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October 26, 1901.]
hundred and Sixty-two Dollars and Twenty-six | Cents to the Public Service of the Year 1902. He said I would point out that the figures have not been corrected in the orders of the day, but those 1 have just read are the corrected figures.
The ACTING COLONIAL TREASURER second-
ed, and the Bill was read a third-time and passed.
The Council then adjourned sine die.
MEETING OF FINANCE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the COLONIAL SECRETARY in the Chair,
There was only one minute before the Council, in which the Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $2,700 in aid of the following votes :-
SANITARY DEPARTMENT.
Incidental Expenses, Watering Streets,...
Total,
the
+ $1,500.00
1,800.00
$3,300.00
The CHAIRMAN said the reasons for the vote and for the increase in the vote were explained in two letters, dated respectively the 11th and 19th of October, from the Secretary of the Sanitary Board.
The vote was agreed to.
COCHRANE STREET HOUSE-
COLLAPSE.
After all the last has not been heard of the recent disastrous collapse of houses at Cochrane Street, which resulted in the deaths of forty-three people and the injury of an unknown number. On Saturday, before Mr. Hallifax, Chan Jun Chong, owner of Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street, and Pan Wo, the contractor who carried out the alterations thereto, were brought up on ten and nine charges respectively of contraventions of the Building Ordinance.
Mr. F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, pro- secuted, and Mr. K. W. Mounsey, solicitor, represented the defendants, who pleaded guilty to all the charges.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
breaches of the Building law, and that several of them did contribute towards the accident. He asked his Worship to inflict the heaviest penalty possible.
His Worship said be would like to hear some evidence, and Mr. H. P. Tooker, Acting As- sistant Director of Public Works. explained, from plans produced, the nature of the respec-
tive deviations.
On Tuesday, the 22nd inst., at the Magistracy, his Worship, who said it only remained to impose a penalty in the two cases, fined the defendants $10 each on each charge. This, in the case of the owner, amounts in all to a fine of $500, and in that of the contractor to $450, The alternative was a month on each charge. The fines were paid.
GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT FOR HON. H. E. POLLOCK.
The Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., who has been Acting Attorney-General for this Colony during the absence on leave of the Hon. W. M. Goodman, K.C., has been offered and has accepted the position of Attorney-General for Fiji. The salary attaching to the office is £600 per annum, and Mr. Pollock will be allowed private practice. He leaves to take up his new daties immediately on the return of the Hon. W. M. Goodman, who is expected back early in December.
We heartily congratulate Mr. Pollock on his appointment, and wish him every success. During his connection with the Colony he has gained for himself a name in very many directions; apart from his own profession. Fiji's gain will be no small loss to the Colony of Hongkong.
DEATH OF MR. E. ROBINSON.
Not long ago the legal profession in the Colony met to mourn the loss of one of its leading members, Mr. J. J. Francis, K. C., and now its number has been further reduced by the death of Mr. E. Robinson, barrister-at-law,
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343
THE VOLUNTEER CAMP AT STONECUTTERS' ISLAND.
Monday.
The camp of instruction for the Volunteer
Corps opened on the 19th inst. at Stone- cutters' Island, between 150 and 200 men crossing over and spending the first night under canvas. The tents had already been pitched, and only required setting in order to be ready for occupation. Kits having been served out, the men spent the evening by fami- liarising themselves with the lines. The tents are pitched on the site of a former Volunteer each foreightmen, and every unit has for his bed Camp, and are large and airy. There is room in
a straw mattress and pillow and two regulation blankets. Meals are served in a large matshed erected for the purpose. Taken altogether, the comfort of the volunteer soldiers is admirably looked after, and there is no room for com- plaint.
The real business of the camp will start to- day, Saturday having been devoted mainly to the drilling of recruits. Sunday, of course, is to an extent an "off-day." The number of men in camp was swelled considerably on Saturday afternoon, many Volunteers going over and remaining till this morning.
On Saturday evening an impromtu concert was held after dinner, when some very good talent was displayed. Arrangements are being made for a big concert on Wednesday evening, and those possessing vocal ability are asked to send in their names to Lieutenant Lammert.
"Lights out" apparently does not necessarily imply an absence of all noise in the tents, and long after the bugle had sounded and the officer
for the night had made his tour of the camp, snatches of songs and the passing of badinage could be heard on all sides. Latterly, however, sleep claimed the noisy ones, and nothing could be heard but the tramp of the sentry and the shouting of an occasional challenge of "Halt, who goes there!"
Tuesday.
At half-past five on Sunday morning the reveillé roused the camp to the work of the day. All units paraded and were drilled at 6.15, and Chan Jun Chong, having signed and given who expired in the Government Civil Hospital after breakfast, which was served at 7.30. attend- to the Director of Public Works, on the 3rd from dysentery at five minutes past foured church parade. The weather continues fine. November and 7th December respectively, o'clock on Friday morning Mr. Robinson had notices under Section 70 of the Building gone to Shanghai for a much-needed change and Ordinance, 1889, was charged with being liable rest. On his way back, however, on board the under the same Section for the following acts last French mail down, he commenced to be whereby Section 69 of the said Ordinance was seriously ill, and his case was critical when contravened during the progress of the work he returned to the Colony on the 20th inst. referred to in such notices, namely:-
consequence he was with all speed taken (1) The making of anarch in the crosswall
on the same day to the Government Civil Hos- of No. 32, Cochrane Street, on the ground floor,pital to undergo treatment for dysentery, which (2) The making of an arch in the cross wall he appears to have contracted while up country of No. 31, Cochrane Street, on the ground floor, near Shanghai. His state rapidly assumed a (3) The omission of an internal crosswall worse aspect, and, instead of mending, he sank dividing the kitchens from the backyards of and died, as already stated, on Friday morning. No. 32, Cochrane Street aforesaid,
Deceased was 45 years of age. By his death the number of barristers in Hongkong is re- duced to three the Hon. H. E. Follock, K.C., Mr. E. H. Sharp, and the Hon. Dr. Ho Kai.
(4) The omission of an internal crosswall dividing the kitchens from the back-yards of No. 34, Cochrane Street aforesaid.
(5) Omitting to provide flues and chimneys to the kitchens on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of No. 32, Cochrane Street aforesaid,
(6) Omitting to provide flues and chimneys to the kitchens on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of No. 34, Cochrane Street aforesaid,
(7) The building of a superstructure above the kitchen on the 3rd floor of No. 32, Cochrane Street aforesaid,
(8) The building of a superstructure above the kitchen on the 3rd floor of No. 34, Cochrane Street aforesaid,
(9) The raising of the party wall between Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street to a height exceeding the height of 50 feet from the top of the footings of the said wall, and
(10) The moving of the staircases leading to the first floor of No. 32, Cochrane Street afore- said.
The charges against Pun We were much the same, he being charged with the actual building or omitting to build mentioned in the foregoing charges excepting charge No. 10.
Mr. Mounsey, in asking for the infliction of a small penalty, said the deviations mentioned in the charges were not serious and did not contribute towards the collapse of the house.
Mr. Bowley took an opposite view. He submitted that the deviations were very serious
The weather throughout the 20th inst. con- . tinued fine, but the day, so far as work went, was a lany one, and time hung rather heavily until the afternoon, when a good number of visitors came over and helped to make things pleasant. The majority had gone by six o'clock, but a few, including the Hon, H. E. Pollock, K.C., remained to dinner, after which, of course, another concert of the impromptu variety was held. A corporal of the Field Battery, was in exceptional form, and is to be con- gratulated on the possession of a versatile wit which always ensures a successful “
turn."
Monday morning's work consisted of a hard hour-and-a-half's drill for all units. and was of a nature that will go very far towards increasing the efficiency of the Corps.
At 4 p.m. on Friday the funeral procession, which was very widely attended in spite of the The only groud of complaint lies in the suddenness of Mr. Robinson's death, left the runing of the launches from Stonecutter's Hospital, and about 5 o'clock passed the Monn- Island to Hongkong. The 7.15 a.m. launch ment on its way to the Happy Valley, where the 21st inst. did not leave until 7.45 a.m. Ap- the last rites took place. There were presentparently the times of departure of several representatives of the Government, the legal launches have been altered, and if this be so it profession, including every firm of solicitors in it is only fair to the men that notification of the Colony, and a number of personal friends. the changes should be given, in order that they may make their arrangements accordingly. The launches leaving Murray Pier for Stonecutters' are also not noted for punctuality.
Mr. Robinson, who came to this Colony from Shanghai, where he originally practised, was called to Gray's Inn on the 25th January, 1881. He came out to the Far East soon after being called, and after a few years spent in Shanghai he removed to Hongkong, being addmitted to the Supreme Court here on 5th January, 18:8. On 24th August, 1889, he was appointed Acting Police Magistrate, the appointment to date from the first of the ensuing month. During the time he filled that position he discharged the duties of the office with marked ability, and since then, as barrister-at-law, he had exhibited the same quality, combining with it an energy and persistency that often enabled him to emerge triumphant from many a hard legal fight.
The sincerest sympathy is extended to the deceased gentleman's widow and her two children.
Wednesday.
The work on Tuesday generally was lighter than that on Monday, although equally useful in the training of the men. The weather continues perfect, and the conditions of living in the camp are very enjoyable,
Thursday.
There were comparatively few Volunteers in camp on the 22nd inst., some having com pleted the stipulated three days training and others having gone over to Hongkong to r.en- perate for yesterday evening, which was visitor's night and which generally means a late turn- ing-in, for, although lights out" is sounded at the usual time, the merriment of the evening is usually carried well on into the night, long after the visitors have doparted.
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