The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1897-05-06 — Page 20

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Mr. H. C. Nicolle, Local Auditor, returned from leave of absence by the P. & O. steamer Rohilla on Sunday,

It is notified in the Gazette that Mr. W. Chatham has been appointed a member and Chairman of the Wong-nei-chong Recreation Ground Committee.

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

[May 6, 1897.

Mr. Kjeller, who was formerly in the Hong-A Post Office notification in the Gazette kong Police Force and has for the last five announces the opening of an office of the years been in Siam, where he held an appoint. Imperial Chinese Post Office at Chang Chow ment as overseer on the railway, died of heat and that the postage will be at the same rates apoplexy on the 14th April.

as to Macao.

On the 28th April the following telegram was A shooting competition took place at Stone received by the Chairman of the Hongkong In-cutters Island on Saturday for a silver oup The public will be pleased to learn that the dian Famine Fund from Sir Francis Maclean, presented by Commodore Holland and also for Sunday performances of the Band of the West Calcutta-"Further instalment received; re-

a cup presented as a second prize by Mr. Yorkshire Regiment are to be resumed, but thenewed warm thanks." This was in reference to O. Ordish, S.C.E. The first prize has to be hour, instead of being 12.30 p.m., will be 9 p.m.

the sum of $407 collected in North Formosa, won three times outright and the second prize It is notified in the Gazette that Sergeant remanded at the Police Court on Tuesday on a

Three gunners in the Asiatic Artillery ware will fall to the man with the next highest score.

On Saturday the winner was Mr. Marshall, ́ ́ G. C. Fullerton has been appointed Lieutenant of the "A" Machine Gun Company of the charge of committing an assault on an Indian, who they thought had $100 in his possession. Volunteer Corps vice Lieut. A. M. Marshall, The man was so seriously injured that his dying resigned.

The appointment of Dr. J. M. Atkinson to depositions were taken in the Military Hospital. At the Police Court on the 30th April a coolie be Acting Colonial Surgeon during the absence in the employ of Messrs. Gande, Price & Co. was of Dr. Ayres is notified in the Gazette. Dr.

sent to gaol for six weeks for stealing a couple of Atkinson is also appointed President of the

bottles of beer from his employers' store. The Sanitary Board and the Hon. F. H. May Vice-prisoner was met on Wednesday afternoon in President.

Wellington Street by P.S. Macaulay, who saw the bottles up his coat sleeve. During the last twelve months there have been many robberies from Messrs. Gande, Price & Co's store and it is suspected that the prisoner actively took part in them.

On Tuesday, afternoon Mr. G. P. Lammert offered for sale a piece of leasehold ground known as Inland Lot 675 together with the messuages and buildings thereon known as 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528, and 530, Queen's Road West, and 1 to 20, I Yik Lane. The property is held from the Crown for 999 years from 25th June, 1861, and the Crown rent is $198.34. No higher bid than $20,050 was offered and the property was bought in at this sum

In the report of the proceedings in the Su- preme Court on the 28th April it will be noticed that Mr. Francis, Q.C., on behalf of the legal profession, paid a very high compliment to the Hon. T. Sercombe. Smith, who will shortly leave the judicial Bench to take up his duties at the Treasury. The compliment was heartily endorsed by his Lordship the Chief Justice and we are quite sure that everyone who knows the thoroughness and ability shown by Mr. Sercombe Smith while acting as Puisne Judge will heartily concur in all that was said.

Dr. Ayres left for home on the 29th April by the Japan. He received most affectionate good wishes from quite a large number of personal friends who saw him off, and the worthy doctor was evidently much touched by these warm manifestations of his great popularity. He seemed to keenly feel

According to a boy's story at the Police Court on Tuesday there is a Chinese Fagin in the colony. The boy snatched a pair of ear- rings from a woman and he was caught soon afterwards by the prosecutrix and three other women, who gave him a sound thrashing and then handed him over to the police. He said he had been trained by an opium smoker to proficient in the art. steal earrings and it seems that he is fairly He was sent to the reformatory for three years.

The following circular was issued on the 29th April concerning the forthcoming carbine com- petition in connection with the Hongkong Volunteer Corps :-"After having settled all accounts and paid the usual dividend, a balance of $25.00 is left from the sale of the Camp Gazette. In honour of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee the proprietors of the Camp Gazette have agreed to present a cup of the above value to the Volunteer making the highest score (with handicap points), including Ladies' Purse and Ladies' Nomination. The winner must

Camp of Instruction.The Editor, Camp Gazette."

on

The Deputy Grand Superintendent of Hong- kong and South China, assisted by Distriot Grand H. and J., installed the Principals of the United Chapter, 1,341, E.C., on Friday evening last, with the exception of Comp. W. C. H. Hastings, who was unable to be present through sickness. The remaining officers were afterwards invested with the collar and badge of their respective offices by the new M.E.Z. The officers for the ensuing year are as follows:-M.E.Z., M. E. Comp. J. Bryant; H., E. Comp. W. C. H. Hastings; J., E. Comp. H. A. E. Hoile; Treasurer, Comp. J. R. Grimble; Scribe E., Comp. W. M. Thomson; Scribe N., Comp. H. Horley; P.S., Comp. W. H. E. Smith; 1st Asst. Soj., Comp. T. Haines; 2nd Asst. Soj., Comp. J. Blake; Dir. of Ciremonies Comp. Geo. W. Watling; Steward, Comp. Chas. A. Heath; Janitor, Comp. J. Maxwll. e Monday afternoon twenty-seven lots of Crown land in the resumed area of Taipingshan were offered for sale by public auction, Mr. J. L. Prosser acting as the auctioneer. The lots were situated in Square Street, Tánk Lane, Taiping Street, Taipingshan Street, and Po Yan Street, and varied in size from 13 ft. 4 in. to 16 ft. in frontage and from 42 ft. to 45 ft. in depth. The annual Crown rent was $50 in each case and the upset price varied from $2,016 to $3,038, giving an average of $3.45 8 foot, the highest being $4.50 and the lowest $3 for the lots in Tank Lane and a foot for three lots in Taipingshan Street Taiping Street. The ground has been laid ont in terraces with substantial retaining walls and granite steps leading from one terrace to an- other. The sale attracted a considerable number of Chinese and one or two Europeans, but not a single bid was made for any one of the

was too high, that it constitutes a per- manent charge on the land which has to be paid whether the houses are let or empty, and that a high Crown rent always adversely affects the saleable value of property, a point which investors have to take into consideration. We are inclined to think, how- ever, that had bidding once been started there would have been keen competition and the lots would have realised considerably more than the upset price. It was provided in the con- ditions of sale that the buyer should build a house on the lot and expend thereon a sum of not less than $1,500. For this sum good three storeyed Chinese houses could be built which would let at from $40 to $60 a month, giving a return on the upset price and cost of build- ing, after making allowance for Crown rout and taxes, of over ten per cent. There were, however, no European buyers in the field, and the Chinese possibly thought that by holding back they might get the property put up again on more favourable terms. In this they will probably be disappointed, The price asked by the Government is higher than the average at which the land was resumed, but the difference is probably not more than the im- provements effected on the sitesare worth, !

the final severance from the colony where for have attended at least eight drills at the 1896 lots. It was complained that the Crown rent twenty-three years he has laboured so well, and we are sure that everyone will join heartily in the sentiments which were expressed for his continued health and prosperity. He was ac- companied from the Hongkong Club to Pedder's Wharf by a band of bagpipes. By the same steamer journeyed the Indian and Chinese con- stables who will represent the Asiatic force at the Diamond Jubilee Celebratious in London. and they were also escorted to the wharf. by the pipers. Before leaving the station they were paraded before Hop. F. H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, who addressed a few words of wholesome advice to them. They will be under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent Badeley, who also left by the Japan

An interesting case was heard at the. Police Courton the 29th April. A Chinaman was charged- under Ordinance 14 of 1845 with playing at "a game or pastime to the annoyance of inhabitants or passengers." The game or

pastime consisted of trying to cure a man of ringworm by the unique method of sticking a silver needle through the skin of the sufferer's throat, fixing some plaster on the wound, and then puncturing his breast with a long needle. The quack wanted $2.40 for this operation and told the man that if he did not pay he could not justifi- ably blame anyone if he died. The injured in- nocent thought there might be some reason in this argument and after paying 40 cents on account be went to a friend, complained of great pain, and asked him for the loan of $2 to save his life. The friend proved himself a good Samaritan as he at once told a Chinese constable and thus saved the credulous one two dollars and brought about the arrest of the beguiler Mr. Wodehouse was of opinion the man who was prodded ought to have been charged as well, as two had played the game, and Inspector Butlin replied that he thought the man had suffered enough. In the end the prisoner was ordered to pay $5,

A scratch four-oar race was rowed on Friday evening between crews picked from members of the Victoria Recreation Club, the distance being three-quarters, of a mile. The crews were :-)

-Shamrock-A. Ronald, A., Ellis, G. Mollison, R. F. Lammert (stroke), and C. T. Kew (cox.); Rose-H. W. Kennett. A. E. Alves. E. Bischoff, A. Sander (stroke), and F. W. White (cox.); Leek-L. A. Rose, H. A. Lammert, T. Meek, A. A. Alves (stroke), and W. A. Stopani (cox.) A good start was effected, Shamrock having slightly the best of it, but unfortunately the Leek bumped against a sam- pan and so they were put completely out of the race. Shamrock won by about a length and a quarter from Rose.

According to a Port Louis paper the official Quarantine Committee there has been getting the Government into trouble by keeping a vessel named the Donar, from Hongkong, and Singapore, in quarantine for longer than the legal period of 21 days. The law is declared to be clear on the point that a vessel must be granted pratique after 21 days, though the landing of its cargo may be forbidden until it be disinfected. The Donar was kept in quaran tine for 28 days over due date because the Quarantine Committee required the disinfection of the cargo before giving. pratique. Conse- quently Messrs. Kwong Sing & Co., of Hong kong, brought an action against the Mauritian Government and the Supreme Court at Port Louis has just unanimously decided in plain tiffs' favour. The authorities are to appeal to Her Majesty's Privy Council'; but it is stated that the Donar case, and those of the Cashmere and the Grosvenor, will cost the colony at least R100,000. The Quarantine Committee-an. English member of which warned his fellow committee-men that their proceeding was illegal -have consequently come in for some very rough handling.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Amoy correspondent of the Ñ. C. Daily News writes:We are losing many residents this spring. Mr. and Mrs. Broadbent of the H. & S. Bank will shortly leave for a furlough in England. Mr. Smollett Campbell of the Customs leaves this week for another part of China. Mr. Cass goes home in the Bayern, and several other residents are hoping to be in England in time to share in the festivities of the Diamond Jubilee. We hope to welcome other friends in place of those who leave us, that Amoy may not be utterly bereft of its genial leaders of society.

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