May 20, 1905.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
819
vanishing" by Ernest Brindle, appeared in | REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR OF commission paid into the Treasury to $2,201.27.
the Daily Mail of 23rd March.
One White Man's prestige may be said to be vanishing, for the Daily Mail article has provoked a letter to our Shangbai contemporary, in which it is stated:He (Mr. Brindle) writes: An Englishman, like myself, who has lived many years in Japan, returning at the present time to his native country, must enjoy many moments of quiet amusement as he reflects upon the prevalent ideas abroad of Japan and the Japanese natin." Now, Sir, it is within my Knowledge and, of course, you are also aware of the fact, that Mr. Brindle arrived in Shanghai as a reporter for the North-China Herald office in January, 1901, being then a young and inexperienced griffin, and continued in that occupation u if the present war broke out and ha became a war correspondent for the Daily Mail. When, therefore, did Mr. Brindle spend
many years in Japan" ?
CO RESPONDENCE.
CHINESE v. FOREIGN PILOTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,"
SIR, Mr. Osborne in his evidence in the case, Capt. Nusworth v. Pilot Lawler, says that he wrote a letter to the Pilots' Association
advising them about taking ships up to the Kowloon wharves. No such let'er was ever received, and if it had been how could the Pilots' Association ever think of taking advice from one who has never had any experience in
berthing steamers|?
It is now over six months since European pi'ots started, and a great number of steamers of all sizes have been berthed at the Kowloon wharves mostly by European pilots, and because one member of the association had an accident, the other members have to suffer, all on
account of a circular letter which the shipping firms have received advising them to employ Chinese pilots in berthing >hips at the Kowloon wharves; therefore nearly all the shipping firms have stopped eu.ploying Europeans (not only at the wharves but also to buys) as pilots The consequence is that the work previously don by teu men is now entirely in the hands of three Chinese and it is needles to say that they are reaping a great harvest. It is very good, Mr. Editor, three pilo's doing most of the work; but still I hear the Governm nt intend making more pilots. European pilots are not wanted by Bri ish firms, and I should suggest that Chinesa b granted Board of Trade Certificates, then these firms would be satisfied,
of
Hoping that I have not taken up too much your valuab'e space.--I am Sir,
O. B. M.
con-
Hongkong, 16th May, 1905. [It is ch Idish to suggest that racial siderations have anything to do with this As we understand it, the proposition matter. is that accepted native pilots are just as god as foreigners, and cheaper. If this be so, their employment is inevitable. If white pilets had m'nopoly they would get careless, and too "independent."]
GERMAN CHINESE TREATY.
The Article relating to the abolition of likin in the proposed German treaty with China is similar to that of the Anglo Chinese treaty, but in the German treaty it is proposed that China shall guarantee the effective abolition of likin
as soon as an increase of tariff is effected.
Regarding the stipulation of foreign residence it is similar to article III. of the U.S. Treaty with China amely, "Citizens of the United St.tes may frequent, reside, and carry ou trade, industries and manufactures, or pursue any lawful avecation, in all the ports or localities of China which are now open or may hereafter be op ned to foreign trade and residence, and, within suitable loclities at those places which have been or may be a t apart for the use a d occupation of foreigners, they may rent or lesse in perpui y land and build thereon They shall genera ly enj y as to their persous and property all such rights, privileges and im manities as are or may hereafter be granted to the subjects or a tizens of the nation the most favoured in those respects.”—Sinwanpao.
|
THE SUPREME COURT.
There were
39 estates vested in, or administered by, the Official Administrator during the year. representing an aggregate value of $35,157.28. 25 estates were wound up during the year, as against 20 in 1903, representing an aggregate
The following extracts are taken from the Government Gazette, wherein is contained a report by Mr. A. Seth, Registrar, on the work-value of $23,110.98. ings of the several divisions of the Supreme Court of Hongkong.
The number of actions instituted in the Original Jurisdiction division of the Court during the year 1904 was 233, and there were 154 in dependency. Of these, 13 were disposed of, 49 being settled or withdrawn before trial, leaving a balance of 257. The total amount involved was $1,630,419.12. The deb's and damages recovered amounted to $487,922 10. There was no injunction granted. The total fees collected and paid into the Tres ury amounted to $14,892.65. The number of actions instituted in Summary Jurisdiction was 1,799 during the year 1904, and 230 were bought for, ward from 1903. Of these 1,635 were disposed of, 735 being settled or withdrawn before trial, leaving a balance of 394. The total amount involved was 338,300.41; and the total fees collected and paid into the Tres ury amounted to $7,950.65.
|
The number of distress warrants for rent issued was 410, representing aggregate unpaid rents amounting to $39.692.72, of which the aggregate sum of $17,317.6 was recovered, 178 warrants having been withdrawn on settlement b-tween the parties. The fees collected for issuing distress warrants and paid into the Treasury amounted to $2,577.75.
There were 61 cases and 97 persons committed
for trial at the Criminal S-ssions. The number of persons actually indicted was 79, of whom 68 were convicted and 11 were acquitted. Against 18 persons no indictments were filed, and they were discharged pursuant to the provisions of The Criminal Procedure Amendment Ordin ance, 1904."
EK
There were 7 Appeals instituted during the year, being:
From the Lecision of the Chief Justice
of the Puisne Judge
11
1
+1
Magistrates
Land Court
་་
of which 5 were disposed of, being :— From the Chief Justice
**
.
*
19
77
Puisne Judge Magistrates
Laud Court
leaving 2 pending
1
1
2
1
!
One case was carried to the Privy Council, but no decision has yet reached the colony. One important appeal was the case [ang Tsz U, appellant and The Attorney-General, re- spondent, commonly known as 'he Cheung Sha Wan case, in which the Full Court held several lengthy sittings.
There were 11 actions instituted in Admir- alty Jurisdiction, two of which were disposed of, one hariug b en settled or withdrawn before trial, leaving eight in dependency. The num- ber of vessels rrested was four. The total fees received and paid into the Tre sury amounted
to $452.
There were 29 petitions filed in Bankruptcy Jurisdiction being creditors' petitions 19, and 1 petitions by the debtors themselves. The number of receiving orders made was 2. being 19 on creditors' petitions, and nine on debtors' petitions. The number of public examinations held was 15. There were 15 adjudications; and 2 compositions approved by the Court. There was one discharge.
The aggregate amount of declared assets was 8854,201.33, and declared liabilities $1,431,590.36. Of the declared assets only $79,043 54 were
recovered.
The fees paid into the Treasury amounted to $4,162.60 (of which $2,890.23 was paid by im- press d stamps) including the Official Receiver's commission as trustee where no trustee has been appointed by the creditors
In Probate and Administration there were
171 grants made by the Court, being-Probates, 71, Letters of Adminis ratiou, 98, total 171. The aggregate value of the estates was 82,788,400.
I Probate duties amoun ed to 877,552.00, Court fees to $7.287.70, and Official Administrator's
The total number of Trust Estates in the hands of the Official Trustee at the end of 1904 was 23, and the aggregate amount of trust funds $241,264.34, as against 21 estates aggregating to 899,200.88 in 1993, and certain bouse property, viz., No. 6, Rednaxela Terrace.
The total number of Companies registered Companies from the commencement of the “ Ordinance, 1865" was 424 with an aggregate capital of $197.143,121, of which there were 219 remaining at the end of 1904, whose aggregate capital amounted to $115,594,664. 130 were wound up voluntarily, four wound up under the supervision of the Court and 71 are defunct. In addition to the latter, there are other companies that are practically defunct as no returns have been furnished by such companies for years: steps are being taken to legally strike them off the register.
were
There were 37 Companies registered in 1904, the revenue from which was $7,378.75.
The total sums collected during the year by way of fees and commissions paid into the Treasury amounted to $46,717.44, as against $41,758 83 in the previous year.
The Paisne Judge, Mr. Justice Alfred Gascoyne Wise. proceeded to England on vacation leave and eight four months' months' leave of absence on half salary. and Mr. Thomas S-rcombe Smith, Police Magistrate, acted as Puiane Judge during His Honour's absence The Chief Justice, Sir William Meigh Goodman, proceeded to England on two months' vacation lea and four months' leave of absence on half salary, on 27th August, 1904, Sir Henry Spencer Berkeley, Attorney General, acting as Chief Justice during His Honour's absence, the latter's place being filled by Mr. Er.est Hamilton Sharp, K.C.
Mr. James William Norton-Kyshe, Registrar, Official Administrator, Official Trustee and Registrar of Companies, retired on pension. I was appointed to succeed him in the several Offices with effect from the 19th May, 1904, Mr. Joseph Horsford Kemp, passed cadet, succeeding me in the office of Deputy Registrar and Appraiser, with effect from 1st August, 1904. Mr. Kemp entered upon the
du ies of his office on the 28th October.
Mr.
Li Hong Mi, assistant Chinese interpreter, proceeded to England on four months' vacation leave followed by two months' leave of absence on half salary, on 25th May, 1904, his place being taken by Mr. Nicholas George Nolan, Interpreter at the Magistracy.
TAX OFFICIAL'S LITTLE SPECULATION.
A story with a moral at both ends comes from Tokyo. Adachi Kuranosuki, a young man employed in the Shin Ohashi Tax Office, Tokyo, entered upon a little speculation on the 27th ult. and is now in the care of the police. Evidently knowing the subtle ways of timber dealers, Adachi called on Suzuki, a timber merchant, and in his capacity of tax official asked to see the books. Suzuki's prices for timber were remark. ably moderate to one who understood something of the trade, which the sharp Adachi evidently did. At any rate the tax official asked Suzuki if he was selling timber as cheaply as was shown in the books. With some observation about the bad times, and after an uneasy grant or two, Suzuki replied that he did, when the wily Adachi electrified the wily Suzuki by offering to buy some at the price. Excuses were of no avail. Suzuki was compelled to sell 274 yen worth of timber at his tax-inspection. book prices, and on credit, whereupon Adachi immediately rushed it off and sold it to another timber merchant for 420 yen !
Had Adachi paid for the timber, nothing more might have been heard of this enlightening incident, but besides being wily, Adachi was
weak. As is common with the young men of his class, instea of paying Suzuki and pock-t- ing his more or I as legitimate profits, he went off to the licensed quarter at Yokohama, where he was in due course discovered by the police and afrosted.-Japan Chronicle.
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