December 14, 1903.]
A
His Lordship-I think that everything is in order; therefore I have very much pleasure in approving of Mr. Reginald Harding as an attorney and proctor of this honourable Court. I congratulate you, Mr. Harding, on your admission to the profession here, and I am quite sure you will make it your endeavour to uphold the honour and reputation of the profession.
The Court then rose.
INQUEST ON SERGT.
MANN,
The inquest on Sergt. Mann, R.G.A., who met his death at Stonecutters' Island under circumstances already reported in these columns, was opened at the Central Police Court on Monday afternoon, under the presidency of Mr. T. Sercombe Smith.
The first witness called was Bombardier J. H. Thomson, R.A., who said that on the morn- ing of the 4th inst, he was in the library at Stonecutters Island with Gunner Waters, when, hearing a crash in the adjoining room, he rushed there and found Forgt. Mann lying on the floor in a pool of blood. A few minutes before going into the library witness had been speaking to deceased in the reading-room. When he found Maun in that state he imme- diately went for a doctor. Deceased was lying on his side, with an over-turned chair beside him. The carbine (produced) was lying under deceased.
Lient. B. A. Craig, R.A.M.C., stated that he was sent for and on going to the reading room he found deceased on the floor. He found a wound on his face extending from the upper lip to the left eye, while both jaws were frac tured, and blood was oozing from the left ear and from a round hole on the top of the skull. The walls near were spattered with blood and there was a bullet hole in the ceiling. The man was quite dead. Witness ordered the body to be removed to the Station Hospital, when he held post-mortem examination. He found that death was due to a bullet wound in the head, the bullet travelling through the brain and out through the top of the head. The wound was self-inflicted. Witness arrived at this opinion through the closeness of the shot, and the course of the bullet, and position of the wound.
Gunner Waters corroborated the last witness save that he said the gun was not under the deceased but by the side of a chair. The de- ceased was popular and well-liked by all the men. He had been in charge of the canteen at Stonecutter's Island for three or four months, but witness had never seen him under the in- fluence of liquor.
The inquest was then adjourned until Tues- day, the 15th inst.
SPORTING
NOTES.
(Daily Press, 5th December.)
In this (for Hongkong) rigorous weather some keen cricket and football will be looked for to-day. The main event is the game on the Cricket Ground between the Interport XI and the Rest of the H.K.C.C.; but there are also three League cricket matches, and a Rugby football game. The Rest of the Club ought to be able to give the Interport team (minds Lumsden, Cooper, and Lowe, a valuable trio) a good fight, but they would have been stronger still had the Blenheim not been in Mirs Bay. The loss of Eng. Lieat. Moore, not to mention Lieuts. Norfolk and Mahon, Messrs. Silver and Batchelor, who all have claims to a place, is no light one.
A Rugby game to-day occupies the attention of the H.K.F.C, the opposition being furnished by a Naval XV As the Club is almost at full strength the popular Mr. A. N. Other does not figure in the pack to-day-the result ought to be a win for the landsmen; but these naval teams have a knack of showing up well when least expected. The Associationists rest after their defeat on Thursday by the Royal Army Temperance Association by 1 goal to nil. They did not create much of a sensation on that occasion, but it must be remembered that they were not at all representative of the Club, and that the hard-working captain was a notable absentee, being engaged in bowling practice. It is to be trasted another month
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
will see a more regular side turn out; otherwise there will be small prospect of the Shield coming their way. The R.A.T.A. (whose initials, by the way, puzzled many) seem to have a fair team. I don't know whether the pledge was actually signed by the defeated side immediately after Thursday's game, as an obscure rumour says.
The polo match to-day at Causeway Bay should provide an interesting spectacle. Scotland (Messrs C. H. Ross, F. H. Lyon, R.N.. J. Johnstone, and Lieut. Simpsou) meet The World (Major Radcliff, Captains Nugent and Carleton, and Lieut. Knox, RN.). For over a year now the Scots have never been beaten. The Irish contingent is numerous now, but is feeling the loss of Captain Badham Thornhill. Neverthe less a challenge has been issued to Scotland and the match will probably come off soon. In that case it is expected that the acting Governor, for the first time in the history of the Colony, will be seen performing. H.E. would indeed have been in "The World's" team to-day, but for an important yachting engagement.
The date of the bowling match between the Hongkong Club and the German Club is fast approaching. On Thursday the Hongkong Club team did very well in practice on their opponents' alleys, and indeed the impression is now in favour of a victory for them, thourh the Germans started warm favourites. At any rate the contest on the 11th and 12th instant promises excitement in bowling circles.
24 grins for the Jockey Club arrive here to-morrow by the Choysang from Shanghai, and they will be drawn for on Monday afternoon at 4 o'clock.
At the Hankow Autumn Race Meeting, com- pleted last week, the most successful owner was Mr. Fawcett with 6 firsts, 7 seconds, and 2 thirds. Mr. Bouchard followed with 5 firsts, 2 seconds, and a third. Mr. Moller was top in the list of jockeys by a long way, securing 8 firsts and
seconds in 16 mounts. Mr. Cox had 4 firsts, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds in 14 mounts. The Foochow Autumn Meeting takes place on the 8th inst, and following days.
The S. Andrew's Stakes were run last Saturday at Shanghai in ideal weather. There were only three starters, so that the race was a somewhat tame one. The distance was mile and Mullah won easily by a length. The order of finishing was:-Mr. Ellis Kadoorie's Mullah (Mr. P. Crighton), 1; Mr. C. Barff's Cheap Jack (Mr. Wailleumier), 2; Mr. F. Gove's Usui (Mr. E. U. Reid), 3.
(Daily Press, 12th November.) At noon to-day the cricket match between the Interport XI. and the Rest of the H.K.F.C. will be resumed on the Cricket Ground. Last Saturday the game left off in the position that the Interport team had scored 235, while the Rest had put together 78 for 4 wickets. As F. Maitland is playing in the bowling match between the Hongkong and German Clubs, he will not turn out for the Rest, the substitute taking his place being A. G. M. Fletcher. Other cricket matches of interest to-day will be the League games between the H,K.C.C, Reserves and the Civil Service C.C., Craigengower C.C. v. Parsee C.C., and R.E. v. H.M.S. Tamar. It looks at present as if the H.K.C.C. Reserves and the Parsees were likely to have to fight for last place on the League table; bat the premier club certainly ought to be able to get a much stronger reserve team together than has so far been done. To-day they are very weak.
The League table stands as follows:-
4.0 C. Civil Service R. E. ... Craigengower R.A.M.Č. H.M.S. Tamar H.K.C.C. “A”. Parsees
***
Pl.
4
W. L.
D. Pts
5
0
15
0
1
1
OOHHHBO CO CT
do-oa-ooo
--O~~NINA
0014000
hand;
The V. B. C. regatta is close on arrangements in connection therewith are for the most part completed. Wednesday and Thurday next are the days fixed. The V. R. C.
|
44
Challenge Cup is:-A. E. Alves (stroke), crew contesting with the Boat Club for the G. H. Kubi (2), C. E. A. Hance (3), F. D. Bain (bow), and a cox, The V.R.C. at first had another team, of which J. Millar was stroke, but this has been scratched. The Boat Club crews entered for the Challenge Cup and International Race are:-(1) C. MOL. Messer, C. Beavis, A. R. Rouse, F. W. Warre, and a cox. (2) A. Toolke, H. Brandes, C. Brehmer, W. O. Koehler, and B. Siebs (cox) The Champion- ship contest appears greatly in favour of the Boat Club; their orew is a strong one, and, in my opinion, in much better form than Alves's lot.
Three crews from both V.R.'. and Boat Club have entered for the Ladies' Prize. of the Boat Club's crews are those entered for Two the Championship Cap and International Race; the third is as follows :-Konig, Berner, Carpenter, Hughes, and Kennett (cox). The V.R.C. crews are:-C. H. Rabie, C. A. Hance, H. C Austen, A. E. Alves, C. MS. Alres (cox). F. M. Rosa Pereira, J. A. S. Alves, J. Miller, . A. Musso, F. W. White (cox). F. Gidley, S. Gidley, J. Witchell, R. C. Witebell, E. Shep- hard (cox).
Regatta, I would give preference to Englaud; Regarding the International Race at the Germany, however, is pretty strong. Quite a number of naval boats
are entering for open events, and there are six entries for the also, for which Queen's College and the Tub Sculling Race. There will be a boys' race Diocesan School have entered.
Quite a number of yachts, the Royal Hong- kong Yacht Club figuring prominently, have entered for the Sailing Race of the V. R. C. Regatta. I understand that handicaps, etc., will be arranged on the basis of those used by the Yacht Club.
No Royal Hongkong Yacht Club race towards this season's championship will be sailed to-day or to-morrow, but, as notified in the Daily Press yesterday, there will be a Ladies' Race for a prize presented by Col. L. F. Brown, R. E. The fifth Club Race will be sailed on Saturday, the 19th inst., and Sunday, the 20th, the Championship Class sailing on the Saturday
The Canton Regatta, taking place on the 18th and 19th inst., the two days following the V.R.C. Regatta,ought to prove agreat success. One of the events, I understand, is to be a single-soull race, Hongkong orews leave on Friday evening, the 18th inst., arriving at Canton next morning. Crows entered for the Light Gigs race are:- Powerful, S. R. Moore, A. J. Mackie, J. Cruick- shank (cox); Terrible, E. Humphreys, F. W. White, H. M. Bain (cox); Jubilee, G. Rapp. R. Busso, A. E. Asger (cox). Hongkongites who can get away ought to go up and back them up.
Cyclists are taking full advantage of the opportunity afforded for training on the Taikoo track in view of the forthcoming sports. The handicappers are keeping their eyes open for form, and those cyclists who turn out even at daybreak find someone present taking note. Since last sports the ranks of raping cyclists in the Colony have been numerously added to. McKirdy and Austen are generally favoured for the event-the 5 Mile Open-but they have to face some competitors whese abilities cannot be despised. L. Twomey, I believe, has raced at the Crystal Palace and shows good form. Forbes and Palmer are going strong. Among other probable starters are R. Witchell, Steven- son(?), Kruse, Sinolair, Holmes, and a sports- man whose swarthy complexion bespeaks the Asiatic. Barring dark horses," "the three I have named first should be in the front when the line is crossed.
4
So far as the flat racing is concerned, the Half Mile is the event that will draw out the talent of the Colony. There is a lot of hard training going on on the quiet." I have not heard of anything however that should spoil Kinnaird's ohnces, handicapping permitting. But J. Watson should give him a stiff encounter for premier honours,
i
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.