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been attacked by pirates at a place called Sà Kong on the 2nd instant. The pirates, besides plundering all the goods on board, seized three out of the five men- the owners of the goods. The remaining two reached here on the 3rd instant to report the piracy, when they discovered that about one hundred hides, bearing their marks, were stored in Kwong Cheong Hing's shop. The shop-keeper was accused at once of receiving stolen goods and of being in league with the pirates, upon whica he pleaded ignorance, proposed to remunerate the two men for the loss they have sustained through the piracy. The two men further asked him to get the release of their three companions who had been seized by he pirates. This was also promised them, but before the promises could be fulfilled the corpses of the three missing men reported to have been seen floating in the harbour near the scene of the piracy. Without, further parlaying the offended parties com- municated the matter to the authorities, and the result was the arrest of the principal of the shop, which was effected at Limchow, and uis shop here was seized and sealed up by order of the sub-prefect. The prisoner is now awaiting his trial, at which important disclosures are expected.
were
CORRESPONDENCE
THE HONGKONG POST-OFFICE.-
A SUGESTION.
C+
TO THE EDITOS OF TH DAILY PRESS.'
Hongkong, 23rd January. Sir-Slowly but surely, let us hope, the Hong- kong Government is working out the salvation of its Public Offices, Time was (and not so long ago either) when everyone considered the Post Office to Le past praying for. Lately, however, changes for the better have taken place. Te Parcal-Post Office still leaves something to be desired in the way of providing separate accom- modation at the counter for the use of Europe- ans, and Chinese or other Asiatics. Al present it is little shortf a disgrace to see delicate European ladies being hustled, pushed aside, and often piened to the counter by the crowd of evil-smelling, uncouth coolies who on mail days besiege the office striving to force their parcels into the hands of the first official they see, regardless of whether he is a' tending to others or not. Surely the remedy is simple. Will our Post-Master or his energetic and courteous locum tenens be kind enough to provide it on the suggestion of your humble corresp ndent?
Yours, etc.,
"PLACE AUX DAMES."
THE HONGKONG SAMPAN NUISANCE
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
THE, HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND unable to assist one. There would seem to be two remedies for the existing state of affairs. One is that the men-of-war in the harbour should use the ship's boats exclusively if possible, the other that more dirsot control should be exerted over the sampaus by the Police authorities; & 5 cents fare might be adopted, and the regula- tion fares in detail required to be posted up in each sampan.-Yours, etc.,
Hongkong, 21st January. SIE,-You would, 1 am sure, codfer a great benefit on a large number of your readers if. you opened your columns to a discussion of the sampan naisance in Hongkong harbour, which might thereby be remedied. After 3 years spent between the ports of China and Japan, one is forced to acknowledge that, in the matter of the sampan service Hongkong is by far the wors of all. Owing presumably to the large number of naval officers and men using the sampans during the day and evening, the occupants of the sampans earn enough early in the day to satisfy their needs. In consequence it is almost impossible to get a sampan after 9 o'clock p.m., the difficulty increasing every hour; and it is not an exaggeration to state that many are kept waiting 2 hours or more for a sampan to get off to a ship; to get a sampan alongside a ship at a late hour is even more hopeless. It is now 10a.m.. and after hailing a sampan for a quar er of an hour, several being quite close and within call, I have had to give up my idea of getting ashore. When hailed from the pier the person in charge of the sampan either refuse to budge until a large number collect, or asks the name of the ship to which it is required to go, probable saying "mnche far " and remaining at anchor. The Polic man at Murray Pier seems quite
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
HONGKONG
[January 30, 1904.
GENERAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
At a monthly meeting of the General. Com- mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce held in the Chamber Room, City Hall, on Tuesday, 12th January, 1904, at 3.45 p.m. Present:-Mr. E. A. Hewett (Chairman), Hon. C. W. Dickson, Messrs. C. Michelac,
THE REGISTRATION OF DOMESTIC | N. A. Siebs, J. R. M. Smith., H. E. Tomkins,
SERVANTS.
tr
TO THE EDITOR OF THE" DAILY PRESS."
26th January. Sir, The correspondence on the above sub- ject which appears in your issue of this morning is, to say the least of it. very disheartening, if unt actually alarming. Presuming that such correspondence is translated and finds its way under special editorial into the Native Press, both bere and in Canton, may we not expect a return of that feeling and conduct which was experienced in 1857-60? What, I should like to know, will be the effect on the average domestic servant? Will he improve?
Such indifference, as shown in that letter from the Acting Colonial Secretary to the Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C, is what the white people have had patiently to submit to for the last ten years or perhaps longer for the unaltered policy has been:
"On no account must there be any in- terference with Native Freedom; regardless of the extent to which the white people might be inconvenienced or even have to suffer, the steady grinding of that axe must not be interrupted Nor has it been, and to-day the native servant | is becoming dangerous. Happy they who know how to help themselves. The stable-door will not be closed auti! after the horse has bolted. And, then, in the face of same scandal, some. thing will be don. Twenty-five years ago the white man was master in his own household, to- day the native is. You dare not correct him. You dare not attempt to put him through a course of training where a little firmness is necessary to convince him of his many mis akes or to check his uncleanly habits. You are absolutely at his mercy, and at the mercy of the sitting magis' rate Between tha two your efforts at housekeeping are difficult and trying in the extreme, if not an absolute failure,
A magnanin-ons British Colonial Government decrees, according to the correspondence above referred to, that this unhappy state of things must continue for an indetini e period. What are we coming to, Mr. Editor, and where shall we land? Afer the general apathy shown in that letter, should developments in the north mature suddenly, which they may do, the difficulties with native servants will become very much greater immediately, resulting almost in a state of revolt. A warning note.- Yours, etc.,,
OLD RESIDENT.
แ
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 26th January. SIE-Hongkong has many troubles to put up with. The latest is the one particularly experienced by the European ladies of Hong- kong, and more acutely than by men, as they put it in their petition. Red tapeism apart, gallantry only" might be expected to do duty. If gallantry fails and this stern sex b deter- mined to be indifferent to the comforts of the weaker vessel, as a last resort the fair should go to the fair for relief. That relief is not far to seek. Go to Japau; study European | domestic life there, You will find that Japan- ese maids, young and old, are engaged to do all domestic work, and they have proved quite satisfactory. Import them here. Let them replace Chinese boys. Give them a fair trial and you will wonder if there ever existed any trouble about domestic servants, I speak from personal experience. I have travelled in Japan from one end to another. I have moved in society and have seen in family houses these gentle Japanese maids working with a cheer- fulness, sweetness, and obedience all their own. Others who have resided or travelled there can confirm this experience.-Yours, eto..
FELLOW-SUFFERER.
|
R. C. Wilcox, Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., (ex officio) and A. R. Lowe (Secretary). Absent Mr. D. R. Law (Vice-Chairman) and Mr. A. G. Wood.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the meeting of the 1st ult. were read and confirmed.
RESIGNATION OF MEMBERSHIP. The Secretary reported that Messrs Deacon and Hastings had-resigned their membership as from the 31st December, 1903.
NEW MEMBE+ 8.
A
The Secretary reported that the China and Japan Telephone and Electric Company Limit- ed and Messrs Deacon, Locker, and Deacon had been elected to membership since the last meeting, subject to the usual confirmation, by the members at the next annual general meeting.
EXPLOSIVES ON BOARD STEAKERS IN THE HARBOUR. The following communication from the Go- vernment was read,
Colonial Secretary's Office.
December 11th, 1903. SIR-In reply to your letter of the 39th ultimo I am directed to transmit for the infor mation of your Chamber the enclosed copy of instructions which have been issued by the Acting Harbour Master for the guidance of Officers in his Department in reference to ves- sels arriving in the harbour and carrying small quantities of dan erous goods,
These instructions bare also been issued by the Police Officers on boarding duty who in some cases board vessels before the regular Boarding Officers of the Harbour Department.
While His Excellency the Officer Admini- stering the Government hopes that the Cham ber of Commerce will be satisfied with this re- laxation of the law he has instructed me to point out that in this free port more stringency is requ red tan at the Treaty Ports in China, which are protected by the Customs establish- mente, and that it is necessary to keep in the hands of the proper authorities complete con- trol of ammunition and such like goods arriving in the Colony.
1
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(sd). A. M. THOMSON, Acting Colonial Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce.
COPY.
1. Should the vessel hoarded have on board not more than 100 lbs of Gunpowder, seven cases of Safety Cartridges, or 6 of Acids, and the manifest be shown to the Officer boarding her, be shall exempt her from going to the Dangerous Goods Anchorage, unless special circumstances render it advisable for him to consult me before so exempting her.
2. Should she have a larger quantity, 15 or 20 cases of Safety Cartridges, he may exempt her at his discretion.
3. In no case shall be so exempt any vessel having on board more than 6 cases Acids, 20 cases of Safety Cartridges, 100 lbs. of Gunpowder, or any quantity of other dangerous goods.
4. He will inform me, at once, of each case in which he has granted such exemption.
5. This exemption shall not relieve the vessel of the obligation to furnish me with a copy of the manifest immediately on arrival,
6. In any case of such exemption being granted, th vessel shall also be exempted from lying the red flag.
(Sd.) B.SIL Taylor. Acting Harbour Master.
8th December, 1903. The Chairman said that the Government had not met the views of the Committee as fully as
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