August 1, 1903.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
that Japan's Navy had been built at Eng-CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT
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land's cost, but not an atom of evidence did be adduce in support of this astonishing assertion, which we have no hesitation in describing as pure fiction. Japan's Navy has been built entirely at her own cost, and its great expansion in recent years was made possible out of the indemnity paid by China after the war of 1895. And now the writer tells us that England is the Power that is secretly bringing about this world tragedy, because it is necessary to England that Russin hud Japan should ruin themselves in order that England may be the leading Power in the Far East. The series of articles bent their own refutation | of these absurd statements. If the crime of a "world tragedy is to lie at the door of any one Power, that Power would most assuredly be none other than Bussia, whose duplicity and utter isregard of her most solemn pledges our contributor has most clearly established. If Rusia fulfils her repeated promises to evacuate Manchuria, it is patent to everybody that no excuse for a war would exist; but it is unfortunately equally patent that while the Russian Government has been holding this white flag of diplomacy before the eyes of rival Governments, her soldiers have been strengthening their position until now apparently she feels that she is able to "ait tight," tear up her promises, and challenge the world.
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CANTON RIVER TRAFFIC,
(Daily Press, 29th July.)
DEPARTMEN .8.
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(Daily Press, 30th July.) The trial of Mr. R. G. MCEWEN, Inspector of Markets, on a charge of having on the 15th July, 1902. unlawfully accepted a bribe of $10 from one FUNG YUNG with ❘ a view to influence his conduct in the performance of his duties, and having on other occasions accepted bribes of amounts varying from $17 to $120, which sulted ie his acquittal on the 22nd inst., suggests some serious reflections. The jury were quite satisfied that the charges were not proved, and gave an unanimous verliet to that effect, but the Government apparently held a very different opinion. However that may be, Mr. McEWEN has been triumphantly acquitted, and the verdict wis obviously in accordance with outside opinion, as was evidenced by the unseemly outburst of applause which it evoked from the spectactors, and which the Chief Justic in righteous indignation promptly suppres sed. The question now before the public is not. Mr. McEwen's case, or that of others who have recently been accuse I of the same offence, but the broader one of how to put a stop to the corruption which is ad uitted y going on in several administrative depart ments of the Government.
In the first plac, whatever can be done to lessen the temptations to which slenderly paid officials are exposed should most certainly be attemptel. Human nature is frail, and money earned by meroly not seeing or not knowing possesses a great In no branch of local shipping trade is fascination to min whose wage only more activity evinced at present than in supply them with a bare living. Every the Canton river-steamer traffic. Last year mau also likes to supplement his ordinary the entries and clearances each reached income, if possible, either by extra work or the figure of over ope and three-quarters by any legitimate labour. If it can be million tons, representing more than increased by much easier methods, it may seventeen per cent of the entire shipping seem no critae to do so to some persons trade of the port of Hongkong, and still whose moral perceptions are perhaps uot there are more steam-vessels being built too reïned. Now, it is right and it is for the Hongkong-Canton run. Within prudent to restrain such persons from the last six months or so, the Kwongchow stepping on to this fatally easy path, by a the San Cheung and the Kinshan have knowledge that pains and penalties beset swelled the number of steamboats employed it; but it is also right and reasonable that in the trade, and there are at present on the the path of virtu; should he rendered as local stocks two more vessels designel to smooth as possible. Thus, the salaries paid take part in this ever-growing traffic, while to officials who are exposed to such tempta two new Franch steamers are also about to tions should at least be sufficient to place enter into the competition. Now we hear them above the pinch and pressure of of still another bid that is likely to be made want. They should be deceatly housed and in the near future, and this a new departure, surrounded by their own people as far as calculated to make the cutting of tariffs possible, be able to send their children to a still more acute-namely, a scheme to put good school among other Bri ish children, on the run a fast moderu turbine steamer of and be able to furnish the mems for some the PARSONS type and of a speed sufficient inuocent enjoyment or amusements to to enable her to perform the journey in only their families. In Colonies like Hongkong four hours. This would necessitate a speed the means of recreation for Europeans of exceeding twenty hots au hour, which of the poorer class are regrettably few, and course is a velocity easy of accomplishment if, in addition, they are compelled to live by such a type of steamer provide 1 that the among the natives and participate in the difficulties of river navigation permit it. But dirt and squalor with which the latter of this the promoters of the scheme entertain surround themselves, the lot of such no doubt. The steamer would leave Hong-person is hard indeed.
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kong every morning ateighto'clock, reaching As a matter of fact the Government has Canton (according to estimate) at no ɔn, and | always failed grievously in its duty to the would start upon her 'return journey at two lower ranks of officials, such as the minor o'clock and reach here at six. Should such clerks, police, sanitary and public works regularity of service become a fait accompli, | inspectors and overseers, class who the promoters' hopes of being able to cap- receive a rate of pay that will not permit ture a large proportion of the passenger of their occupying a respectable European traffic would doubtless be fulfilled; indeed the Kowloon Railway itself would find it difficult to offer better and more rapid facili- ties of transit than the turbine steamer would provide. Meantime, the mere fact that such a project is being floated shoas that those who know the river and its trade are convinced of the existence or even grea ter and more lucrative potentialities than have already been exploited.
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dwelling-house and which necessitates their living in flats in Chinese tenements. Many years ago it was suggested in these columns that the Government should provide quar- ters for the married members of the Police Force and for those officials whose salaries were insufficient to allow of their renting decent houses in the European quarters of the Colony. It is eminently desirable that the lower ranks of the officials should not
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be driven to live as and among natives, and more especially those whose duties place them in a position to oblige or thwart Chinese contractors or dealers. time the suggestion was made, it would At the have been comparatively easy to carry it into effect. The Government had plenty of sites at its command and could readily have built suitable quarters at a reasonable cost. Now it would be much more difficult and much more expensive to carry out such a scheme. At the same time it is not impracticable, and we hope it will yet be attempted. The pay of certain officials should also be considerably increase I, in cases where great responsibilities are accepted or great temptations have to ha encountered.
While on the one hand officials should be thus encouraged to go straight and resist. temptation, however insidiously thrust upon thein, efforts should likewise and simul. taneously be made to punish all parties offer- ing bribes to official. It is an offence to attempt to seduce a public servant from the performance of his duties, and those guilty of it should be made liable to a severe punishment. A fine would not meet the case. The Chinese in many instances would care nothing for a fine, but if they were made to understand that
term of imprisonment with hard labour would confront those caught attempting the corruption of an officer either by bribery or by other means it would possibly have some deterrent effect. In the case heard on the 22nd inst. several witnesses calmly admitted having offered these hribes, and it should be an easy matter to procure a conviction. The Attorney-General has these men in his hand, and we trust he will not fail to institute a prosecution. They will b caught on the horns of a dilenima : either they were guilty of offering bribes, or they committed perjury for the purpose of ruining an official.
THE CUBICLE QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 30th July ) When the new Buildings Ordinance was still before the Tegislative Council there was no one of its previsions round which the battle of debate waxel stronger than round the section dealing with the abolition of windowless cubicles in existing domestic buildings. The wording of the Ordinance in reference to this matter may appear sufficiently succinct, but as already there have been obtained upon it legal opinions which differ materially, and as n test-case is under the process of preparation, it may be pardonable to again quote the words laid down in the Act. Section 154 (1) provides that "No cubicle or room which is not pro-
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"vided with a window or windows or a skylight opening directly into the external "air and having a total glazed área of not less than one tenth of the floor ares of such enbicle or room, may be erected or if already erected be maintained in any storey of any domestic dwelling." When we turn to the definition of “external air
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we find it stated to mean a clear and "unobstructed open space measured in a 'straight line from and at right angles to the plane of any window and of a "width throughout of not less than ordered to be first enforced in No. 5 "thirteen feet." These provisions were
Health District, which for density of build. ings and population in proportion to area is said to suffer the unpleasant distinction of being unrivalled in any city in | the civilised world, an it is matter of common knowledge that the enforcement regulations of the new Ordinance
their
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