70
After much parlance the runners requested her to be good enough to wait; and, in the meantime, one of them went and reported the matter to the Viceroy.
His Excellency was very surprised, for be thought that nobody in the yamen, or in Cantou itself, was acquainted with his "milk name." Wing Hoi-the name be bore when a child.
The Viceroy's son was at once sent to inters view the strange visitor, who turned out to be no other than His Excellency's auut, the woman, indeed, who had nursed and brought him up in Kwongs.
Many years ago the old lady married a trader in Shun Tak, where the couple lived happily for long time. Eventually the trader died. leaving his wife a considerable amount of loase- About hold property in the Shun Tak district. three years ago some of the gentry in Shun Tak charged a tenant of the woman (a charge now alleged to have been a false one with smuggling, with the result that the whole of the woman's property was confiscated. She was thereby reduced to dire poverty, even to the
of starvation. It was only verge lately that she discovered that young Hoi had grown into a big man, a high official in Canton, and she hurried off to see if he could do anything to help her to regain her unjustly confiscated property,
His Excellency presented her with Tls. 301, and told her immediately to return to Shun Tak, and all would be well. The old lady is now again in possession of her property and three gentlemen" before referred to are doing
of the 41 time.
Some of the native newspapers got hold of the story, and published same. One editor, more enterprising than the rest, went very fully into the matter indeed, and an article, omitting names, was published in the Yeung Shing 'o relating to the interview at the yamen.
The Viceroy was very angry. By His Excellency's command the Nam Hoi Magistrate summoned the editor of the Yeung Shing Po to appear before him to answer how, where and from whom he had gained this piece of informa- tion. The editor, up to the occasion, produced an anonymous letter addressed to his newspaper. He said he never dreamt that Wing Hoi was His Excellency's "milk name or that the matter had anything to do with the Viceroy.
The excuse was accepted, but the editor. nevertheless, was severely reprimanded.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
CANTON, 25th July.
UNIFORM FOR STUDENTS.
The Viceroy has received instructions from the Board of Rites in Peking that all Govern- ment Colleges and public schools must enforce a uniformity of students clothing, to be made from local cloth or, if local cloth is unobtainable in sufficient quantity to meet the demand, with Woo Nam cloth.
His Excellency has sent despatches to the Taotais of the various districts to enforce this rule, which is recognised by the more en- lightened to be conducive to greater cleanliness. and calculated to protect home produce. Some. however, the more conservative, who never take to changes kindly, think it a hardship that they should not be allowed to clothe their sons as they please.
Summer vacation is now on and the scholars are to be seen about town enjoying it, Know- ing his own countrymen to a nicely, the Viceroy fears that when the boys wear their new uni- forms street urchins will run after and molest them-jeering at their peculiar costume and may even cause riot and trouble, for what school boy is not game for fight? His Excellency has, therefore, given orders to the police and military to protect the scholars, and prevent
trouble.
APPOINTMENTS.
Wen Tsung Yao (Taotai) has been appointed Inspector General of Colleges and Schools at Canton, in place of Cheong Wing Kee, also a Taotai. The Viceroy is highly interested in the educational aspect, and has been devoting much attention to this subject. His Excellency, indeed, has for some time been casting his eye about for some intelligent and suitably endowed official for educational work.
Wen
|
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
AN EARTHQUAKE.
The
At about twelve o'clock last night an earth-
felt bear quake was
the East Gate. inhabitants there or at least many of them. were very frightened and rushed into the streets.
The shock, nevertheless, was a mild one, and only lasted a few seconds. Crockery and other
to move. No accident articles were scen resulted.
VICEREGAL PROCLAMATION RE GAMBLING.
TRANSLATED FOR THE "DAILY PRESS. The following is a literal translation of a proclamation re gambling issued by the Viceroy and the Governor of Kwonglung, made by our Canton correspondent:-
pro:
{July 29, 1905.
over
Tls
Tsung Yao, he considers, is the best man availing year after year amount to
At present the various gambling able. Cheong Ming Kee has been transferret 3,000,01 0,
revenue amounts to over $5,000,000. Should to take up the post of Provincial Treasurer of
all gambling be instantly suppressed, what cin Kwongsi.
be done to replace the revenue it brings in? Take the Wan Tan item alone, for instance, which is farmed out for $3,000,000, and besides this there are the other lines of gambling. How is it possible to replace all the Fan Tau gambling revenue? Originally we desired to devise some moans of replacing revenue by revenue from two departurents, Customs duties and Salt monopoly, and in order to do co we had to adjust the accounts of these two depart- ments to plan some 108118 of procuring funds. The Native Customs has been united with foreign Customs, but unfortunately the increase of revenue under this head is to go to pay indemnities to foreign countries and, there. fore, cannot be retained for the use of the Kwongtung Province. The silt concern has just been arranged and its conditions altered, but it is uncertain whether the revenue could be increased as we have not grasped the subject thoroughly. Besides these, there are still some other means of getting revenue, but it will all have to come out of the people's pockets. At present the minds of the poeple are not open and the officials move in the old ruts when it is necessary to raise the revenue. How is it possible amicibly to get the assistance of the people who have to pay To seek for any other scheme to replace the revenue or fund derived from Fan Tan gambling and not to involve the people is almost an impossibility. We (Viceroy and Governor) have day and night been thinking over this matter and really cannot find out a good scheme and have purposely issued this proclamation to inform the public (officials, gentry, scholars and the people in general) that if they have any scheme to obtain revenue for the Government to send in petitions with minute explanations and forward same to the Sia How Kok, where all the petitions arə gathered. and the circumstances related thereto iuvestigated, and a selection will be made from are workable. The Sin such schemes as How Kok will then petition to us for our consideration and await our orders to grant In the petitions permission to enforce sam3.
This lamation is issued to inform the people that after investigation it has been discovered that the gambling carried on in the Kwongtung province is causing serious injuries to the place. This also is known to you all. Although the games of Wei Sing. Tso Piu, Po Piu and Sah 'iu are all gambling, jet the injuries caused by them are not con- sidered very serious. Those that are most violently injurious, and spread their poison most extremely, are the games of Wei cing (Pak Kup Piu) and, next in order, Fan Tan. After investigation it is discovered that the annual revenue derived from Fan Tan is $3.0 0,000, aud this amount goes to the Government Treasury. Besides this, fat profits go into the pockets of the monopolists, officials, gentry, soldiers and yamen runners, reaching about the same amount ($3,000,000). Now, therefore, the total revenue and the profits pocketed by the carious people amount to $6,000,0 1. If it is reckoned that 10 per cent. of the money actually employed in gambling is taken in by the farmers, then the total amount that has pissed in and out of the gambling hons a must a monot to $60,000,000. If it is reckoned that 5 per cent. remain in the hands of the farmers, then the total amount that has passed in and out of the gambling houses must amount to $120,000.00, and if it is reckoned that 3.3 per cent. only is taken, then the money that has passed in and out of the gambling bouses must amount to $180,000,000. Of these amounts, $60,000,0 10, to 8180.0 10.000, 30 or 40 per cent., is contributed from monies left by ancestors or earned by hard working people. The balance comes from pirates or robbers who, having robbed honest people, deposit the money in Fan Tau houses. The plunder or booty of the Kwongtung proviace amounts to several tens of millious of dollars yearly. No wonder that the people are grieved and bewail over the matter, and that the whole provinc› is disturbed. Every day stringent measures are taken to capture pirates and robbers, and every These day pirates and robbers are increasing. are injuries that can be easily seen. but there are other injuries which cannot be seen, those of the gamblers who lose their occupation or trade through waste of their time and money. They are daily throwing capital into a place from where they can never recover it, thus causing the labour of the whole province to diminish daily and never to increase, and to continue in the same route for ten and several tens of years. Lazy and idle people who are satisfied with a division of small profits are on the increase and diligent hard working people who desire to gain profits by houest daily labour are decreasing. Starvation and cold follow in due course, and then comes anarchy. Things will reach that point, and when I think of it my mind becomes agitated. We (Viceroy and Governor) both think that the day of calamity is drawing very near and wa are both ashamed of ourselves that we have no method of teaching and bringing up the people. We are desirous of saving the Kwongtung province. The first measure to adopt is to suppress Fan Tan gambling. Unfortunately the revenue of the province. as shown by the accounts of the various Treasuries (the Provincial, the Salt Comptrollers, the Sin How Kok and Likin), shows a deficit of Tis. 3,000,000 annually. The Provincial deficits which have been accumulat-
|
|
we
it must be shown what amount of revenue could be replaced, and then the corresponding number of Fan Tan gambling houses will be suppressed. If a district could find funds to replace the Fan Tan gambling then all the Fan Tan gambling houses in that district will be sup- pressed first. If a village could find funds to replace the. Fan Tan gambling revenue than all the Fan Tan gambling houses in that village When the whole will be suppressed first. amount of the Fan Tan gambling revenue has been replaced from other sources, will unite in sending a memorial to the throne, and have it on record, and all the Fan Tan gambling houses of the Kwongtang Province have been suppressed for ever! Here- after Fan Tan cannot be restarted on the pre- tence that the revenue is insufficient.
Viceroy and Goveruor) are aware that several tens of millions of dollars of capital are lost to Fau Tau houses every year. for this Fan Tan has a tendency to increase piracy and robbery. and to kill legitimate trade. If this money were employed in legitimate trade then the revenue collected by the Government from the business done would not only replace the Fau Tan gambling revenue but there would be a surplus.
We
consideration it seems
Taking this into possible to replace the Fan Tan gambling But as all the gentry and people do revenus. not seem to realise the injury done to themselves personally and the community in general, the Government is compelled " to take the poisonous to ramely this thirst for
duids in hand gambling.
But we are looking to the intelligent geutry and scholars, with painful speeches and burning hearts, to admonish and urge the people not to gamble. If. within the next one or two years. Fan Tan gambling can be suppressed, it will be a blessing to the people of Kwongtung and a joy to us (Viceroy and Governor). It is only proper for us to issue this proclamation for
and explanation. general information command all, officials, gentry, scholars and the people in general, to take notice of and abstain from disobeying this proclamation,"
Wo
Page 10Page 11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.