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THE HONGKONG' WEEKLY PRESS AND
four when the procession was formed at the pier, the high officials being carried in chairs and the prisoner in the wooden cage. At the fort the officials branched off to pay a visit and the prisoner was taken further along, when he was taken out of the cage and then, supported by a couple of men, he walked to the place of execution. His hands had by this time been fastened behind at the wrists and when the executioner told him to kneel down he instantly obeyed. There was still further delay, as somebody who had to give the final order had not yet arrived. It was nearly ten minutes before he appeared on the scene and all that time the condemned man remained kneeling and with his head slightly lowered. He was quite cool and wore a defiant look, and two or three times, as a variation to the filthy language he used, he told the execu- tioner that he was not afraid, but hoped the Inife would cut cleanly. The executioner | while waiting carried the knife, a heavy, razor-edged instrument, behind his right arm, and occasionally turned to Lai Mit and told him to keep his body and his head bent. At length, it 4.40, the final order was given and with one blow the executioner slashed off the murderer's head, which rolled a few inches away. A volley was fired and then the oords binding the wrists were cut, the body, which had fallen forward in a heap, was straightened, and the head unceremoniously placed between the shoulders. The crowd pressed closer to the body and then slowly dispersed, having witnessed a most repulsive sight, but one which we suppose will always have a magnetic effect even on the most sensitive people.
THE JAPANESE MINISTRY.
Count Matsukata was appointed Prime Minister of Japan on the 18th inst., in addition to his office of Minister of Finance, and on the 22nd inst. Count Okuma was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.
WAIFS AND STRAYS.
It is currently reported that His Lordship the Chief Justice had a narrow escape on Satur- day night of falling into the hands of the
Police.
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The equivalent in Chinese for the Chief Justice is, we are informed, "the Chief Hang Man." Had His Lordship unfortunately come to grief in his wanderings on the Peak on Saturday between 6 and 11 p.m. would any Chinese vocalist have favoured us with Sullivan's beautiful song "The Lost Chord "?
THE GRANITE PUNCHING NUISANCE.
At the Police Court on Saturday, before Hon. Commander Hastings, a Chinese con. tractor in the employ of the Government was summoned for dressing granite in the public street when the work could have been done at the quarry. The summons was taken out at the instance of Mr. T. I. Rose, and he. was accompanied in Court by Messrs. T. Arnold, A. G. Morris, and Captain Stopani.
The defendant in answer to the charge said the granite was dressed in the quarry, but there was a bit of redressing in order to make it suit the purpose.
Mr. Rose first of all mentioned that the work was still going on and made a great deal of noise. On the 25th inst. he saw men and women dressing the blocks in Arbuthnot Road opposite his house. 57, Wyndham Street. The work had been carried on for some time and even on Sundays the noise was as great as on week days. The blocks were in as rough a condition as when first taken from the quarry. He had seen as many as ten to twenty men and women working there. He had cautioned a man who was pointed out as the contractor and if the nuisance had ceased the summons would not have been proceeded with.
Mr. H. P. Tooker said that as the contractor was working for the Public Works Department he would like to give evidence. Mr. Tooker then got into the witness box and said the work
was being done directly under his supervision. New steps were being made for an approach to the quarters of the Captain Superintendent of Police. The steps were made of fine dressed granite and the back was filled in with concrete. The granite was cut in the quarry in short lengths--what was called rough-squared. It was impossible to dress it in the quarry further than was done because the fine edges of the granite would get broken off in transit and the blocks would come on to the ground absolutely useless. The stones had to be dressed down from an eighth to a quarter of an inch. He had cautioned the contractor not to make more noise than was absolutely necessary.
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In answer to the Magistrate Mr. Tooker said the granite came from Hongham. The blocks, could be rough punched at the quarry, but the noise over here would be just as bad. It was the fine punching that made the irritating noise. It would not injure the stone to bring it over rough punched. The men could not make less noise than they were at present making.
His Worship said, that in the face of the expert evidence he could not convict, but he thought it was very extraordinary that rough punching made no more noise than fine punching. Mr. Rose asked to be allowed to call expert rebutting evidence.
[September 30, 1896
deference to the recommend his Excellency the Go ment of $100 to each of Nuisances and that have been accordingly Treasurer.
sued the Colonial
Lure
I may add that his Excellency will not sano- tion any additional expenditure of this in future and to request you to infor inspectors accordingly. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
J. H STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary
The Secretary, Sanitary Board
their
A copy
THE ABATEMENT OF OVERCROWDING. The SECRETARY read a copy of a letter which he had addressed to the Colonial Secretary in submitting the draft of a form which the Board proposes to use in notifying persons t
Sthe dwellings are overcrowded and calling upon them to abate the same in accordance with the provisions of Ordinance 24 of 1887. of the proposed new form was also submitted to the Acting Attorney-General for revision and amendment if necessary. The Acting Attorney General amended the proposed notice in several details and wrote explaining the legal formul to be observed in enforcing the notification.
The following minutes were attached :→→ His Worship said he could not allow that. Mr. Ede-I think an amendment of the Or Mr. Morris said he had a practical experience,dinance should be asked for to enable the Board and could prove that he had shipped 10,000 tons to abate overcrowding by some more simple of fine-picked stone for the Manila breakwater. and quicker procedure than that laid down by Some of the stones weighed three tons, and all the Acting Attorney-General. of them were picked at the quarry. The stones in the Arbuthnot Road were in the roughest state. Mr. Tooker had given evidence because it was Government property. As a matter of fact what he said was all nonsense and if the noise could not be stopped in this way some other means would have to be adopted. The nuisance was positively unbearable. There was another point. The Government contracts said these men were chipping all day on Sundays. no work was to be done on Sundays, and yet
Mr. Tooker, in reply to the Magistrate, said it would take three weeks to complete the work. All the stone was not dressed. He first of all had it dressed further up the road near the gaol, but the Captain Superintendent of Police parti- cularly requested the work to be done lower down as the watchman who was on night duty just outside the gaol could not sleep during the day. It was against the contractor's instructions if he worked on Sundays.
His Worship said he could not permit other evidence te be taken for the prosecution, but he would give leave for a fresh summons to be taken ont.
Mr. Rose said he would take out another sum- mons and call Mr. Danby.
Mr. Morris-In the meantime can the work be stopped?
Mr. Tooker-It would be very inconvenient to stop it.
Mr. Morris-If it is not stopped I shall go to the police and give them all in charge.
The parties then left the Court.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD,
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held at the offices on the 24th September Hon. F. A. Cooper (Director of Public Works) presided, and there were also present Dr. Ayres (Colonial Surgeon), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. H. B. H. Lethbridge (Acting Captain Superintendent of Police), Mr. N. J. Ede, and Mr. H. McCallum (Secretary.)
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
CHOLERA At singapore.
The Colonial Secretary at Singapore sent a return showing the number of cases of cholera that had occurred at that port between the 1st and 6th inst. Twenty-one cases were reported, fourteen of which had proved fatal. REMUNERATION TO SANITARY INSPECTORS. The following letter, having reference to the remuneration to be paid to the Sanitary In- spectors in consideration of extra work per formed by them during the prevalence of the plague, was read :—
Colonial Secretary's Office, 22nd Sept., 1896. SIR-In reply to your letter No. 158 of the 17th inst., I am directed to inform you that in
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him be
The Medical Officer of Health-I had con sulted the Acting Attorney-General upon this point and received the same advice from fore this notice was submitted to him for aps proval. I am glad, however, to have the advice in writing and can only deplore that the Board cannot deal with overcrowding as a nuisance, as can be done at home under the Public Health Act of 1875, but must go through all these form- alities and submit to the delay of at least one calendar month before it can enforce the abate- ment of so obvious à nuisance. I suggest that
more expeditious way of dealing with overcrowding be provided in the proposed new Health Ordinance.
The Acting Captain Superintendent of Police-I agree with Mr. Ede.
It was resolved to close the subject for the present.
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MORTALITY STATISTICS. The mortality statistics showed a death-rate of 17.8 for the week ended 12th inst, and 15.9 for the week ended 19th inst.
THE STRIKE OF NIGHT-SOIL COOLIES. The SECRETARY reported that that afternoon the night-soil coolies, together with Mr Wei A Yak, had an interview with the Registrar. General and they were told they would have to comply with the law by the 14th October. The men left the office assuring the Registrar General that they would be at work in the usual way next morning.
Dr. CLARK said he had instructed everyone of the Sanitary Inspectors to go round to all the European houses and offices and distribute ohloride of lime. The inspectors, each with a gang of coolies, had been at work the whole of Wednesday and yesterday.
The PEESIDEKT said two or three people were willing to undertake the work, so that, unless the men complied with the law, their services could be dispensed with. Outside workers would doubtless have the protection of the police.
The ACTING CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE Baid every protection would” be given by the police.
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ADJOURNMENT, The Board then adjourned.
According to several Spanish chief leaders of the seditions agitat Philippines reside in Japan, whither they migrated from Hongkong after the Japanese triumph over China. They there aim at excit ing the Mikado to seize the Philippines, and indeed some time ago presented his ✨ with a petition signed by twenty tho habitants asking him to invade, th Afterwards, however, it was discover least nineteen thousand of these were obtained by maki they were signing a petition
Government for a reduction of taxes.
nish
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