336
MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT..
Monday, 31st October.
BEFORE HON. CAPT. L. Barnes-LAWRENCE, R.N. (MARINE Magistrate),
A HUNGRY CREW.
sent
An enquiry was held into the circumstances of a case of alleged gross neglect of duty by a coxswain and engineer of a steam launch "8 K.“ in the waters of the Colony on the 26th October. 8. Smith, boatswain in charge of the float- ing stock of the Hongkong and. Whampoa Dock Co.. said that on that day he the launch to the Cosmopolitan Docks, and to proceed from thence to Deep Water Bay. The defendants proceeded on this duty, and ou return anchored at Aberdeen, remaining there some time. The defendant and crew all landed. lowering the boat, and left the launch without anyone on board. The launch was absent so long that the complainant took another launch to look for it. He found it in the fairway, and the Coxswain informed him that they landed for "chow." This was unneces: sary, as the launch was provided with cooking utensils. The coxswain had orders that when ever going to Deep Water Bay he must proceed outside. Aberdeen. Complainant had been with him several times to show him the route he
should have taken.
T. Hand. superintendent of Aberdeen Dock. said he noticed the launch made fast to the Dock Baoy about 11.30 am.. on the 26th Knowing she had no business there he boarded her. He found nobody on board except a small boy; and he was not one of the crew. He ordered the whistle to be blown to attract the crew, but nobody responded. He then landed. At 130 p.m. he noticed the crew go off in the boat.. They cast off the slip rope and left.
The coxswain said he was without a cook: they landed because they were hungry.
Both defendants had their suspended for three months
"
CANTON,
certificates
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
CANTON-FATSHAN RAILWAY TROUBLES. The committee of the five charitable insti- tutions or hospitals have of late been very busy They, together with the gentry and merchants which meant to represent the whole population of Canton, have called meeting after meeting to discuss upon the best plan of taking over the Canton and Fatshan railway. Their grievance" was a large one, and formed the subject of animated discussion. They say that Chinese were murdered and otherwise ill treated by the Americ in employees of the railway, and that if the railway continues to be under the management of foreigners there will soon be riot and disturbance, and as the Chinese hold a majority of shares they ought to take it under their control. They have forwarded their
complaint to the Waiwupu. to the Viceroy, and to the officials of various prefectures and districts to request their help and co-operation.
RUMOURS OF RIOT.
During the last week or two there was a rumour that there was to be a revolt in Canton, owing to the case of murder by four American sailors of a ship's compradore. The populace was not all satisfied with the inquiry. The meeting wà held in the Temple of Longevity and attended by over a thousand people. Not being satisfied the mind of the populace became more and more excited by the wild
at
rumours published by the native newspapers here to the effect that bands of Triad Society men and rebels had descended from Kwangsi to Kwangtung and attacked, robbed. and set fire to the villages in the districts of Hoi Kün. Fang Chün, in the prefecture of Sew Hing. aad B-Ui in Kwong Ning; that the villagers were so afraid that they had run away to Sam Shui and Sai Nam, and Canton; and that the officials here had despatched gunboats and soldiers to suppress the rebellion. The fact seems to be that it was a clan fight be ween Teins and Chiks. The mandarins sent soldiers to suppress the disturbance, and some soldiers being killed the people got frightened and ran away.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CHINO-PORTUGUESE RAILWAY AGREEMENT
SIGNED.
I learn from native sources that the agree. ment between Portugal and China for the con- struction of the Macao and Canton railway has been signed in Shanghai; that the capital is to be four millions of taels, half of which shall be taken up by the Chinese merchants Lum and Chan, and the rest to be offered to the public. The management to be between Portugal and Chinu.
MACAO'S S RICE SUPPLY.
|
The five charitable institutions or hospitals; are opposing the export of rice from Canton to Mucao, and in their petition to the Provincial: Governor say that they learn from newspapers that the Portuguese Minister in Peking has got an Imperial permission from the Waiwupu to export from 300,000 to 500,000 sheks of rice to, Macao yearly, one shek being equal to 120 catties: that on learning such news the people here are very much alarmed, for they fear that the rice in Canton is not enongh for their consumption; that they have to rely upon the supply from Annam. Siau. Wahn. Chiukiang. Shanghai, and Kwangsi; that ever since the Portuguese settled in Macao they have never been short of rice, but have surplus enough to export to California and San Francisco, there fore it is not necessary to obtain any supply from the interior of China; that if the permission be granted some virious merchants might avail themselves of this opportunity to make profit by the export of rice to foreigù countries so as to raise the price of rice in Canton; and that if Portugal is allowed such privilege the other natious might do the same, and Canton will in course of time suffer from the danger of famine, which might bring about a revolution. They beg of the Provincial Governor to telegraph to Peking to stop such license.
CANTON TREASURY EMPTY.
The Viceroy Shum Chou Hun is at present in the district of Kwai Lin, and in the course of ten days or a fortnight he will go to Wuchow to transact some important business. All the money in the Government Treasury of Canton being expended to pay war expenses in Kwangsi, His Excellency has: through the Sin How Kuk. Bureau of Reorganization, succeeded in raising a loan of 200,000 taels from the gambling farmers, besides the licence fees for three months in advance.
or
FROM THE "CHUNG NGỦI SAN FO".
THE CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY. The gentry and merchants of Cautou are now trying hard to recover. the rights and privilege for the construction of the Canton and Hankow railway. ix meetings have been held in the different charitable ipstitutious and in the Cheung Shau Monastery to discuss the matter. A working committee composed of about a dozen leading merchants and influential people has been appointed. A large number of letters have been received from merchants and gentry of every quarter in the province of Kwangtung promising their assistance. Letters have also been received from Viceroys Charg Chih Tung and Sham-Chun-Hun and other Canton officers in Peking, promising them their help and encouraging them to work greatly disappointed when they on promptly and assiduously. They
rumour
heard
were
a
that another American syndicate would take over the work. but hope soon inquiries revived when they discovered upon making
that the rumour" 28
without foundation.
MACAO'S RICE SUPPLY. A meeting was held some days ago in a
charitable institution for the purpose of as cing the Governor to refuse the application of exporting rice to Macao. There were present several dozens of merchants and gentry. It is reported that some days ago the Portuguese Minister in Peking despatched to the Board of Foreign Affairs asking to allow 300,000 or 500,000
4
shek "of rice to be shipped to Macao annually for the consumption of the people there. They said that the price of rice is still very high, though the two rice crops have been reported favourable this year, for the ice produced in Kwangtung province is not sufficient to fe d its own people, and a great quantity is required to be imported from other places annually. Many fields in the province of Kwangtung have'
[November 5, 1904.
been laid waste for fear of the robbers who demand blackmail from the farmers, or reap the harvest themselves. In account of the rebellion no rice is now imported from Kwangsi, from which Canton generally drew its supply. More- over, they said, Macao has not hitherto imported rice from Canton. If rice is allowed to be exported from Canton the price of the article will become higher than ever, for the holders will be firm, however large a quantity is imported.
INQUEST,
He AR TAI AND ANOTHER, DECEASED.
Mr. F. A. Hazeland, coroner, held an enquiry concerning the death of two Chinese, who were killed by the fall of a piece of "eares gutter in Queen's Road Central on the 15th ult. The following jury was empanelled.--Messrs. William Turner, Christopher Boswell Thomas, and Ernest Oscar Rudolph Walgrave.
Dr. John Bell, Superintendent of Govern- ment Civil Hospital. gave evidence as follows: -On the 14th October a Chinese boy named Al Tai was admitted into Hospital in a dying condition. He had a severe fracture on the top- of the head a little to the left. He died two hours after from shock. The cause of his death was fracture of the skull.
William Hunter deposed-I am medical officer in charge of post-mortem examinations On the 15th October I examined the body, of an nukoown Chinese male aged about 25, which was identified in my presence by P.C. No. 74. The cause of death was fracture of the skull.
Walter William Cooper deposed :-I am PC. No. 74. On the 14th October at eight minutes past four in the afternoon I was on duty in Queen's Road when my attention was called to a crowd. - I went up and B&W one man and one boy lying on the street and a piece of gutter piping lying in the side channel. The man was dead; the boy was still breathing. The man had his skull fractured and the boy's skull was also fractured. I took the boyto the hospital and the man Was sent to the Mortuary,
John Smith said: I am an Inspector of Police and in charge of this inquiry. I have not been able to procure any witness who actually saw how the two deceased were struck.
William Thomas Edwards, deposed: I am a Building Inspector in the Public Works Department. In consequence of information -received from the police on October 15th I went and visited No. 85. Queen's Road Central. I made an examination of the premises at about 1-1 a.m. and found that a portion of the saves gutter had fallen. I did not see the portion. as it had been removed. The eaves gutter produced is probably the portion that had fallen. The eares gutter was under the eaves of the roof of the balcony. I examined the balcony and found the woodwork to which the fallen portion had been attached had become rotten through the action of the wet. The exposed portion of the woodwork appeared to be in good condition. The joint between the back of the saves gutter and the wood which was attached was covered by a wood fillet fixed underneath. I am of opinion that the rotten wood could not have been seen in any way. have seen cases at home in which the wood has rotted in a similar way. Cases of this sort are quite common in England. I found the gutter had been partially filled with cement, which added considerably to the weight. I am of opinion that this is really an accident that could not have been foreseen.
I
In reply to a question from a Juryman, Mr. Edwards stated that there were no brackets
supporting the gutter in a large number of houses built prior to the present Building Ordin-
ance.
brackets are required to be inserted.
Under the present Building Ordinance
Replying to a further question, Mr. Edwards stated that there was no law prohibiting these eaves being filled with cement.
honse is from fifteen to twenty years old.
To His Worship: I am of opinion that the
The agent of the house stated that he did not know there was any cement in the gutter The house was about 20 years old. He had been connected with the house for about two years.
The Jury without retiring brought in a verdict of death by accident; and added that the
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