December 12, 1904.]
launch belongs to a woman whose name I do not know. She engaged me. I don't know who the Ying Fat belongs to. We always leave Hongkong together carrying passengers. We do not race. I am never anxious to get to my destination before the other. On this occasion I was on the Ying Fat's starboard quarter, and going at the same speed as she was. She ported across my bows to prevent me getting ahead of her.
At this stage witness refused to answer
questions put by the Magistrate for the pur pose of discovering whether the Choy Sang was overtaking, so the Harbour Master said he could only come to the conclusion that she wa". Witness continued :—At the moment of
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
CANTON,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 2nd December. THE NEW CHINESE MINISTER TO ST. JAMES'
Mr. Tso Ping Lung, who is reported in your columns as having been selected as Chinese Minister to the Court of St. James', is well known in mandarin circles here. He was born in Canton forty-eight years ago, and is a Bannerman, or member of the garrison
supported here by the Manchus.
Mr. Tso has the Civil button of the First Rank, and is a Taotai. He was educated at the Tung Wan Knan, being one of the first scholars admitted when that school was established in
collision my engines were going astern. The 1864. After leaving the school he proceeded to
Magistrate, in passing judgment, said :-The Choy Sang, being the overtaking vessel, should have kept clear. I am satisfied that these two launches are running in opposition to each other, and each was trying to "jockey" the other. Ho Kau for negligent handling of his launch. will have his certificate suspended for
two months. Mak Tsau, Coxswain of the Ying Fat, contributed to the damage to his launch in hugging the shore so closely. His certificate will be suspended for one month.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Com- mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce held in the Chamber, St. George's Building, on Tuesday, 8th November, there were present:-Mr. E. A. Hewett (Chairman), Hon. W. J. Gresson, Messrs. A. Haupt, N. A. Siebs, J. R. M. Smith, H. E. Tomkins, R Chatterton Wilcox, Hon. K. Shewan (ex officio) and A. R. Lowe (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the monthly meeting held on 5th ultimo were read and confirmed.
NEW MEMBER.
The Secretary reported that since the last meeting Messrs. Jorge and Company had been elected to membership subject to the usual confirmation at the annual general meeting.
QUARANTINE.
It was reported that the Hon. Colonial Secre. tary had kindly placed at the disposal of the Chamber copies of telegrams received from H.B.M. Consul-General, Shanghai, and the S.cretary to the Government of India, advising the withdrawal of quarantine restrictions against Hongkong on the 17th and 30th September respectively.
Europe, and was attached to the London and Paris embassies for four years. His knowledge of English is considerable, and he also learned to
speak French, though not with equal facility.
On his return he served in China for some time, and was subsequently sent as Consul
General to Singapore, where he remained for twelve years. During this long period he was very popular with all classes of Chinese, and
with the members of the Government,
Latterly he has been acting as Director of
the school where he was educated. He left here some months ago for Peking.
The appointment of such an able and broad- minded man is a matter for gratification. The interests of China should be well served by Taotai Teo, and his liking for and knowledge of foreign manners will make him popular. No
better choice could have been made.
PAKHOL
0:
6th December.
EMIGRATION. The s.s. Rajaburi arrived here on the 27th ultimo and left on the 29th ultimo for Muntok with about 700 emigrants on board..
RETURN OF OLD RESIDENTS.
Dr. and Mrs. Horder and infant. Mrs. Beauchamp and Miss Havers, all members of the Church Missionary Society, arrived here on the 28th ult. from England. Dr. and Mrs Horder went home on furlough about two
years ago.
DPARTURES OF TWO OF OUR MEDICOS.
On the 28th ultimo, Dr. and Mrs Mesuy and Miss Mesuy left for Hanoi via Haiphong. Dr Mesny was the medical officer in charge of the French Hospital here, which post is now left vacant until the arrival of Dr. Abatucci, who is expected here soon.
đ
Dr. Frederic Sanger also left on the 2nd
instant for Fuhkien via Hongkong, He has been in sole charge of the hurch Mission Correspondence was read from the Decimal Hospital here for close on a year, during which
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (METRIC SYSTEM).
Association explaining the progress made in the Home Parliament with regard to the Weights and Measures Bill, and asking for monetary assistance, It was decided, as the Chamber had supported the introduction of such a system for the Empire in 1902, to send a donation of £10 to the Association's Parlia- mentary Campaign Fund.
ZONE TIME.
Further correspondence with the Government regarding the introduction of zone time in the Colony was passed, all of which had previously been sent to the local press for information of the public.
PARIS SANITARY CONVENTION,
The replies from the shipping firms and agencies to the Chamber's letter drawing their attention to the terms of the Paris Sanitary Convention were laid on the table, and after some discussion it was decided to communicate with the authorities at the various adjacent ports to see whether they would be willing to reciproca e with similar sanitary measures against shipping if Hongkong became a party to the Convention.
REGISTRATION OF CHINESE PARTNERSHIPS.
This question was again adjourned, as the reply from the Singapore Chamber regarding the position of this question in the Straits
Settlements was not to hand.
IMBECILE BILL.
Correspondence with the Government relat- ing to the Imbecile Ordinance Amendment Bill and the discussion was adjourned to the December meeting.
period he has made himself very popular amongst all classes.
as
THE LATE TROUBLE IN HONAN.
Relative to the recent telegraph wire cutting trouble near Kaifongfu, a correspondent of L'Impartial writing from Honan says :-
Li Yuen-ching is leading the secret society insurgents in Honan. He is an old man who has lived there for very many years, and is a man of remarkable agility, who is treated almost god. Outside a very old temple there are two stone lions so high up that even the young people find it difficult to reach them. But the old man can get up there easily and sits on one of the lions to address the people who listen to him kneeling. The name of the village is Chihtai, eastern suburb of Kaifengfu. Li Yuen exhorts the people to kill the Governor, and then exterminate the foreigners and all foreign institutions like postal, newspaper rail- way and telegraphs. They fixed on the 1st. Tenth Moon to start. People both inside and outside the city who refused to follow them were liable to have the whole family killed. On the 29th. Ninth Moon they cut down telegraph poles for a distance of 20 li; fortunately the authorities heard of this and sent troops to stop it, otherwise a very serious trouble might have ensued. Many Chinese were robbed. The real cause of the trouble is believed to be the garri- son bannermen being out their pay, when they refused to pay the taxes. Many of the military have joined them.
431
CHINA TRADERS' INSURANCE
COMPANY.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
of the China Traders' Insurance Company was The thirty-eighth annual general meeting
held oa the morning of the 6th inst. at the offices of the Company, Queen's Building. Mr. Evan Ormiston presided, and there were present Messrs. J. Whittal (~ecretary), A. J. Raymond, A. Haupt, H. Schubart, E. Goetz, J. Órange, G. T. Veitch, R. C. Wilcox, Capt in F. D. · Goddard, W. Parlane, J. W. Ross Taylor, 8. G. Newall, P. Lauder and W. E. Schmidt. After the SECRETARY read the notice convening
the
meeting, the CHAIRMAN said:-Gentlemen.
-The report and statement of accounts, which, with your permission, I will take as read, have been in your hands for the past two weeks, and will, I anticipate, have been received by you with some little gratification. It will be noticed that our premium income is slightly in advance of that of last year, and that the out- turn of the year's operations leaves a substantial
balance to the credit of working account, which after making safe provision for all outstanding liabilities and the declaration of our usual bonus to contributors, enables us to recommend the transfer of $50,000 to the reserve fund and the payment of an increased dividend. will remember our unfortunate experience of six years ago, when to help out a bad year we had to withdraw $100,000 from our reserve fund. Since then your directors,
You
through the successive occupants of this chair, have appealed to your patience in the matter of dividend until such time as our liquid reserves should be placed upon a sure.basis, and that $100.00) could be placed in reserve. In the statement new before you the signs are not wanting that the patience and forbearance exercised by you are to hava their reward. This year we feel fally justified in recommend. ing the replacing in reserve of ha'f the amount referred to, and if present indications of the current year's work ng can be depended upon, we have great hope of being able to replace the remainder next year. It may be thought that, on the figures before you, we could, without any great strain, have paid a $5 dividend this year. That is quite true, but your directors are of opinion that they are best conserving the interests of shareholders in not paying away in dividends more than is represented by the interest earnings, until the reserve fund has been brought up to its former level. The consideration of further augmenting the dividend may be justified, although in the true interests of the Company the further -
enable
This is the
augmenting of the company's reserves is, beyond doubt, a question which should demand equal, if not greater, consideration. Increasing reserves not only afford greater security to the insuring public, but they justify and the prosecution of a larger business, resulting, we would hope, in ever increasing profits, and shareholders also directly reap the benefit in the increasing interest earnings permitting the payment of increasing dividends. policy which you are well aware is followed by the largest and most prosperous insurance com- panies of the present day. The amount which you will notice has been written off our invest- ment in consols brings that investment down to ́a book value of £86, which we consider
a safe point. Messrs. Palmer and Turner's valuation report on the properties under mortgage to the company shows that our advances under this heading are amply secured. Although it is not a matter which is really connected with the report and accounts now before you, your directors desire to intimate to you that they have followed what is now an almost universal custom in sanctioning, as from the commence- ment of the current financial year, the initiation of a provident fund for the benefit of the European members of the company's staff throughout the service, which they cons der as perhaps in the long run a wise provision for the future, and with which they hope and believe shareholders will be in full accord. Before formally moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet I shall be glad to give, to the best of my ability, any further informa. tion that may be desired.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report and accounts as presented,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.