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December 17, 1904.]
INQUESTS.
RE YUEN CHAN, DECEASED.
At the Magistracy on the 12th instant Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz held an inquiry into the cause of death of a Chinaman ̈named Yuen Chan, who was killed at the Naval Yard Exten- sion on the 22nd ultimo. Messrs. W. EĮ Claret, W.J. Rattey and J. V. Hayes were empanelled as a jury. The coroner stated that the deceased was working in an excavation from which bags of dirt were being raised by a crane. As nine bags were being hauled up. the rope of the orane gave way, and the weight. falling on the deceased, crushed him. The evidence of Dr. Hunter showed that fracture of the skull was As the evidence with the cause of death. regard to the number of men employed on a orane was conflicting-a partner of the firm stating that three men were employed, while the driver of the crane at which the accident happened said he did all the work the inquiry was adjourned until Friday afternoon at 2.15, when the engineer in charge of the cranes is to be called to give evidence.
At the Magistracy on the 14th instant Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz held an inquiry into the cause of death of a Chinese female, Ying Shut, who was found drowned in the harbour on the 28th November last. The following jury was empanelled-Messrs. F. Kilien (Foreman), C. E. A. Hance and C. Shüttinbach. The Coroner informed the jury that deceased was found float- She ing in the harbour on the 28th ultimo. was identified as having been a servant in the house of a respectable Chinaman, who stated
that she had shown on various occasions an
extraordinary demeanour. Deceased had pre- viously attempted to commit suicide, after which she was s at to the Government Civil Hospital as an outpatient and treated there. The first witness called was' Chung Shui Ka, the em ployer, who said she was slightly deranged. She had been a servant in his house for fourteen years, and usually appeared to be happy and contented. On a previous occasion she had tried to commit suicide by jumping into a tub of water. head first, when the amah pulled her out. She was laughing at the time.
Further witnesses were called, whose testimony went to prove that the deceased was of unsound mind. P.C. No. 88 gave evidence as to the finding of the body in the harbour near Bank Wharf on the 30th ultimo, and Dr. Hunter said he made a post-mortem examination of the body, and found that deceased had met her death by drowning.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
CORRESPONDENCE.
BAND PERFORMANCES AGAIN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
I AM G
Hongkong, 12th December. SIB, Either “Banyan" or your compositor must have made a mistake when writing or which setting up the "Hongkong Jottings appear in your issue of to-day.
The paragraph I refer to is that relating to the Royal West Kent Regiment's Baud. Banyan" has no doubt" the attendance will be larger the next time the Band is "privileged to play in the Gardens"!
'To me the boot seems to be on the other foot and the Public and not the Band would appear to be the "privileged party." interesting correspondence in your valuable This question formed the subject of a very paper some months ago, and the consensus of public opinion as indicated by the letters of your correspondents very clearly favoured the common sense view that the people of Hongkong accept rather than bestow a privilege when they attend such a musical treat as is provided by the Military Bands in general and the West Kents' band in particular.-I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,
GOLD LACE.
ROBINSON ROAD.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 12th December, SIB,-May I presume to draw the attention of the responsible authority to the disgraceful state of Robinson Road (Kowloon); the wheel barrows which have been used for removing the earth from the site of the new church have been allowed to make holes and rats several inches deep, and the loose earth covers the road to a depth in many places of two or three inches. In the present dry weather, with a strong wind blowing most days, this state of things is posi tively painful to residents as well as to pedes- trians; it is impossible to open a window with any comfort, and walking is anything but pleasure, and ricksha riding is positively dangerous.
Contractors and coolies in Kowloon seem to be allowed to do what they please with the roads; are there no byelaws or regulations for The verdict of the jury was "Found drowned." the protection of the poor persecuted and long-
ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH,
THE LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE,
suffering ratepayer and resident?
The Merry Microbe has in this particular C&Be a splendid opportunity to make himself known, and I sincerely trust that Dr. Clarke will at once get on the war path.
Trusting that you will
the for spare me space this little growl, which I know will be endorsed by all residents on the Robinson Road.—I am,
The Rt. Rev. J. C. Hoare, Bishop of Victoria, on the 18th instant laid the founda- tion stone of the new Kowloon charch, St. Andrew's Church, presented to the Colony by Sir Paul Chater: The site etc.. was roofed
a matshed, strings over with of bunting hanging around it. The ap. proach to the foundation stone Was laid out with red carpeting, and numerous very pretty plants in pots added colour to the surroundings. Chairs were provided for the numerous ladies and gentlemen who attended the ceremony. Included among those present were noticed the Hon. Sir C. P. Chater, C.M.G., the Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., the Hon. Capt. L. Barnes-Lawrence, RN., and Mr. A. Bryer, of Messrs. Leigh and Orange, the architects acting in an honorary capacity.
site.
At about four o'clock, the appointed hour, the choir, with the clergy, churchwardens and other officials, and the Bishop, proceeded to the The clergy consisted of the following:-- Rev. Messrs. T. H. France, E. J. Hardy, G. Searle, W. Knox, E. J. Barnett, Fok Tsing Shaun, F. Icely, R.N., W. Southam, P. Jen- kips, C. Gordon Vanden and F. Johnson. The choir was under the direction of Mr. A. G. Ward, the organist of St. John's Cathedral. The choir boys from St. Peter's Seamen's Church, all dressed in sailor suits, were also present. The ceremony consisted of prayer and the singing of hymns, psalms, etc. The founda- tion stone was laid in due course and further prayers followed. The procession finally returned in the same order as at the beginning.
to
HONGKONG ROADS.
W. K.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.”
Hongkong, 13th December, 1904. SIR. Following the letter of your correspon- dent "W. K." in your paper of this morning, may I also be permitted, through the medium of your valuable paper, to bring to the notice of the responsible authority the bad state of some of the Hongkong roads on the higher level? I refer specially to the Robinson Road the east end of the Conduit Road from
the Richmond Estate. This section is covered with angular pebbles most distressing to the pedestrians, who are fain to travel in the side channels. If the Director of the P. W. D. would take a walk along the Robinson Road to the Upper Richmond Road and return by way of the Lyttelton Road as far as Ravenshill, he would see for himself that these roads are really not a credit to his Department. The ratepayers contribute liberally towards the maintenance of roads. I have seen roads in much smaller and poorer cities kept in a much better state of repair.—Yours, sto....,
PEDESTRIAN,
453
BAND PERFORMANCES IN THE
BOTANICAL GARDENS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS."
SIR,-Allow me to say at once in reply to "Gold Lace" that I entirely exonerate the compositor from plame for the appearance in my "Jotting" on the Royal West Kent Regiment's Band, of the sentence having reference to the Band, being "privileged to play in the Gardens."
The paragraph appeared as I wrote it, and while I entirely concur in the opinion of "Gold Lace" that the people of Hongkong accept rather than bestow a privilege when they attend such a musical treat as is provided by the Military Bands in general, and the West Kents in particular, I nevertheless submit that that when a Band plays in the Botanical this does not in the least affect the statement Gardens it is "privileged" to play there.
The Government, for a very inaequa‘e reason, as I think, have for. many years not permitted Band performances in the Botanical Gardens, and Bands may only play there now by permission of the Botanical Department. The accuracy of the statement that Bands may play in the Gardens only when they are privileged by the Government to do so will not, I think, be disputed, even by "Gold Lace," and that is the only meaning I intended my words to bear.—Yours, &c.,
BANYAN."
[A privilege (privus +legis) is something not enjoyed by the community as a whole. If the Gardens were Fublic Gardens, and not Crown property, the public, having general right of access thereto, could not be said to be privileged by any indirect advantage (as sweet music) that came to them while enjoying their public right. The "private law" of the B. and Department is that no band may play there without permission. Having permission, the West Kents were privileged. Using the wore cole loquially, nobody denies that it is a "privileged to hear a good band play; but our contributor's use of the word in his "Jottings" was correct.— ED.]
Of
BAND PERFORMANCES.
"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'DAILY PEE88.'
Hongkong, 14th December. SIR,-I sincerely regret having mistaken Banyan's" meaning in his Jotting re Bands. All the same, with all deference, I can't quite agree with either you or him as to the use of the word "privilege" in this case.
"
I certainly shall not dispute the fact that no band can play in the Gardens without arrange- ment with the powers that be." But whether this arrangement is accorded “ as a privilege or requested by kind permission of the Officers of the Corps concerned, appears to me to govern the whole argument. Probably the popular and ever-courteous Superintendent of
the B. & A. Department could enlighten us on this point. Pending this favour or failing the granting of it I shall beg to maintain (even at the dire risk of being considered disputatious by
Banyan" that in no wise can a Military Band be considered to be under a privilege when playing for the Public benefit.-I am, etc.
"GOLD LACE.”
HONGKONG ROADS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
"}
Hongkong, 13th December. SIE;-Let me draw (through the medium of your valuable paper) the attention of the Anthorities to the miserable state of the road in Lyndhurst Terrace down to Wellington Street.-Yours, etc.,
I
"TAX-PAYER." [When Mark Twain and his companions were surfeited by the fam as Italian guide with referenees to Michael Angelo, they said : Enough! Lamp the whole thing. Bay that Angelo designed the universe." The food of letters that appears to be threatening, complaining of bad roads at Hongkong, seems to demand a “lumping of the whole thing I
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