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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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been open. I could see the dock gates, but I could not see up the docks. The gates No. 1 dook were shut. At ten and eleven o'clock the gates were open. I could look into the dock. I saw the stern of the Russian man-of- war over the land. The dock lies N.N.E. by 8.8.E. Lhad to look across land into the dock. If the ship was lying off the dock gates she could not possibly be lying on the cable ground, She was lying west of the gates. I did not say to the officer I first spoke to that I would be there to watch him lift his anchor. I did not say he would probably be in prohibited area; I said positively he was in the prohibited area. I have been six months on these duties. During the day the marks are red diamonds.
inson, recalled, said in answer tó ennys When the boy was admitted he was suffering from anemia. I made mistake about the symptoms. At that time I had no reason to suppose that he was suffering from a blow on the head. I first examined his head on the 1st November. If the boy had received a blow on the 21st it would depend upon the nature of the blow whether the external marks would have disappeared twelve days after. If the blow was a severe one I do not think the marks would have disappeared. From the nature of the olot found at the post mortem examination the hemorrhage must have been of some days' duration. I am pre- pared to say that he could not have received that blow in the hospital: He was admitted on the 27th October. The boy said the blow was on the right forehead, just about the temple. It was not covered with hair. The boy fold me he had been struck with a ruler on that spot and that it happened on the previousness Wednesday. He did not say anything to me about the reason for his being hit. I am of opinion the deceased was conscious when he made that statement and perfectly understood what he was saying. That was on Sunday afternoon, the 1st inst., about 5.30.
By Mr. Deacon-I still say that on the first occasion the boy said Wednesday. I am quite sure about that.
a fall.
By His Worship I do not think the flat ruler produced would ordinarily cause such hemorrhage. It might have been caused with. out a blow-simply concussion through a
His Worship asked what further evidence there was and Inspector Quincey said the father of the deceased was expected down from Shang- hai yesterday, but he had been detained by a law suit. The grandmother and two or three boys could be called.
The Captain Superintendent of Police-I have no other material witnesses, your Worship. I have no witnesses whose testimony bears directly on the case.
Mr. Deacon-I think it is very possible indeed that I shall tender to the Court a couple of amahs and boys, but as I heard of them only when I came into Court I have not had time to go into their evidence.
His Worship then adjourned the inquest until 19th November, at 2.15 p.m. ANCHORING IN THE TELEGRAPH
CABLE AREA.
At the Police Court on the 10th November, before Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings, Captain P. Wettin, master of the German mail steamer Preussen, was summoned for anchoring his ship within the forbidden limits of the area of the telegraph cable from the North point of Hongkong to the South-east point of British
Kowloon, on the 7th inst.
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Mr. V. H. Deacon appeared for the defence. P.S. Warnock said—About 9.10 p.m. on the 7th inst. the German mail steamer Preussen came in and anchored within the area of the telegraph cable. I was in No. 3 Police launch coming out of Hunghom Docks. I heard the anchor fall. I was opposite the Dunmail rock. I went on board and asked for the captain. I think it was the chief officer I saw. I told him he was in the cable ground I showed him the four red lights burning. He said it was hot his fault; it was the pilot's. The ship was nearest the Hungham side. At. 11.30 I again went alongside. When I boarded first the head of the ship was to the west and her stern was towards the Lyemun Pass. I again pointed- the light out to the officer on duty and told him the vessel was on the cable. All four red lights were visible. He said he had been already told by the police he was over the cable. The ship was heading south-west then, and was riding at her chain.
1
By Mr. Deacon-There were two men on the bridge. I saw the pilot on the bridge. I did not speakto the pilot; I only spoke to the officer. I saw the vessel at anchor on Sunday morning; I took the Inspector round to see her at that time. I saw her from ten o'clock till she lifted her anchor, She was lying in a line with the Dock manager's house, close on twelve o'clock. I did not go ou board that morning. I could not have seen right up the Admiralty Dock if the caisson had
By the Magistrate-I was at the bow of the ship on the 8th when the anchor was lifted. The bow of the ship was in line with the end of the dook wall.
Inspector Hanson-I went with the last wit- in No. 3 Police launch on the morning of the 8th to look at the German mail said to be anchored over the cable ground. She was lying to the flood, tailed towards Blackhead's Point. I slowed down before getting to her. I was coming up astern of her. The western lights opened before I got to the ship; roughly one and a-half ship's length astern. I went on till I shut out the eastern lights. The ship was in the centre of the cable ground. I was there at ten o'clock and waited till the Russian ironclad was undocked and the dock cleared for the Preussen to go in. I was close to the bow of the steamer when she first began to weigh. She weighed very slowly. I saw two shackles go through the hole first. The depth of the water is 12 fathoms. I made a note of his position. The cable house at Whitfeild, the bow of the steamer, the bow of the launch, and the N.E. corner of the wall of the dock premises were in line. When I looked at the chart I concluded that he was glese to the cable; the ship's anchor was within the forbidden limits. From the way the ship was handled when they were lifting the anchor they were evidently on the look-out for the cable. I was on the look-out also, and expected to see the cable hanging to the anchor.
By Mr. Deacon-A ship does not weigh anchor so slowly for nothing. There was one man particularly stationed in the bow. The chain was not rattled up, it was pulled slowly. They appeared to me to be looking for the cable. At five o'clock day was breaking. I could see the lights quite clearly.
Mr. Deacon said this was a case in which unfortunately there was a direct conflict of evidence. The facts were that the Preussen in charge of a Chinese pilot. This was one of was coming down the harbour after nine o'clock those disputed questions which his Worship
would have to settle. Whatever decision his
Worship might arrive at he would like to state that there was no intention of disobeying the regulations.
Li So-I have been a pilot for 25 years about the waters of this colony. I know the prohi- bited area. I boarded the Preussen at Cape Collinson and brought her in. The captain told me the steamer was going into the dock next morning and told me to lie off the Ad miralty Dock. I did so. I lay off about half a mile. We passed the prohibited area about 500 yards before we anchored. When we let go anchor it was outside the cable ground. Next morning we weighed anchor about eleven o'clock, and went into dock. I did not expect to bring up the cable with the anchor.
By the Magistrate-The constable pointed out only one light to me that night on the Hongkong side. From where the ship was I could see four red lights.
Wilhelm Franke-I am chief officer of the Preussen. I know the coast very well, and have been here seven years and in and out of the habour about thirty times. I was in the bows when we came in on the 7th. We anchored to the western side. The anchor was far off to the westward of the cable ground. I am sure of that. The ship was lying next day right off from the dock gates. I saw the dock gates open. I could see nearly the whole length of the docks. We were lying off about five cables. "I was stationed at the bows when the anchor was weighed. There were 45 fathoms of chain out. I am
sure we could not pi preparations were By the Magi when the constable ca Mr. Descom It fortunately I cannot By Mr. Deac0 what the constable sta pulled up slow.
Mr. Deacon said ther
[November 19, 1896.
that these two witnesses tion of the vessel, inasmuc take a greater interest in seeing t where they ought to be
either side. He found the anch
The Magistrate said there was no
cable ground, and imposed a fine of $25.
No
ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING
The annual meeting of the Justices for grant- ing applications for licences was held at the Magistracy on the 12th November. Hon. Coma mander W. C. H. Hastings presided and there were also present Rev. R. F. Cobbold, D. E. Brown, C. S. Sharp, G. T. Veitch, Chapman, W.M. B. Arthur, A. Shelton Hooper, and Chun Kwan I. There were twenty-one plications altogether and the police raised objection to any of them
When the name of Anne Melhuish, of the Criterion Restaurant, Pottinger Street, was called Mr. Hooper said that that licence was granted at an informal meeting of Justices. The question was whether her husband should
not be licenced instead of her as she had married since. first holding a licence. If any offence was committed against the Licencing Ordinance she would have to go to gaol.
The Chairman-If the licence was taken away she could not go on with the hotel.
Mr. Hooper She is a married woman and has no civil rights here.
The Chairman The Married Woman's Pro- perty Act applies here.
an
Mr. Hooper-No, it does not. She can only be proceeded against criminally.**
The Chairman-If she committed offence against the Ordinance she would be charged in a criminal court.
Mr. Hooper-I think it would be better to have the licence in her husband's name.
Mr. Arthur-I do not think it is necessary. The licence is a valuable consideration to her and although she is married she does not see why she should give it away. She would be entirely at the mercy of her husband then. We have had lots of cases before the Justices where it was likely the licence would be lost if it was handed over to the man.
Mr. Hooper pointed out that the woman could not sue or be sued, as the Married Woman's Act did not apply here.
The Chairman-What we have to consider is whether she can be proceeded against for any breach of the Licensing Ordinance.
her.
Mr. Veitch-You can take the licence from
The Chairman--Yes, and that shuts up the shop.
Mr. Hooper said the licence was not trans ferred in the usual way. No notice appeared in the papers of the change from her maiden name to her married name. :
*
Mr. Arthur-She did not apply for a transfer, but for the name in the licence to be char her married name. She was the same identical person and only applied for the substitutio
one name for another.
The Chairman concluded the argument by asking if all were in favour if the application.
The application was granted, as were also all the remainder.
Besides three › steamers, Kanagawa, and Hakata, whic for the Nippon Ynsen Kai and are expected to be completed course of a few months, there are nine st also being constructed for the sam in England. They are all over displacement and have been named
the Hitachi Kawachi, Sado, Inaba, Tamba, of course each having attached to the end of Grazetter
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