April 20, 1901.]
sections as was done in the reclamation now so nearly completed.
I strongly recommend you to take up the work. It will involve, of course, a heavy ex- penditure of money, but that expenditure of money will be spread over a period of 10 years at the least five years for the actual work of reclamation;-five years mors for the work of building and reconstruction. It may involve a small loss of present income while the work is going on, but I fee assured that the loss of time and of money and the expenditure will be amply repaid you by the results, and that not merely will the colony benefit on the whole by the creation of a large additional district, but you will, I feel confident, profit not merely by the acquisition of the new ground but by the ultimate improvement in values of your present property.
I propose to ask you now to signify your approval or disapproval of the scheme as a whole and your acceptance. broadly, of the Government conditions. Your assent given here will not bind you definitely to all the de- tails, some of which have still to be worked out. The whole matter has yet to be submitted for the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. An Ordinance will have to be passed, agreements will have to be prepared aud signed, and probably some of the conditions altered or modified.
I am here to answer any questions you may ask so far as I am able, and to give any ex- planations I am here to listen to any sug gestions for the improvement or alteration of the schemes you may have to suggest. It is my duty also and it will give me much pleasure to convey to His Excellency the Governor any proposals you may have to make and support them to the best of my ability. The Govern. ment have accepted me as the medium of communication between itself and you, and I place myself entirely at your disposal for that purpose. My sole object is the welfare of the colony generally, with which mine is intimatly bound up..
If any gentleman has any questions to ask or resolutions to propose I shall be glad if he
will do it now.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. SANITARY BOARD ELECTION.
A FIASCO.
as well as a "Model Settlement.”. No apathy was there, and here it was not apathy but dis- gust. In Shanghai they had a Municipality vernment Gazette, and pursuant to section 4 of governed, and here they could get the same According to a notice published in the Go. elected by members of the community and well
W. Norton Kyshe attended at the City Hall tation. They could not expect members would "the Public Health Ordinance, 1901," Mr. J. good Government if they had fair represen-
of "an election by the ratepayers of two mem on the 15th inst., at 4 o'clock, as president allow themselves to be browbeaten by Govern- bers to the Sanitary Board to take the places saw such apathy here. The people were not go. ment officials. That was the reason why they of Dr. Hartigan and Mr. McKie, who haveing to attend themselves and say they were going resigned their seats on the Board."
to be elected. The members of the Legislative Council should have been present and invited them. They were the people to do it: manda
Mr. D. Wood and Mr. Almada e Castro attended as scrutineers.
F. C. Collins, A. Cunningham, J. S. Hagen, The ratepayers present were G. C. Anderson, Dr. Hartigau, E. Osborne, G. W. F. Playfair, T. H. Reid, E. Robinson, A. H. Skelton, W. M. Watson, Messrs. R C. Wilcox and G. F. Williams.
On the stroke of the hour the President rose and said:
Gentlemen, I trust that some public-spirited gentlemen among you will allow themselves to be nominated. am very pleased to see here I do hope that some one will be nominated. I some of the leading ratepayers of the Colony. know what time and labour it means to some of you, but notwithstanding that, I think we ought to do something during the time we are out here for the interests of the place. Perbaps Dr. Hartigan will allow hims lf to be re- nominated ?
and the President again rose, saying :
There was no response for a moment or two,
Gentlemen, will you allow me to give you my experience, just to try and see if I can aronse some interest in such matters. I cannot do it otherwise than with your permission, but I would like to stir up a little interest in this matter, if it were possible to do so.
A Voice:-Yes, go on!
proceed to the election of any members that day Mr. Wilcox said he thought if they were to it would be something like a farce, and he did not think the proceedings of the meeting should be allowed to develop into a farce. There were only fifteen present and they did not represent by any means the voice of the ratepayers of the Colony.
The President: In reply, I think I may say that in 1899, Dr. Hartigan and Mr. McKie were nominated by members of the Legislative Council.
occasion, and I think that although the atten- Mr. Wilcox: There was a regatta on that dance was small, it was more representative than at present.
Here the gathering rose and left the room; except one ratepayer, who stood "for several moments gazing pensively at the polling booths which had been erected at the side of the hall.
According to law the president and his at- tendants remained in the hall till 6 o'clock, up to which time there were no names presented to fill the vacancies.
THE VITRIOL OUTRAGE.
FUROPEAN ARRESTED.
in connection with the outrage upon Mr. George A startling development has just taken place Reek, for the perpetration of which two Chinese employees at the Naval Yard were on 18th inst. imprisonment each. The details of the case are at the Criminal Sessions sentenced to three years'
publicity has not yet been given, it may be so well known as to render recapitulation un- necessary. To state a fact, however, to which
into the circumstances attending the outrage mentioned that at the magisterial enquiry held
had endeavoured to procure someone to throw the significant statement was made by a Chi- nese witness that a European at the Naval Yard
"medicine water " apon Mr. Reek. The impor- the authorities, was to a certain extent mini- tance of this statement, though recognised by mised by its vagueness, cross-examination of the witness making it clear that he was merely giving hearsay evidence. That a European On Wednesday evening, acting on a warrant was implicated would now seem almost certain. from the Magistrate, Inspector Cuthbert, of the detective staff, proceeded to the residence at Wan- ier, George Allen, on suspicion of being con- chai known as Sea View, and arrested the occup- cerned in the attack upon Mr. Beek. The pri lodged in a cell for the night. On Thursday soner was taken to the Central Police Station and
morning he was brought before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Magistracy, and charged
The President: Well, gentlemen, when I first went to the Straits, our neighbouring Colony, in 1880, the apathy of the inhabitants that I know for a fact, and it came under my with reference to Municipal matters was such notice at the time, it was the intention of Mr: J. J. KESWICK said they had all listened cipality altogether, and, I believe, as far as my the Government to do away with the Muni- with very great. interest to the extremely lucid recollection will carry me, that it was not and able statement made by Mr. Chater on the with the view of opposing the Government subject of the Reclamation, which he believed at all that this apathetic disposition was marine lot-holders. Mr. Chater had not said leading inhabitants took no interest in the would be of considerable advantage to all displayed, bat it was simply because the one word too much of the great advantage it matter. And I am in a position to say, that it would be to have the scheme carried out, and was only when the leading members of the he, for one, entertained great confidence in it, community, and the principal inhabitants and and that it would ultimately be carried out, al- business men saw what course their though at the outset great difficulties might have apathy was leading them to, that they de to be contended with. He thought Mr. Chater cided to ask for the rep al of the local had taken considerable trouble in the matter, law giving them more powers, and I do not and had left very little to be added. He begged think that the powers given to them afterwards to propose the following resolution on the in any way repaid them for their apathy subject; "That the proposals for the Wanchai Since then in Penang and Singapore I think reclamation embodied in the correspondence you will find very few public-spirited men between Mr. Chater and the Government who have taken an interest in Municipal published in the local papers be accepted in matters, and who have been at all willing to principle and that Mr. Chater is hereby au- thorised to forward this resolution to the not wish to say anything against some of those devote any time and attention to them. I do Colonial Secretary. "
who are at present on the Municipal Boards at Penang and Singapore. I thinks however that, although comparisons are odious, there are a
that distant colony who would compare very good many men of position and standing in
favourably with here, with respect to their general apathetic those similarly situated attitude towards matters municipal. I am afraid that what I have said with reference to the Straits Settlements applies very much to Hongkong. I think we must take an in terest in the place in which we live, and I hope that after the few words I have said upon the Mr. CHATER said that was all the business subject that you will allow yourselves to that day. He would lose no time in forwarding be nominated, and devote what time you the resolutions to the Government and asking can to the sanitary affairs of this Colony. them to proceed with the work forthwith the We must abide by the law, notwithstanding its thought it would take somewhere about three defects, and it is no use of us trying to go months to get an answer from the Secretary of against it. By proper representation in the An extraordinary incident is reported from State and then the survey of the men bed would proper quarter, a probable amendment of it the Shanghai Golf Links, two players. Mr. John be made and plans drawn allotting to each one | might take place. I do not think by refusing Cooper, playing his second for the Oth
and Mr. Hodges, of Rangeon 7th tee, striking that the bills collic from the ground tions. Buck kappen except.
Mr. RAYMOND: I have much pleasure in seconding it.
Carried.
Mr. MOSES: I beg to propose the following resolution: “That the holders of lots fronting the sea authorise the Government to proceed forthwith with the preliminary surveys and plans and undertake to contribu'e in propor- tion to their marine frontages to the expenses incurred by the Government in so doing."
Mr. MAITLAND: I secoud it. Carried.
what he was entitled to with regard to frontage
The meeting then separated,
The Shanghai papers give the result of the Peking Derby, run on the 10th inst., as follows: -Capt. von Sanderat (German Field Artillery), 1; Maharaja Sir Portab Singh (14th Sikhs), 2.
to be elected you are doing yourself any good, and certainly you are doing no good to the community.
that he, the said George Allen, on 17th dates, at Victoria, in this Colony, feloniously January, 1901, and on divers subsequent
Kun to throw a certain destructive substance did aid, abet, counsel, and procure one Teang upon one George Reek, which destructive George Reek on 14th March, 1901, and by substance was in fact thrown upon the said which the said George Reek did suffer grievous bodily harm. The defendant· pleaded not guilty, and was formally remanded until Thurs- day, 25th inst., at 2.15 p.m.
$$
The accused is a young man of about thirty years of age, and is married.
Mr. Playfair said that as the president had thrown Singapore and Penang in the teeth of Hongkong, he would like to hurl Shanghai lack again. Shanghai was a model community as at our own linka,
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