May 23, 1908.]
one:
id
reo nt
generally
monoole. It is on occasion for a uth; Afrion i He again; when be asks for an adjournment, es care to leave clear the golf-fl al or other final days Parlia ment must not eit on Derby Day, and the Judge concurs like the good sportsman that he is. If a breach of Court ell nell however slight, should occur, small sympathy is shown the offender, who has to put up with chaff inter miuable. A certain official came into Court the other day minns his wig, and rapid was his exit when apprised of the lack. A young practitione entered in a great hurry recintly adjusting his gown. His presence after 1 was not essential in the case and he was leaving the Court murmuring something about having made a mistake, when his Honour lyly remarked as be passed him on the way out: Another mistake, Mr. H.; where's your black coat P The solicitors departure was precipitated thereby, and he los no time in hiding his blushes under a cloud of cigarette smoke. He had on a light coloured jacket that morning. Now he wears a more sombre garment.
And so the 1oll is adjusted for another weak.
·
R. P. MOFFITT IN THE COLONY.
PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLEMENT.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A DAY AT THE MAGISTRACY.
does it indicate tha the Zoot to nos Istrate. For one i is never lost night given to levity, an
course that they regarded as a DAS
375
At home the Police Court is in many pla a popular rendezvous, and the people who gathe within its procincts as interested or disinterest spectators seem to derive as much enjoymen if not always instruction, from the pros ceedings as a party of school children from magic-lantern entertainment. Out here the associate with Polles Court,
in deficient in boisterousnes case is different-so far, at least, as concerns institutions!the feeling of enjoyment Europeans, for whom, even though time per the iibilities (ure tickled is never loking mitted, the scanty accommodation of the genuineness. Many bone wots a stuffy little Police Court has no attractions, statements, advanced by Chistese whatever inducements otherwise night offer. extenuation or complanation of The Chinese, however, of the class that frequents alleged against them. Anked how ho the Court daily when the weather is nice-do possession of a cable chain suspected not mind crowding and its attendant discomforts, been stolen, the master of and although their room doubtless wold be imparted the information that he had found it proferable to their company, the Police Court,doating in the harbone!! Just as startling it unless when circumstances impel the magistrate its originality was the excuse önered by a to decree otherwise, is open to the public, and coolle who appropriated a six-foot beau of wood so long as quietness and order are observed belonging to a carpenter, I had just outer spectators are permitted to attend.
furnished ad nauseum, but these two gems teeth." Examples of this mattefe could be my rice," he said, “and I wanted to pick
amicient to show that the s
the Magistracy in a single day is surprising, The amount of judicial business transacted at and when one considers the many different languages that usually have to be interpreted place to wonder. The Scotch tongue is not into plain, every-day English, surprise gives generally regarded by Britishers as a foreign The P. & A. steamer Indrapura, having on ofte i difficult of comprehension by people born one-although its dialectical peculiarities are board B. P. Moffitt, ex-secretary of the Dairy sonth of the Tweed-but at least one case has Farm Company, Ld., in charge of Lance-occurred at the Magistracy where the services Sergeant Earner, arrived in the harbour on the 15th inst. about 7 am Moffitt, who is charged with embezzlement, looked very fit and well. He and Sergeant Earner were very good friends indeed on the voyage back to the Colony, notwithstanding the relative positions they occupied. At Kobe, Moffitt told Srgeant Erner that if he wished to visit the Osaka Exhibition he could do so in perfect safety, as he (Moffitt) won'd remain on the ship until he came back. Sergeant Earner, however, declined to avail himself of this opportunity for sight seeing, preferring to remain by his prisoner. The pursuit of Menit has occupied Sergeant Earner about six months, and that officer has returned to his duties here with quite so Amurrican" socent and many pleasant recollections of his unexpectedly pro- longed visit to the States.
On the 5th afternoon Mofit was brought before M F. A. Haseland, Police Magistrate, and charged For that he the said Robert Percy Montt, on the 27th day of September, 19:2, at Victoris, in the Colony of Hongkong then being secretary to the Dairy Farm Co. Ld., feloniously and fraudulently did embezzle and steal certain gods to wit, the sum of $2,075 received by him on account of the said Dairy Farm Co., Ld., contrary to Section 55 said Robert Percy Moffitt, on the 20th day of And for that he, the April, 1902, and the 11th day of October, 1902. at Victoris, in the Colony of Hongkong, then being secretary, to the Dairy Farm Co., Ld., feloniously and frandulently did embezzle and steal certain goods—to wit, the sum of $9,877.66 received by him on account of the said Dairy Farm Co., Li, contrary to Section 55 of Ordinance 7 of 1865."
of Ordinance 7 of 1863
To these charges, which were laid on the complaint of Mr. F. Maitland, chairman of the board of directors of the Dairy Farm Company Moffitt, who was described as an accountant, and of Australia, pleaded guilty. His Worship remanded the case fill the 22nd inst., when
was further adjourned till the 26th inst., on which date evidence will probably be heard.
Damage to the extent
$1,000- according to the estimate formed by the pro- prietor--was done by a which broke out early yesterday morning, in a peppermint manufacturer's shop on first floor at 38, Second Street. The place was insured in the Tung On Company for $7,0)|
It is notified in the Government Gazette that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased, under the powers conferred on him by Section 6 of the l'ublic Holidays Ordinance, 1875, to appoint Monday, the 25th instint("s the Enniversary of th birthday of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria fall on Sunday) to be a public holiday.
1
For ways that are dark and tricks that are vain, The he then Chinee is peculiar.
Into
A glance before closing at the personalities holding sway at the Police Court Mr. painstaking official who places each case Hazeland, the Senior Magistrate, is a clore fully in the balance and gives his decision according as the scales swing under the weight of evidence. A genial friend when freedom conversational limits set by the teise judicia from work enables him to exceed the narrow
of an interpreter were necessary to render Heelan man" not long arrived in the Colony intelligible the evidence of a praw, praw and still bearing traces of his native rusticity.query asked, among other questions, in reference to "Where did you find this opium?" he was the matter on hand. aming a pickle orral." Repeated questioning In a nenk, yer Worship,
be explained to the magistrate by a Scotch could not vary the answer, which had at last to inspec or of police as meaning "in a cofner amongst some odds and ends."
Rebuked bad choice of words, the policeman, spostro afterwards by his superior officer for his phising the magistrate's inability to understand him, rejoined—” Pair oratur, did he want me tas deleever a sermon ? This recalls to mind an incident that happened-or is said to have long run-in the Police Court of a small sea-- happ ned, which is much the same thing in the port town in Scotland. A French sailor who had been taken into custody for fighting was asked by the bailie," Weel, monsure, what has ye the say the the chairge o fechtin at the harbour The Frenchman made a gesture expressive of his inability to understant the tempt, and adopted the common expedient of interrogation. The Court made another at endeav uring to convey a meaning to a foreigner Monsure, what have ye to say to dis charge? by talking in broken English to him Surely ye canus miss comprangdin that?" Interpretare, said the prisoner.“ An' ye need ane, tae. pityingly replied the bailie.
14
46
1
19
sure if ye ken yer eye puir, silly, jabberin I cauna mak' oot n'e half ye say, an' I'm no oratur. Awa ye go, an be sure tae keep the till yer ship leaves, when ye can cut each ither's throats for me. But dinna kick up ony mair stramashes in oor quafe toon."
peace
of languages encountered in a day's work We have already referred to the multiplicity at the Magistracy. There may be appear. ing nationals from all four corners of the globe (if corners can exist on sphere), but the business of the Court never comes to a standstill-it doesn't even hesitate, as the porter told the old lady who enquired with surprise if the express train that had just | dashed through the station didn't stop there. In they come, people from the Fast, from the West, from the North, and from the South, but interpreters are found for everyone of them, and Babel resolves itself into Sunday-school order. On the staff at the Magistracy is one polyglot who handles about half-a-dozen dialects English, his native tongue. and languages with as much facility as he does
home the word “laughter
In reports of Polios Court proceedings at polated, but here it is rarely the case that any. is often inter thing beyond a smile greets a livening incident in the daily routine. This is not due to any lack of appreciation, be it remembered, nor
Guilty or not guilty he is the occupant, and no case is too complicated, no magistrate again when the Bench has him for
brain-racking, to ensure anything but details connected therewith are too minute or
the defendant black, white, or yellow - Mr. JAH calment deliberation and the justest ruling, Kemp is his junior in years as in omoe, but his daily
task be discharges with the sang froid his decisions at all times with a strict observance of a man of riper experience and characterised
invulnerability that comes of usage and long of the trend of facts. Not yet possessed of the service, he is keenly, perhaps too keenly? sensitive to criticism and quick to retaliate. Thus the toiling pressman in at prosent Kemp's handwriting in the depositions, AN saved the trouble of deciphering Mr. order that these depositions were not to be accessible having gone forth after the publica. tion by another newspaper of a sentence of six months passed on a prisoner who in reality received only six wosks, but whose caso, viewed subject of sympathetic comment that reflected in the former light by the editor, was made the unfavourably and unjustly on the presiding magistrate. To err, we are told, is human, and mayhap the day is not far distant when i Mr. Kemp will exercise the divine virtue of for gireness and let bygones be bygones,
POLICE INSPECTOR DEVELOPS PLAGUE.
We learn that on the 16th inst. Inspec- tor D, Macdonald, in chargə at Taumati Police Station; was removed to the Kennedytown Maodonald developed feverish sympto Hospital suffering from plague. Inspector Saturday, and in the afternoon went for ment to the Government: Civil Hospital,
the case was diagnosed as one of b plague; be was thereupon taken to the- at Kennedytown, ‹ Much, Mrs. Macdonald and her and it is earnestly, hoped that is a strong, hearty man, will Police Force, of which he is a sme bis place in the hot
member.
| On the 17th we were
Macdonald had p progressing, farone ed to be a slight is in charge at}
The tenth
tain Peter ways the death
stan098.
Sergeant
છે.
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