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ment, but, it is to be hoped, that the block will shortly be removed, and the future interests of this promising company assured. Land shares have naturally attracted the attention of in- vestors, for, with rents advancing and land speculation rife, money bas been confidently put into these stocks; but it is difficult to know how the future accommodation of the erer increasing and swelling population, now that the cotton mill rentures have attracted so many of the working people to make their home amongst us, is going to be supplied, un- less the boundaries of the Settlement are ex- tended. Debentures of all classes have been, dur. ing the last two mouths, eagerly sought after, although in the spring, what with the war and the serious political complication of the powers, they were to be had at ten per cent, cheaper than ruling to-day. During the autumn the Munici- pality and the Waterworks Co. have floated loans with the greatest ease at 5 per cent.. and the Shanghai Land Investment are bound to be equally fortunate with their Tls. 250,000 issue of debentures. The difficulty of investing at home is at last attracting money to China; and now that the silver question seems settling down, with the certainty of being severely left alone by legislators, more money will be sent: but the plethora of money available here for investment has already caused the banks to reduce their rate of interest from 5 per cent. to 4 per cent, and it is rumoured that it has already been determined to still further reduce the rate to 34 per cent.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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Fifteen Indian recruits for the Police Force have arrived in Hongkong. They came by the Arratoon Apcar.
The repairs of the O. & O. steamer Belgic having been completed she has been discharged from the Cosmopolitan Dock.
H.M.S.. Caroline left for home on the 7th Jan. and was warmly cheered by all the other men-of- war in harbour, British and foreign, as she steamed out.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alico Memorial and Nothersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donation to the funds of the Hospital:-A Friend $25.
The maximum temperature last month was 77.3, on the 6th, and the, minimum 47, on the 10th, the mean for the month being 63.2. The
rainfall amounted to 0.20 in.
A sentence of nine months' imprisonment with hard labour was passed by Mr. T. Sercombe Smith on the 7th Jan, on a woman who kidnapped a girl for the purpose of prostitution.
The dismasted Lillian Robbins, we learn, is still lying at Cape St. James awaiting instruc- tions from the underwriters. The high cost of repairing at Saigon may probably induce them to send the vessel to Singapore for repair.
Two orders made by the Governor in Council are published in Saturday's Gazette giving legal validity to the recent instructions with regard to lights and passes, namely, that these are to be required only between midnight and sunrise. The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises us that he has the following telegram from the mines, being the clean up for December, 1895:—" The mill ran twenty-seven days, crushing 1,000 tons yielding 431 ozs. of gold."
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January 16, 1896.
The subscription lists for the Masonio Ball are now lying in the various places of public resort.
At the Magistracy on the 10th Jan, before Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, the coxswain of the steam launch Wing Li was committed for trial at the Criminal Sessions for the manslaughter of a boatman who was in a boat, which was run down by a launch near Yaumati on the 2nd instant.
Wong Yau, the owner of licensed boat No 835, was summoned at the Police Court on the 7th Jan. for allowing his boat to lie alongside the Praya for twenty-two minutes for the purpose of discharging kerosine; he was further summoned for neglecting to display a red flag on board while discharging the cargo. Police Sergeant Moffatt proved the cases, and defendant was fined $25 on each summons.
At the Marine Magistrate's Court on the 9th Jan. before Hon. R. M. Rumsey, Charles Dolph, an able seaman on the steamship Benvenue, was sent to gaol for seven days for wilfully disobey ing the lawful commands of the master, John Daniel Sarchet. The defendant, asked to be paid off, but the master refused to do this as the vessel was going home. Defendant then re- fused to do any work.
A curious charge of theft was heard at the the 9th Jan. before Mr. Police Court on T. Sercombe Smith. A boy in the employ of Mr. Rivers was charged with stealing $25. On the 7th inst. he asked for his wages and in addition to some silver Mrs. Rivers handed him a $25 note in mistake for a 85 note. The boy said "Thank you," and next day Mrs. Rivers found out her mistake and gave the boy into custody. He said he received Messrs Warner, Blodgett & Co., in their only So. He had made no attempt to go away. circular dated Manila, 4th January, say "It He was remanded for enquiries to be made. is estimated that the repairs of American ship Ivy. if made here, will cost quite $12,000 gold, and it is possible the vessel may proceed under tow to Hongkong."
Four cotton mills have been started in Shang- hai, and the purchases of suitable sites have helped the boom in land speenlation. Two more mills, under Japanese management. are pro- mised, and one or two ventures from our native friends are being matured. for erecting mills under official management but there is room for the lot, as late-experiments in Japan and close calculators of our local schemes have proved conclusively that there are handsome profits awaiting the plucky inaugurators. It The two coolies who were charged with the is true that only low counts can be manufac-manslaughter of a boy who died from concas- tured, owing to the short staple of the native fibre; but populous China is content with this class of goods, providing it is cheap and suffi. ciently durable. The cheapuess of silver is en- abling us to compete successfully with Lan- cashire, and the trade once begun will grow. The fact that all the shares are at a discount proves nothing. as this state of affairs was ouly brought about by speculators over applying for shares, on which they could not pay calls as demanded. Altogether 1895 has been a friend to many, and there is no reason at the moment to doubt that 1896 will be equally good, when the annual result is shown.
HONGKONG.
sion of the brain caused by a piece of iron fall. ing on his head were discharged by the Magis- trate on the 9th Jan. It was proved that the affair was the result of an accident.
The report of the Wentworth Gold Pro- prietary Company, Limited, for the year ended September 30, states that the value of the gold produced and other revenue was £234,338, which, added to £18,208 brought forward, makes £252,546. The expenses amounted to £24,668, and the directors have written off £10,877 from the development and plant accounts, and re- commend a further dividend of 28. per share, tax free, carrying forward £23,999. The capital of the Company is £500,000, so that the profits amount to nearly 50 per cent. The Wentworth property adjoins that of the Oliver's Freehold Mines.
At the Marine Magistrate's Court on Satur. day Hou. Commander R. M. Rumsey sent & seaman to gaol for seven days for refusing to obey the lawful commands of Captain Dermody,
We regret to hear that Dr. Cantlie is com- of the Highland Forest. A charge of assault
We against the captain was then preferred by pelled for reasons of health to go home. another seaman, but the hearing was adjourned. believe it was his intention to go home in any A cargo boat ran down a sampan in the case shortly, but the illness from which he has re- barbour on Saturday night and the master recently suffered compels him to leave somewhat fused to stop his boat to render assistance to the earlier than he had previously contemplated. occupants of the sampan who had been thrown Dr. Cantlie's departure will be regretted by a into the water. Inspector Hanson later in the wide circle of friends and patients and his evening arrested the master of the cargo boat assistance will be much missed by various public and at the Magistracy on the 13th Jan. he was institutions, more especially the College of Medicine for Chinese and the Odd Volumes fined $10.
Society. He has during his sojourn in the colony taken a keen interest in public affairs and has often taken the initiative in them.
The stamp revenne last year amounted to $229,167, as against $188,240 collected in 1894, showing an increase of $40,927, Of this increase $22,324 is to be credited to bank note duty, $10,530 to duty on insurance policies, $9,048 to conveyance duty, and $5,032 to the duty on transfer of shares. In probate duty there was a falling off of $14,150.
The best nows received in the colony during the week was that telling of the safety of the Bonnington, which was weeks ago given up for lost. She came into the harbour on Saturday, having been in a helpless condition for thirty- four days. At the Police Court Mr. J. D. Humphreys was twice fined $25 for using a carriage without a licence. A case of piracy in the Chinese waters near Hongkong has been reported to the police. On Thursday afternoon A home paper states that Messrs. L. H. Clay- Admiral Makaroff gave a demonstration of the ton and R. Scott have been appointed Eastern utility of his collision buffer. The shareholders Cadets for service in Hongkong and the There is some mistake in the Hongkong Brick and Cement Co., Straits Settlements.
here. The gentlemen named cannot be ap- Limited, met on Saturday and decided to wind up the company. An interesting case to sports-pointed to both colonies and we are not aware men came before the Magistrate on Tuesday that there is any intention of getting more and was adjourned. Sir Fielding Clarke (the cadets out for Hongkong at present. Chief Justice) leaves the colony by to-day's mail for England, and after a short holiday will take up his appointment as Chief Justice of Jamaica.
H.M.S. Mercury left for home on the 9th Jan. Colonel and Mrs. Mulloy left for home by the German mail steamer Sachsen on the 7th Jan.
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There were 1,798 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 163 were Eur-
opeans. !
We hear that a new cyanide expert for the Panjon Gold Mining Co., Limited, is already on the way out. He is reported to have had practical experience at the South African mines.
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The boy who was sent to goal for two years at the November Criminal Sessions on a charge of stealing $7,000 worth of pearls from Ho Tsat, a concubine, has been released. It will be remembered that at the conclusion of a recent appeal case arising out of the alleged robbery the Chief Justice said that a recommendation would be made for the lad's release.
At the Magistracy on the 10th Jan. two sea- men named George McCallum and James Doig were charged with assaulting Bertha Bronswick, barmaid at the Travellers' Hotel. McCallum, who was proved to have struck the woman on the left eye, was fined $20 and ordered to pay $10 compensation to her, and Doig was fined $10 for behaving in a disorderly manner.
The Honorary Treasurer of the Edgar Relief Fund begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donations
$ 64
H.M.S. Plover
*
The Officers' Mess First Battalion
Rifle Brigade... Mr. F. Maitland...
Pat "
4
$ 96 Brought forward 786
Total up
to date $882
On the morning of the 8th Jan. H.M.S. Graf- ton left for England, conveying time expired officers and men home. Altogether about 530 men are returning in addition to the following officers. From the Daphne-Lieutenants Talbot and Green; Paymaster Jones; Surgeon Kelsey. From the Pigmy-Lieutenants Hopkins and Kiddle; Surgeon Lomas; Engineer Lawrence.
the Alacrity Engineer McGregor From From the Plover Lieutenant Oldham; Surgeo Keogh; Assistant Paymaster Penny Fron Redpole-Lieutenant Beaty-Pownall; Assistant Paymaster Greenwood. From the Centurion Engineer Smith, From the Spartan Lieut ant Thomas;
the
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