy growth of Para rubber sind; markets, may be regarded as weloos entered tax, but so far){jnej stb) without success since millions of acres suitable for the scultivad seal olid There are other grievances, too, which have tion are still available, there is every over Tax Conech; of the Society of And have beas, or are to be referred to the Consul; and bability that the country will be in the future arded the Society allyarddal to MerArthat which, it la presumed, will in due time he brought oun of the largest producers of rabber in the) - Johns: Harry, a forma par r on Firetwix Days: Ayy him weier the nocice of the proper authorities | worldemStrait Timer

COAL

A CHINESE METHOD:

lescribes a method of treating M. Matignon describes a idyanatory contained in Chinese treaïlses on mai dicine 5,000 years old. It consists in utilizing the bark of the Ailantus Glanduloss, which bar become almost as common in Parisian avenues as the chestant or lime-tree,ountry deadly

per cent decrease. The great advance" in very bitter liquid results which can be taken against more remote de

only when diluted with tea. It is prudent to hi administer it only in small quantities from COMMANDwie and Mat Gibbour! about 15 to 30 grammes a day, otherwise It 18th ait, for China, tray. may give rise to toxić tymptoms and abrupdy Arival stop thermotions of the bowels, #Malignon

the value of cost Imported by 11 million del in mor by declines in wheat flour of STILL560, and in tinere by $775,000, the only other and actuation being aalta ja he valus of timber, for band for Tallway Soufials of Sithong, and a fall is the number