E
128
public interest, tariffs are legally fixed; tha the coolie never fails to take advantage of any uncertainty or indecision shown by his fare; and that those members of the public who do know and remember what is due, are often not in a position to profit by that knowledge without incon- venience and annoyance. If a remedy were attainable, by means not out of proportion | to the complaint, would not the public be pleased to welcome it? The answer may be taken for granted by the Colonial Govern. ment, if it consider the subject at all worthy its august attention. There is a remedy, for which it is not necessary to go further than Shanghai. Very little trouble indeed, and no expense at all, would be incurred by the Government if it were to adopt the system in vogue in the northern port, of issuing tickets with which to pay the ricsha and chair coolies. The Municipal Council of the Model Settlement sells books con- taining tickets of various denominations, which are accepted without question by the coolies, and afterwards redeemed by special employees of the Council at their face value. They take up little room in the pocket, and as they cannot be used for other purposes, the purchaser is less likely to run out of them than he is of small change. The public pays a small premium over the face value, in return for the convenience. For instance, with eight hundred and forty cash to the dollar, the purchaser pays a dollar for a little book containing thirty-two tickets worth twenty-four cash each to the coolie to whom he may haud them in payment. In Hongkong, this department would not be troubled with any of the difficulties caused by fluctuations in exchange. The economi- cally minded members of the public, figuring the amounts paid in excess of what they would have spent if they had always had small coins at the right times, would cheerfully pay $1:20 or some such amount for a book of twenty ticke's of five-cent value. It is true that recent municipal returus at Shanghai, which drew our attention to this matter, show a small loss; but it is largely due to the vagaries of exchange. The Colonial accountants would soon be able to calculate what margin should be charged to cover the costs of the small department necessary to work the scheme, which charge would, of course, be wholly paid by the purchaser. It has been noticed that the Shanghai ricsha coolie invariably complains when paid in coin, no matter what the amount given him may be; but
that he assumes au air of satisfaction, how. ever unreal, when he is paid in this paper currency. The only case that history re- cords, of a recipient demurring at this form of payment, was at a little card party in Shanghai, where ย young gentleman, "cleaned out" at cheap "nap,' tried to pay the balance of his indebtedness with the fag end of a ricsha ticket book. Such a contingency is not likely to occur in Hong- kong, however; and, all things considered, it might be advantageous for Hongkong, in this connection, to take a leaf out of Shang-
hai's book.
We regret to have to record the death on Feb. 21 at the age of 60 years of Mr. H. M. S. H, Esmail of the firm of Messrs. Asgar and Esmail, one of the oldest firms of opium merchants in the Colony. The late Mr. Sadeck Esmail, as, he was familiarly called, arrived here in the early 'sixties at the age of 20. The deceased was born in the city of Yezd, Persia. He has been a resident in Hongkong for the last forty years and enjoyed the respect and esteem of the Indian community. He had visited his native The funeral home only once many years ago. was attended by agood number of his Indian and other friends.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
BONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held in the Board Room on February 20th. Dr. J. M. Atkinson (President) presided, and there were also present the lon. Mr. P. N. H. Jones (Vice-President), the Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Col. W. E. Webb, R.A.M C., Mr. A. Rumjahn, Dr. F. Clark: Dr. H. Macfarlane, Dr. F. Grüne, Dr. Pearse, Mr. F. J. Bad ley and Mr. T. A. Hanmer (Secretary).
The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
TOO MANY EXEMPTIONS.
The Registrar General minuted :-I bag to suggest for the cousi leration of the Board the advisibility of dire ting that a retura should be drawn up by the Sore'ary shwing the number of applications for modifications of the Public Health and Building Ordin nce and the number of applications granted since the coming into force of the Public Health Build. ing Amendment Ordiuan-e 23 of 1903. My impression is that the Board has been lib ral in granting and recommending modifications but that is not the opinion of the Chinese owners of property and I think the publication of such a return would be very useful.
Mr. Hewett minuled ----If anything. the
Bord bas ben too liberal in granting exemptions.
It was agreed that a return be furnished accordingly.
ABATING OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS. Messrs. Leigh and Orange, ou behalf of Messrs. S. J. David and Company, aplied for exemption from the provision of back yards in hom, on condition that he kitchens are partit. of Nos. 86 to 1' 0, Market Street, Hung- respect ioned off and openings made in the back wall.
Dr. Clark minuted:-I recommend that this modification of section 175 be approved. It has been sanctioned in a number of similar houses at Kowloon. I have arranged with Dr. Pearso that we will recommend the adoption of this device in future only when the lane in the rear is not less than one third the height of the house. It is necessary to have some rule and this is I think, a reasonable one.
Mr. Rumjahn minuted :-Upon what ground
have the Medical Officers of Health based the
standard of open space in the rear, required in future before modification would be recom- mended by them for similar applications?
The Registrar General minuted: -If the Board ado, ts the recommendation of the M.O.H. it should show this is a special case, and why the modification is necessary.
The PRESIDENT moved that the application be granted.
If the
tak 'n
Mr. RUMJAUN secon-led the m tion. exterior wa'l at the rear could be down it would not only give external air but ventilate and light the premises to a much greater extent. Possibly the Government which h's something like $200,000 st aside, might be approach d with a view to compensat- ing owners of property to take suci wals down.
[February 25, 1905.
A SIMILAR APPLICATION. Mr. B. Brotherton Harker, on behalf of w client, applied that a lane at Nos. 60 and 69 Praya East be allowed to count as open space.
Mr. Rumjahn minuted:-Application re commended. Of course the owner waives all claims as regards compensation for the scaveng* * ing lane, which must be made public.
The Regist ar General minuted :-Were not these two storie houses originally ? _The M.O.H. gives us reasons for his recommenda tions at the meeting, but it would be mach better if they were pat on record on the paper itself.
The PRESIDENT moved that the application be granted.
Mr. RUMJAHN seconded the motion,, which was agreed to.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
The following is the return for the week ended the 21st January, at a death rate per 1,00 per annum-British and foreign civil population, 14.9; previous week, 44.9; cor respon ling week 1904, 10.2; Chinesa papalation 166; previous week, 11.2; corresponding week 19.4, 122.
RAT RETURN.
For the week ending 11th February 456 rats were cauglit, of which 19 were found to ba infected, while of the 659 caught for the week ending 18th February, 26 we found to be infected.
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 20th February.
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
BEFORE SIB H. S. BERKELEY (CHIEF .
JUSTICE).
ARMED ROBBERY.
An Hing, Ho Shing and Mak Sang were charged with having, on the 30th January, while armed with choppers, committed robbery; and with assaulting a woman.
8
Hon. Mr. E. H. Sharp, K.C., Attorney Gen ral, instructed by Mr. G. E. Morrell, of the Crown Solicitor's office, prosecuted.
All three prisoners plaided guilty.
}
Hi Lordship -You are quite right to plead guilty, as the evilence is conclusive against you. You respoiled this p or woman of property amounting to $400 As you have pleaded guilty, that will be taken into consideration but your offence is a very serious one, there You robbed people being very few more so.
You are each with threats of violence. sentenced to three years hard labour and 24 strokes of the birch within the first fortnight.
THE HARBOUR PIRACY.
Wong Mi, Ng Kam and Kwok Cheung were charge with having, on the 13th Janu ry, in the wa'ers of the Colony, being armed with
knives and revolvers, assaulted seven persons, and then stolen s me $2,000 worth of property.
Kwok Kin Tsoi, an old man, and Leung I, an
old woman, were charged with receiving some of the stolen property.
Mr. H. G. Calthorp, acting for the Attorney
Hon Mr.JONES: The amount on the estimat s is intended for special cises wherein the Govern-G.neral, instructed by Mr. G. E. Morrell, ment is obliged to give compensation according
to the Ordinanca.
Mr. RUMJAHN: This is a special case, and in a case lke this, compensation would be allowed in England.
Hon. Mr. BREWIN: The Medical Officer of Health had much to do with the drafting of this Ordinane, and might be able to tell us
what the draftsmen had in their minds when they used the phraseology "spcial cases." I should like to hear whether he considers this a
special case,
Dr. CLARK: The idea was that there might possibly be certain dwellings in which the wording of clause one could not be carried out. I do not think this is a sp cial case, but I recommended that the same regula tion apply to these houses as applies to the houses next door.
Hon. Mr. Brewin: That is the reading I gave to the clause, and having heard his opinion we might ask him to put in writing his inter- pretation of this section for our future guidance.
The motion was carried.
|
pro-ecuted; and Mr. N. Ferrer, instructed by Mr. H. S. Holmes, defended the man and woman charged with having received stolen properly,
The first three prisoners pleaded guilty t the charge of armed robbery, the s.cond and third prisoners asking for mercy because they were poor.
His Lordship said:-Yon thres men plead guilty of having been members of a large gang of ten or twelve who boarded a junk which was peace- fully passing through the waters of this Colony; and bing armed with revolvers and knives drove thes, peace ible p3ple with threats of violence and with actual violence, blinding some of them with pepper, down into the hold; and by these acts of vio ence depivel! them of property amounting to large sums. Then you escaped, but fortunately you! were captured, and now you come and ask me! to deal mercifu ly with you because you are poor men. The proper course for a poor man is to work honestly for the money he requires to: support himself, and not to rob other people of their hard-earned property. Men of your
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.