July 13, 1903.]
A HONGKONG BOY'S PLIGHT.
The following is taken from the Mauila Coblenews of the 25th ult!!
The soldiers of the Oattery stationed at Pasay brought a ld of fourteen years of age into the office if the Executive Secretary yes. terday to have a guardian appointed for him. The boy's name is camul laus His parents are both dead and he has inher ted from them considerable property in the vicinity of Pasay. The father of the boy, who was a Chinaman, died some time ago and the mother an English woman, passed away within the last few days. The parents were married in San Francisco where they accumulated a small fortune and later came to Hongkong. According to the story told by the soldiers and the boy, while the family was living in Hongkong an nglish sailor by the name of James Price Reese became stranded and appealed to the Hans family for help. Reese was given wolk and has lived with the family for several years, coming with them
to Manila.
Since the d ath of the mother, the soldiers about Pasay have heard Reese say that he was going to get the boy out of the way and get the property himself. The boy says, too, that be has been beaten and otherwise maltreated by Reese since his mother's death. It was that fact that led the soldiers to bring the boy to the anthorities to have some steps taken by them
in the matter.
The boy is of unusual intelligence for one of his cl ss. Be speaks English almost perfectly and told-Secretary Fergusson that Keese had mistreated him while his mother was sick, but that he had not said anything about it as he did
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
Many ‹f the trees that ornament the principal roads of the Colony are being removed to make way for the new tramways.
Police-Laspector Langley bas succeeded The latter has gone to Aberdeen.
olice-Inspector Williamson at Tsimshatsui.
The s.8. Zfro arrived in the Harbour on the 7th instant, towing the old Spanish warship Velasco which was recently raised from Manila Bay. Manila was left on Friday evening last, and, in ordinary circumstances, the Zafiro would have reached here on Sunday about 6 p.m., but she was of course considerably delaye by her tow. The Velasco was ast off at Stoneout- ter's, where she now lies. She is very much damagel and, has been purchased by Mr. A. B. Moulder of Beaconsfield Arc de.
Mr. J. M. Beck, supe.intendent here of the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Tele graph Companies, announces that commencing charged on telegrams to Europe (except Russia an Wednesday, 15th inst., the rate per word and the Caucasus) will be reduced from 7 francs to 5 francs; and the currency rate, which is subject to revision, will be reduced from $3.35 to 82.65. Taken together with the reduction of 15 cents made on the 1st inst. this makes a total reduction in this mnt of 85 cents. steamer Pembrokeshire, lately wrecked on the There seems to be a great probability that the Saddles ne ir Shanghai, will shortly be brought to Hongkong for repairs. Messrs. Gilm n & Co., Lloyd's gants, havo for some days past been in telegraphis communication with the underwriters in London, with the result that they have instructed Mr. Newman Mumford to proceed immediately to Shanghai to arrange enable the vessel to proceed to Hongkong.
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A notification appears in the Gazette that Belilios Reformatory is henceforth to be used as
prison.
a
A much-needed improvement is bing made at the Post Office, namely, the introduction of a counter for the sale of stamps in place of the for this purpose. Two doors are being knoo ed old pigeon holed windows which formerly serv d into the wall, one on each side of the letter-box. with pigeon-holes in the approved P.O. fashion; The counter will have wire notting in front, one end will be for the use of Chinese and the other for the use of non-Chinese.
Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, Police Magistrate, arrived on the 7th inst. by the Empress of Japan after leave in England, and resumed h's duties at the Magistracy. The arrival of Mr. Forcombe Smith is not any tco Magistrate, has had his hands full since the departure of Mr. F. A. Haseland, and the Mr. J. H Kemp, the Junior
in dimensions as the list of cases lengthened cosmopolitan crowd outside the Court graw out.
soon.
A Chicaman named Chan Wui was killed in a matshed at Shek Shan, Hunghom district, on the 8th inst. afternoon, through being struck on the head by a large piece of flint which wÀN
others had been warned previously to leave the projected through the side of the matshed during blasting operations. place on acount of the danger from blasting: He and three
the deceased elected to remain, but his com.
pinions left, and are doub'less now glad that they did so.
not wish to endanger his mother's life by giving | for such temporary repairs to be done as will Lok Street, near the Harbour Office, by an
her extra worry.
He said that all of his mother's papers were in a safe at home and that he caried the key of the safe in his pocket. When asked if his
mother had made a will he said that she had not
expected to die when she first took sick and that she had told him she would get well and go to a lawyer and make out a will.
At a meeting of Justices held at the Magistracy on Friday afternoon to consider ап application from Hans Peter Jertrum for the transfer of his Publican's Licence to sell and retail intoxicating liquors on the premises situated at Nos. 266 to 268 Secretary Fergusson called in Commissioner Queen's Road Central, under the sign of Smith to advise in the matter and it was decided the "German Tavern" to one Paul Wissing, it that application should be made in the court of
was unanimusly decided to grant the applica- first instauce for the appointment of a guardian ton. Mr. J. H. Kemp, acting polic magis- for the boy. Colonel Scott, who was preseut,trate, presided, and thers present were Capt. agreed to take the boy pending the action of the court and give him epiployment about con- stabulary headquarters. The soldiers were of the opinion that it would not be safe for the lad to go back to Pasay with Reese and the boy himself expressed fear of going back.
A note was suut to Judge Sweeney of the court of first instance setting forth the facts in the case and asking him to appoint a guardian for the boy. The court has taken the case under consideration and will doubtless appoint a guardian to-day.
*
HONGKONG.
*
The number of plague cases in the Colony from the 1st January to noon on Saturday is 1,332. Dumped bodies continue to be found, two such being included in Saturday's
rotaras.
The following returns of the average amount of banknotes in circulation and of specie in reserve in Hongkong during June are certified by the managers of the respective banks:-
Banks.
Average Specie in Amount. Reserve. Chartered Bank of India, Aus $
tralia and China Hongkong and Shanghai Bank
9,580,66) 1,800,000 ing Corporation
10,658.5 2 7,000,000 National Bank of hina, Limited 449,43 150,000
Total.
$
$14,688,685 $8,950,000 Independence Dy was celebrated by the American community in the Colony with all the accustomed manifestations of rejoicing associated with the Fourth. Consul-General Bragg was at home at the U.8 Consulate-in 10 House Street from till 1 o'clock and most of the American firms dispensed hospitali ty throughout the day. The warships and some merchantmen in the Harbour flew bun iug. At noon a salute was fired. In the evening there were music and illuminations at Kowloon Hotel (Mr. J. W. Osborne) and Bay View Hotel (Mr. M. Collins).
F. Lyons, Acting C. S. P., Messrs C. D. Melbourne, and R. H. Craig, J.P.'s. Mr. E. J. Grist (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) appeared for t'e applicaut.
Од the 2nd inst. an Enropesa Was found lying in an unconscious state in Wing
Indian constable, who summoned an ambulance and had him removed to the Central Police Station and thence to the Government Civil Hospital. Soon after being admitted he died. deceased it has been ascertained that his name From papers found on the person of the was J. R. Kidd, and that he was a ship's second mate out of employment.
Errant (Captain Kendall), which arrived here on The British four-masted steamer Knight the 6th inst., completed the entire passage from Barry, Bristol Channel, to this port withont Good Hope and Sunda Straits, the distance a single stop; she travelled via the Cape of
days 10 hours 3 minutes. being 13,089 miles and the time taken 57 After bunkering, the Knight Errant, which has a tonnage of 4,779 tons (not register), will proceed to Port Arthur to discharge her cargo of coal.
H. M. torpedo-boat destroyers Virago and the 1st inst. These two warships, which are Sparrowhawk arrived in Hongkong harbour on
A Chinese workman at the power house of strength in Chinese waters. were launched at an important addition to the British naval the Peak Tramways met with a serious acciden Birkenhead in 1895. They are twin-screw and
on the 7th inst. At the moment it happened he have a length of 210.6 feet, and their hom is motionless. Suddenly it was started to drag a was engaged upon the machinery, which was 21.7 feet. The draught of each vessel is the car up the line, and the man was knocked exceedingly low one of 5.3 fet. Their displace- against the flywheel. This he caught to save ment is 300 tons and, with an indicated horse himself, with the result that he was whirled power of 6,000, their mean speed is 30.13 knots.round twice ere the accident was noticed and and they are fitted with two torpedo-tubes. an unconscious condition and sout to Hospital. Their armament consists of 112-pr. and 56 pra, the machinery stopped. He was picked up in Each ship has a complement of 53 men. They American station. at Equimalt, from which were up two or three months ago on the North
Amphion. and from there to Japan by H.M.S. place they were towed to Honolulu by H.M.S. Amphitrite.
The following is from the July issue of S. John's Cathedral Church Notes:-The Colonial Church Council held its first session in 8. Paul's College on Monday, 22nd June, when twenty-two members were present under the presidency of the Bishop of Victoria. The greater part of the session was taken up with the framing of a constitution, and finally the regulations, whic had been previou ly circulat- ed amongst the members of the Council, were approved of after they had been considerably amended and added to. The Council afterwards listened with interest to a brief description given by the Rev. W. J. Southam of the proposal to stablish an European Young Men's Christian Association in the colony and a vote of sympathy with the proposal was passed unanimously. It has been decided that the Council shall be elected for a period of two years and meetings of the Council shall be held at least twice a year, once in the week preceding Holy Week, and once in September of each year.
the Cricket Ground on the 6th inst., when An interesting innovation was witnessed on
the idea will be taken up in the summer members of the H.K.C.C. It is hoped that a game of lawn bowls was played by four
mouths when the ground is not devoted to any other sporting purpose. The turf was rather lumpy on the 6th inst., but a little rolling after rain would improve it a lot. There is no reason why the game should not become popular; the Kowloon Bowling Club is a distinct success and has a competition now tanning.
On making enquiries at the Public Works Department on 3rd inst, a representative of the Daily Press was informed by Mr. A. H. Hollingsworth, executive engineer, that the Colony's reservoirs-Tylam, Pokfolum and Wein-icheong are all fall to overflowing. this t me last year the amount of water in storo was just about equal to the quantity now in the reservoirs. however be counted upon as a condition to ensure The present repletion cannot a plentiful supply until the next rainy season for unless we have a fair average rai fall during the intervening months there will be at the end of the dry season little left of the superabun,, dance of to-day.
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