J
Z
82
upon to pay 10+20 by 81.15 $34.50. maximum liability on account of these men would be $120.
to
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
His
1
two
correspondence, $60 per month. ing items may interest.
The follow-
cents.
Bread 2 lbs.
10
4
30
The Benevolent Socie'y would only make itself responsible to the Homs for the number of destitutes guaranteed by the subscribers. Suppose that ten subscribers guaranteed on an average for the stay at the Home of two
pay distressed seamen. The Society would know that during the year it could draw on funds to pay for twenty men in all. It would keep the roster of the guarantors and call on them in succession to pay for the men that were ad-
mitted in succession to the Home.
It would thus merely furnish the machinery by which the scheme would be worked inde. pendently of the other work of the Society. It is no doubt true that it would be simpler foo the Superintendent of the Homs to himself d the work I suggest should be entrusted to your Society. But it seems to me that that Society has better opportunities for making the scheme known and for ge ting people to become guarantors. Besides, its members have formed themselves into a body "for the purpose of rendering assistance in cases of
distress in
the Colony among persons other than the Chinese or Portuguese communities," and will probably look upon it as their right and pri vilege to take part in any scheme which has this end in view.
If the scheme commends itself to you, will you kindly put it before the Society? If it is adopted I should be willing to become responsi- ble for five cases admitted to the Home in the course of the year, i.e. an E guarantor.--Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) MATTHEW NATHAN.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR'S RELIEF SCHEME.
TO THE EDITOR of the "DAILY PRESS,'
1st February. SIR,-After reading the scheme suggested by H.E. the Governor for the relief of destitute European and American seamen, it occurs to me that it would be helpful in the discussion of
the scheme if the Superintendent of the Sailors' Home or the Hon. Secretary of the Ladies' Benevolent Society would, if possible, furnish answers (approximate if not exact) to the following questions
(1) What was the average daily number of destitute Europeans and Americans in the
Colony throughout the year 1904?
(2) How many such persons are now in the Colony?
(3) What is the proportion of deserving cases among them?
Butter 1 oz. Cheese 14.
Meat, average..... Vegetables, Various Tea, milk and sugar Fruit. I Catty var
Condiments, var
7
10 5
Total, per day, 75 cta. Add to this amount for extras or 33 per cent. other dishes
Per Day
[February 6, 1905-
for their money. From his total ignorance of the subject, I am convinced that he has never been within the walls of the Home, and his letter is only worthy of a reply on account of the interest that is centred on the subject at this time, and because of the erroneous ideas it might give rise to.-Yours sincerely,
A. A. H. MILROY. Superintendent Sailors' Home.
THE RELIEF OF DESTITUTE SEAMEN.
25
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
<<
19
DAILY PRESS.
$1
The quality of the articles here stated is the very best and estimated for an average of twenty men. In proportion as the number of men increases by tens, so the figure will reduce itself at the rate of ten per cent. . Thus 30 men 90 cents per day, 4 men 80 cents per day. and so on, 50 men being well served at the rate of 70 cents per day.
In such very unpromising times it would be interesting to know how the $60-demanded by the Sailors' Home-is disposed of. They must be having turkey, ham and champagne every day? Yours, etc.,
EXPERT.
A DUSTBIN PROBLEM.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
DAILY PRESS."
2nd February. SIR,-I shall be glad if yon will allow me a
small space in your valuable paper to reproduce the enclosed cutting from Lloyd's News, which is interesting to your readers and to the community at large *
An important case relating to the collection of house refuse came before the Spelthorne magis- trates at Sunbury. The Teddington Urban District Council recently decided to have a daily collection of dust, and circularised householders requesting them to place their dustbins in front of their houses. Mr. George Biddell, of The Hawthorns, Udney-park-road, Teddington, refused to comply with this notice, maintaining that it was the duty of the council to take the refuse from the back of his premises.
The
council denied their responsibility, and con- sequently were summoned by Mr. Biddell for failing to fulfil their obligatious under section 42 of the Public Health Act, 1875.-The council's representative contended that that authority culd piss a resolution to the effect that they would not collect any refuse at all. In imp sing a nominal fine of 5s, the chairman
11
2nd February, SIR,I have failed to find any justification in the letter written by His Excellency the
Expert's Governor for the statement in letter that the charg for board and lodging at the Sailors' Home is 860 a month. His Excellency puts the charge at $1.15 per day, and when Expert" adds to his list the cost of
lighting, fuel for cooking, servants, the salary of the superintendent and the rental of the building (or interest on capital invested if no house rent is paid), his figures prove to me that $35.65 is not an extortionate charge for the accommodation, but an extremely moderate one.
The demand for a deposit of $60 when a man enters the institution suggests to my mind thạt the authorities calculate that when a man gets stranded here he will be very fortunate if he finds another berth within a couple of months. That I take to be the teaching of experience. His Excellency apprently is under the impres- sion that the average stay at the Home is from 10 to 20 days.
UBIQUE.
+
ALLEGED MURDER AND
ARMED ROBBERY,
At the Police Court on Jan. 28th, Leung Tak, alias Ta Fa Men, was arraigned before Mr. Gompertz on charges of committing murder and armed robbery within the jurisdic tion of China. Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C., in- stracted by Chief Detective-Inspector Hanson, applied for the extradition of the prisoner on behalf of the Chinese Government. Mr. John Hastings defended the prisoner.
The robbery and murder are alleged to have district, Kwong Tung Province, in the Empire been committed in Pik Kong village, Shin Tak
of China.
Soo Tsak Man, the first witness, stated :— The robbery was committed in my family dwelling house, Pik Kong village, on the night
of the 2nd October, 1904. A number of armed
(4) How many of these are accommodated in of the Banchi (Mr. John Ashby) said the robbers broke into my house, and prisoner was
the Sailors' Home?
(5) How many of the men who in the course of last year deposited $60 to enter the Sailors' Home were able to leave that Institution before that sm was entirely exhausted?
(6) If any, how many were turned out of the Failors' Home last year because the amount of their deposit had been entirely mortgaged?
(7) What became of them then ? Finally I should like to put to the public generally this question: Why should not the funds nec ssary to cover all deserving cases be obtained from the surplus revenu of the elouy? Every deserving case could then be guaranteed by the Government, but it may not be possible to do that under th system of voluntary guarantees. At present we support out of the public funds the deserving and the undeserving alike in the House of
1
Detention, I venture to submit for consid-ra tion the sugestion that the deserving cases should be assisted by the Government at the Sailors Home instead of in the prison-like House of Detention.
iu
UBIQUE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
**
1st February. SIE-It would appear by the correspond 'nce your issue of this date that there has long been a complete misapprehension as to the actual prime cost of in ividual support in cases of sailors (and officers) who are pai off from their ships in this port. The amount demanded by the Sailors' Home is, according to the
|
magistrates considered the council's request reasonable and proper, but the conacil baring
und- rtaken to collect house refuse,
must
do
so, and if a bous-holder refused to place the dust receptacle in front of his house then the council must go to the back and fetch it.- Your:, &o,
A RATEPAYER.
THE SEAMEN'S HOME.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
"
Hongkong, 2nd February.
SIR, Your correspondent "Expert" is en- tirely wrong in his conclusions. Without wishing to enter into any controversy on the subject, I. being best qualified to know, will state the real
facts.
The $60 deposit is simply a guarantee to the Sailors' Home, as it is responsible for the man's keep for six months, not one month as stated. If the man reships before his deposit is exhausted, and he generally does, he balance, after the cost of his board and lodging has ben deducted, is refunded. Sailors are charged at the rate of $1.15 per day and officers at the rate of $1.90. It might also be added that in the event of a seaman becoming sick, the Home guarantees his hospital expenses.
Without making any boast as to the fare provided, "Expert" will confer a favour if he will take the trouble to visit the Home. I shall be only too pleased to show him round, and let see what value discharged seafarers get
him
swords.
came
one of them. On the night in question I was sleeping in my room with my wife and two small sons, my brother and his wife being in another room, and two small servants in a third room. in the street, and the subsequent breaking in About 11 o'clock I was awakened by a noise of the door. As this was smashed in I arose to see what was the matter. A number of robers
with in armed
knives and The prisoner held a six chambered revolver, and demanded my keys and valu. ables. As I refused, the robbers ransacked my place, securing $300 worth of jewel- of lery. $340 in cash, aml $120 worth clothing. They then entered another room, and heard my brother and his wife weeping. I went in afterwards, but the robbers had gone. In another room I found maidservant lying dead, with a gunshot wound in the back.
my
I heard a number of shots fired that night, and on the 4th instant, when I searched the room, found two bullets on the floor. My other servant became ill and died after the robbery. I recognise prisoner because he was the man who hit me over the shin with a revolver. I identified him from among a number of men at the Police Station.
Cross-examined by Mr. Hastings: On the night of the robbery there were no other pere ins in the house than those mentioned. My family have lived for several g nerations in Pik Kong.
was born there. I heard the authorities at my village had offered $1,000 for the capture of the robbers. I do not know whether they offered $3.000. I saw the pri-ouer in the market place of the village at a
distance
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