!
April 21, 1902.]
with the Happy Valley on the Hongkong side,; will meet the needs of all-Service men and Civilians, Kowloon residents and Hongkong residents. Happy Valley by itself is and has long been hopelessly inadequate.----Yours, etc.,
COVER POINT.
GREEN, ISLAND CEMENT CO., LD.
The thirteenth ordinary general meeting of shareholders in this Co, was held at the office of the general managers on the 14th inst. Mr. R. Shewau, chairman, presided, and the other gentlemen pr. sent were Dr. Noble. Messrs C. Ewens and C. W. Dickson (Consult- ing Committee), A Babington, J. R. Michael, S. H. Michael Ho, Fook, Fung Wa Chun, T. H. Reid, G. C. Moxon, and others.
|
The CHAIRMAN said-Gentlemen, The re- port and accounts having been already printed and circulated amongst you since the 1st inst., we will now, with your permission, take them as read. It affords us much pleasure to lay before you accounts showing a g.oss profit of over $200,00)
as against about $150,000 last year,
and to be able to recommend a larger dividend, namely 10 per cent. The accounts are very plain and I think require no explanation from me. You will notice that we owed our bankers over $227,000 on 31st December. It is up to $237,000 to-day, and, of course, will be increased by payment of the dividend. Stocks of raw material are valued at,cost, and finished cement at much below what we expect to sell it at. You will notice that we have considerably ex- ceeded the estimate for extensions, which I told you at our meeting on 12th April, 1900, would amount to about $300,000 for four addi. tional kilns, but the fact is that instead of four we have put up eight additional kilns, with of course, the corresponding extra grinding machinery, boilers, engines, &c., which explains the larger figure of $421,598 in the accounts. We had to do this, as I am pleased to tell you that in addition to our contract with Messrs. Pun- chard, Lowther & Co., which I reported to you last year, we have secured another similar large contract from Messrs. Butterfield & Swire for their new dockyard. We are now delivering regularly under both contracts and, as require- ments are increasing every month and will continue to increase for some time to come; we fully expect to be kept much busier this year, Under these circumstancês, and, with the pro- spect later on of supplying the wants of the Hongkong and Whompoa Dock Co. for their contemplated new dock, the extra kilns were absolutely necessary, and I think you will agree, with me that we are now fully justified in having made these additions and in acting as we did with confidence in the future of this Company Had we gone on as we were doing, and waited till the time came, we should have simply missed the business, as it is a matter of two years to get these kilns and their corresponding machinery ordered from home and installed and working out here. I may say that there are now very few further payments still due on account of these extensions, and that, we reckon about $25,000 is all we shall have to add this year to the item of $421,598 on 31st December last. The Macao Works have given us much satisfaction. They are a very valuable adjunct to our factory here and, with the various improvements we have made to the machinery and the new kilns with which we have replaced the old bottle kilus and Hoffmann kiln, which have all been pulled down, are now producing cement as cheaply as at Hok Un. These works have now reached that stage where no increase of output can be made without a radical change all round, and as most of the plant there is in very good order, it will be some years before such change
&
is advisable. All we propose to do at present there is to add a new boiler and build another cement bin which, with a few other smaller additions, will come to about $25,000 to be spent this year. Both these last two items are only approximate. We cau- not, of course, guarantee not to spend any more for we do not know what a year may bring forth or what other expenditures we may have to undertake. The brick works at Deep Water Bay leave a fair return on the capital invested. but a good deal is required there in the way of
SUPRIME COURT.
Friday, 11th April,
307
IN CRIMINAL JurisdicTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR W. MeiGH GOODMAN (Chief JustiCE).
44
THE PERU SHOOTING CASE-ACCUBED
SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS.
The trial of Albert Marshall for the attempted murder of Albert Freeman Pillsbury, master of the Pacific Mail steamship Peru, was resumed
at ten o'clock.
the
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
improvements, so we have written off the equiva- lent of the profit as deprec ́ation. Our stock of raw material is now very low and this has been our chief worry during the year, the prolonged drought having prevented the boats coming down from the country. Rain, however, seems to be coming at last and everything has been done to ensure a much large supply of material this year. Our aim has always been to keep at least one year's supply in stock, but our continually and this year's increasing consumption diminished arrivals have totally defeated our object. I trust, gentlemen, I have made our present position and hopes for the future quite clear to you, and I am bound to add that, in all we have done, we have been loyally supported
Addressing the jury on behalf of the prisoner, by a very zealous and efficient staff. On the Mr. Slade drew attention to the special features Consulting Committee we have lost the services of the case. He referred to the three counts of of Mr. Gillies, who took great interest in our the indictment, and said it was not denied that business and conld always be relied upon for the prisoner assault d the captain, nor that he practical advice. In his place we recommend the had a rifle in his hand and that it went off elec'ion of Dr. J. W. Noble, who has a very while he was carrying it; it was not even denied large stake in the Company and bas its in- that the bullet went in the direction of the terests closely at heart. Before I more the formal adoption of the report and accounts, I captain. But it was for the jury to make up their minds whether or not the prosecution had will endeavour to answer any questions you may proved the intent to murder or to do grievous wish to put to me to the best of my ability.bodily harm. If there was any reasonable doubt, Mr. J. R. MICHAEL-Mr. Chairman, I have then it was their duty to discharge the prisoner. already given you notice of the questions I Mr. Slade proceeded to comment on intended to ask, and you, in the speech you have evidence of the prosecntion and remarked just made as Chairman, have answered almost that the prisoner could not give his version every one of them. But I have not actually of the affair on oath. The stewardess had caught the answers to some of the questions, so I would like if you would repeat them. Shall not been called, though he thought the
evidence she
at the Police gave
Court I put my questions?
would not make them think the captain was anxious she should be present at the trial. What she had stated was to the effect that while asleep in her cabin she was awakened by a crash at the door and heard a voice "Captain, you c n- not do this; I have too much respect for that woman; I will kill you?" That, he thought, bore out the statement of the prisoner that the captain was trying to get into the woman's cabin, and that in defence of her honour prisoner remonstrated with him. Continuing. Mr. Slade pointed out to the jury that the gun might have gone off by accident. The trigger was an extremely light one, and the action of swinging the rifle round to use it as a club might have caused the explosion; that the bullet went anywhere near Captain Pillsbury was merely an unfortunate fact. The rifle had been hanging up for a long time, and Marshall had not the slightest idea that it was loaded; as already pointed ont, he meant simply to use it as a club to protect himself against the captain's violence. Referring to Captain Pillsbury's motives for proceeding against Marsbull, counsel for the defence said he was animated by two impulses to save his own reputation and to secure revenge upon Marshall. It was to his manifest benefit to prove that Marshall was the villain, and not Captain Pillsbury.
The CHAIRMAN Certainly.
Mr. MICHAEL-On the 31st December last, the Company's debit balance with the Hong- kong and Shanghai Bank was $227,222.34. Has this been increased or reduced since that date. and by how much after including the dir`dend just declared?
The CHAIRMAN-That is answered.
You
see I told you it was $227.000 on 31st Decem ber, and it is up to $237.000 to-day.
Mr. MICHAEL-Including the dividend? The CHAIRMAN-The dividend has not been paid yet.
last?
Mr. MICHAEL-Has any further expenditure been made on buildings and machinery at Macao and Hok Un since the 31st December If so, how much, and what further expenditure do you contemplate making or do the works require? Did you say $25 000 ?
The CHAIRMAN--At Hok Un; and $25,000
at Macao.
Mr. MICHAEL-Is that $25,000 oach?
The CHAIRMAN—Yes.
Mr. MICHAEL The cement, raw materials, to, in stock in Macao and Hok Un on 31st Decem- ber last are valued at $2 6,082.42. Does this sum represent cost price, and is the mannfac tured cement valued at its selling price?
The CHAIRMAN-The stocks of raw material are valued at cost price, and finished cement much below what we expect to sell it at.
Mr. MICHAEL-In view of the very large
demand that exists for cement and the low rate of exchange now ruling, which is stopping im- portations from Europe, will it not be advisable to raise our price for cement?
The CHAIRMAN-Well, I don't think any body, Mr. Michael, is likely to overlook the question of exchange.
There being no further questions, the CHAIRMAN proposed that the Report and Accounts be adopted and passed.
Mr MoxoN seconded, and the motion was carried.
On the motion of Mr. REID. seconded by Mr. J. R. MICHAEL, the Hen. C. P. Chater. Dr. Noble, Mr. C. Ewens, and Mr. C. W. Dickson were re-elected as Consulting Committee.
Mr. J. R. MICHAEL proposed the re-election of Messrs. W. H. Pot and T. Aruold as auditors, and, being seconded by Mr. Ho FOOK, this was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN-That concludes the business of the meeting, gentlemen. I am much obliged for your attendance. Dividend warrants will be ready this afternoon.
2
The Church Missionary Society have accepted an offer of service from the Rev. G. H. Moule, curate of Wareham, for work in Japan. His father is the well-known China missionary, and
he has also two brothers in the field.
Mr. Slade sat down after having spoken for three-quarters of an hour.
The Prisoner then read a s'atement he had
prepared for the occasion, in which, after detailin his length of service with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company-four years-and also that of the stewardess. Mrs. Jorganson, he went on to say that on three occasions he had seen Captain Pillsbury in the latter's cabin, at night, previous to the occasions when the shooting incident occurred. Once, at Yoko- hama, he spoke to the captain about h's conduct, and the latter hung his head and said nothing. The stewardess said she would rather leave the ship than be persecuted by the cap- tain. On Wednesday, 22nd January, whilst the ship was in harbour here, she told him that Captain Pillsbury had called at her room in was refused Thomas's Grill Rooms, but
and talked admittance,
her for couple of hours in the hill, winding up by telling her to sleep on the steamer that night. Dealing with the events connected with the shooting incident, Marshall said in his statement that he saw Captain Pillsbury go into No. 3 cabin, occupied by the stewardess. Five minutes after he followed him, and found the cabin in darkness and the stewardess in bed. Marshall expostulated, and the captain said, "Hush, don't talk so loud.” Then suddenly he caught Marshall by the throat and threw him down, cutting his head. It consequence of this assault that Marshall, when he followed Captain Pillsbury and the
to
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