THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
i
[October 7, 1999. and righta and privileges secured to them. to a little, handicap by having to break | accord with correct principles of govern Taal, no doubt, is often the case. While their voyage to report at the Chinese Cus-ment. Indeed, the Government itself has venturing to point out what appears to us to toms stations. Yet we find that although sometimes occupied the position of a land- be few inaccuracies in our contemporary's there has been some falling off in the lord, and in such cases, in the event o attigle, we would by no means maintain number of junks employed in the trade an offence being committed in the property, that British commercial enterprise in China there has been an increase in the value of the question might arise whether the is so vigorous, as it ought to be. Perhaps the cargo carried. Thus in 1889 the num- Governor or the Colonial Secretary would the younger race of; merchants now spring-ber of junks from Macao to Hongkong was be the proper person to send to gaol. ing up may improve upon the methods of 769 and from Hongkong to Macao 766, their immediate predecessors, but in fair- making a total of 1,535, and the trade was ness to the latter it must be conceded that Tls. 3,699,697. In 1898 the number of they have had to work under great draw junks was 585 from Macao and 651 to that port, making a total of 1,236, and the value of the cargo carried was Tls. 4,345,111, that being the highest of the decade. This increase in value may be accounted for by the rise in the prices of commodities, and is compatible with a decrease in quan- tity, but basing the comparison simply on the number of junks employed it is surpris- ing that the trade holds its own so well as it does against the competition of steamers.
backs.
"THE JUNK TRADE AND STEAM COMPETITION.
(Daily Press, 4th October).
}
LANDLORDS AND THEIR RESPONSI-
BILITY FOR DISORDERLY HOUSEN.
带着
The question of the responsibility of landlords for disorderly houses was dealt with in an article in the l'aily Press of the 10th August last, in which history of the legislation on the subject was given, and to this we would invite the attention of such of our readers as may be interested in following out the question in detail. The principle of making land- lords criminally liable for the acts of their tenants is, we believe, quite unknown to English law. We have already mentioned the bearing the question has on the repre sentatives of religious and charitable insti-
there are ladies whose money has been iu- tutions. It may also be mentioned that
vested in Chinese houses, and we should think no court would enforce a law which made such Indies responsible for the crimi nal acts of their tenants, as it would be contrary to natural justice. We would re- peat the recommendation made in the former article namely, that the old system should be reverted to of closing up houses used for improper purposes. No more effective sys tem of ensuring care on the part of all parties concerned in the letting of a house could be devised.
THE IMPENDING WAR IN THE
TRANSVAAL.
"
fr. Consul¡LAYARD, in his report on the trade of North Formosa for the year 1898 says it is to be regretted that the sources of prosperity of the increasing junk trade are not capped by the British steamer com- panise. There is no question about the 'truth of the statement," he says, “and it bas been repeated ad mauseam in trade reports by Her Majesty's Consuls, both "bers: as well as in China, that there is an
(Daily Press, 6th October.) opening, and a lucrativ one, for steam- Much amusement has been caused by the ship companies to send steamers to the question raised at the meeting of the Legis. open ports north of Amoy whence the lative Council on Wednesday as to who would junk traffic to the two northern ports have to go to gnol in the event of a house " of this island is a steadily increasing owned by a Public Company coming under “feature of the import trade.” The the penal provisions of the Women and Girls steamer.companies will no doubt take Ordinance. The official view was that the note (of Mr. LAYARD's remarks and give Secretary was the man who would have to them due consideration. The junk trade, suffer the pains and penalties of the law, however, possesses considerable vitality and and the Colonial Secretary mentioned Mr. it is not all_plaip sailing for steamers to SHELTON HOOPER, the Secretary of the eut into it. On the main lines, where the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency foreign trade gives frequent and practically Company, by name. Mr. SHELTON HOOPER
(Daily Press, 30th September.) regular steamer::communication, as between was fined the other day in connection Another Britisher,' whose letter was Hongkong and Shanghai, junks disappear with a whitewashing case and the Col- published yesterday, appears to have a soft in theɛ face, of steam competition, but on onial Secretary cited this as a case in place in his heart for the Boers, amongst what maybe, ɔ termed the branch lines, point, remarking that he was fined' whom he has lived and worked and with where the i
trade is mostly in the hands of as Secretary, not as SHELTON HOOPER.' whom he has engaged in friendly shooting Chinese, or where the distances are com- As a matter of fact we believe the fine in competitions. His account of the origin of paratively short, junks are either able to question was paid by the lessee of the the trouble that has arisen will be found. held their own or to make a good fight for houses, who Was the person really interesting, even if it does not command it. It was dygars after the opening of responsible, and it would be more assent, but the public is at the present Pakhoi and Haibow, before steamers were in accordance with common sense if in such moment more concerned with the probable able to firmly, establish themselves in the cases the person upon whom the real respon- course of the impending struggle than with trade with those ports, and if foreign sibility rests were the person summoned, the causes that have led up to the rupture, stemmeray endeavoured to cut into the Mr. SHELTON HOOPER's defence was that which, it is to be feared, cannot now be trade between the Northern Chinese ports the lessee was the "immediate landlord "avoided. The war, we think, will be short and Formosa they might possibly not within the meaning of the Ordinance, but and sharp. That, however, does not appear find it such a profitable venture as Mr. the Magistrate did not accept the defence, to be the general opinion. Although every- "Another Britisher," has no LAXARD seems to imagine, or at least not holding apparently that the owner in rever
one, like for some years. The vitality of the junksion was the immediate landlord and not the doubt that there can be but one end trade is exemplified more particularly in the owner in possession. The Land Investment to the war, there is a widespread impres trade between: Hongkong and Canton and Company would have rendered a public sion that it will be a long and difficult affair Macao. With regular daily, steam com- service if it had appealed against this Our reason for holding a contrary opinion munication between those ports it might be|decision in order to obtain a decision of the is that the Government on the present. supposed that there, would be little cargo Supreme Court upon the real meaning of occasion is not underestimating the strength of the resistance to be overcome, but, on the lell for junks to carry. But what are the the term "immediate landlord.” facts 2: The value of the trade carried by
contrary, is sending an overwhelming force. junks between Canton and Hongkong and
Only a week before the outbreak of hostili- vice versa was in 1889 Tls. 13,474,825, and
ties in the Inst Boer war Sir Owen Lanyon, in 1898 it was still Tls 12,882,108, which
the principal official at Pretoria, wrote to shows but an inconsiderable falling oft.
Sir GEORGE COLLEY: That the falling off has not been greater
"incapable of any united action and they may be accounted for in this case. by
are mortal cowards." That was the leading the fast that preferential treatment is
idea with which the war was entered upon, accorded to junks by the Chinese Cus
and it led to disaste. The force employed toms, and this seems to be...confirmed
was too small, and the enemy was not taken by the fact that there has been a large
seriously enough. The extent of the disas- falling off in the value of imports into Canton by jank and a large increase in the oferports, the latter being the branch that principally benefits by the treatment. These considera- ver, do not apply to the trade ongkong and Macao, which are porta,” and where there can be. [ry no differential treatment, there is indeed is in junks, being subjected
is
"The Boers are
In the case of whitewashing prosecutions, where the offence is a mere breach of muni- cipal regulations and the penalty a small fine, the matter is not of so much impor- tance, but breaches of the Women and Girls Ordinance come within the cate- gory of positive crime and the penalties are more severe. We may smile at the idea of a respectable citizen like Mr. SHELTON HOOPER being sent to gaol for an offence of which he had no congnisance, but the matter has its serious side, and it ters sustained by the British 3
affects many others beside the Secretary of the Land Investment Company. The re- presentatives of various religious and chari- table, bodies have been incorporated by law in order to facilitate the ownership and management of property by their societies. To send these people to gnol for, offences committed by their tenauts against the will and without the cognia años, of the owners does not seem to
نفته
こ
arms ou that
occasion has, however, been considerably overrated in the popular imagination. The incidents would not have been reckonetl na inore than preliminary skirmishes bad the war been continued, but peace was concluded just when the British force was prepared to act effectively. A recent meeting the Naval and Military Society of Malta discussed in detail the causes which contributed to the defeat of the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.