December 18, 1905.]
as well-deserved recognition of long and valuable public service, the community would have the advantage of representation in the Executive Council by one of its oldest and most widely esteemed residents and one moreover whose extensive interests are intimately identified with the past, present and future prosperity of the port.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
IMPENDING ELECTION.
As we announced on Dec. 14th there are three candidates for the position as representative of the Justices of the Poace in the Legislative Council which the Hon. Sir Paul Chater vacates at the end of this year. The third candidate, Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C, was proposed by the Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart and seconded by Mr. G. W. F. Playfair. So far, there is little probability of any other gentleman coining forward to appeal to the electorate of non-official Justices of the Peace (the official Justices do not take part in the election) and indications point to a fairly even contest. as each candidate possesses merits which will be considered good qualifications for the office.
Both Mr. Hewett and Mr. Pollock have been
candidates before, Mr. Slade standing for the position for the first time. The last named gentleman, apart from his own personality, will command some influence as the nominee of the retiring member. Mr. Slade is essentially a commercial man. He is the head of the firm of Gillman and Co. which has grown up with the colony, and as he has been resident here доу for about 16 years he has a thorough knowledge of the requirements of the community. His interests and the interests of the firm are in his own words "the interests of the Colony," and he asserts he has more at stake here than either of the other two candidates. He is already in the service of the public, having been a member of the Sanitary Board for about eight months.
Mr. Pollock, on the other hand, can urge the strong claim of having experience in the Legislative Council. For a little less than four years he was acting Attorney-General and for about nine months he sat as an unofficia member representing the Chamber of Commerce during the absence from the Colony of the Hon Mr. R. Shewan in 1902-03. The knowledge then acquired, coupled with his professional training, are excellent qualifications for the position. We understand that this gentleman has expressed the opinion that it is contrary to the public interest that electors should pledge themselves definitely to vote for any particular candidate previous to the election itself inasmuch as no judgment ought to be formed by them until they have had full opportunity of considering the views and qualifications of the candidates who offer themselves for election.
Mr. Hewett is another gentleman whose fitness for the office will be recognised by many electors. With an experience of the Far East extending to a quarter of a century, an intimate knowledge of the Colony and its needs, a practical training in governmental acquired on the Shanghai Municipal Council (especially during the troublous period of the Boxer rising when he was Chairman), his position as superintendent of the P. & O
wore
Steamship Coy, where the business of the Colony as a shipping port is his business and B devotion to public service. Mr. Hewett is undoubtedly a strong candidate. He is not here temporarily but is in the Colony for the remainder of his
career,
a fact which should be taken as answer by t ose who regard him somewhat as "a bird of passage." Not only is he connected with the Chamber of Commerce, of which he has been Chairman now for nearly three years, but he has been a member of the Sanitary Board, has been on the Com- mittee of several public schools and has had to consider many questions outside of bis own business. He has been a candidate on two previous occasions-once as the representative of the Justices of the Peace and once as the representative of the Chamber of Commerce, On the latter occasion his opponent was Mr, Pollock.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
There will be about 100 non-official Justices of the Peace in the colony at the time of the election, next Thursday at the City Hill.
HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 12th December at the Board Room. The Hon. Dr. F. Clark (president) presided, and there were als present: Dr. W. W. Pearse, M.O.H., Mr. F. J. Badeley, Mr. H. W. Slade, Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Mr. Fung Wa Chuo, Mr. Lau Chu Pak, Mr. A. Rumjahn and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary).
APPLICATIONS.
A number of unimportant applications were dealt with on their merits.
WATER ANALYSIS.
The analyses of samples of water from the public supplies by Mr. Frank Brown, Govern ment analyst, show that these are still
uncontaminated.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
The mortality statistics for the week ending 18th November, at a death rate of 1,000 per annum, show a percentage of 17.7 as against 19.8 for the corresponding week of last year This percentage does not include army and navy fatalities.
LIMEWASHING,
During the week ended 5th instant 3,765 houses were limewashed in the Central, and
3,753 in the Western district.
RAT RETURN.
During the wook ending on the 2nd instant 609 rats were caught of which 20 were infected. Of the 570 caught during the following week, 22 were found to be infected.
THE LINCHOW AFFAIR.
RETURN OF THE COMMISSION.
THE DISPUTED LAND.
FROM OUR CANTON CORRESPONDENT.} Linchow on Dec. 12 at about one o'clock. Three The Commissioners returned to Canton from men concerned in the murder, and who had confessed their guilt, were beheaded. Nineteen others were sentenced to different terms of
imprisonment, ranging from one to five years. missioners are satisfied with the results of the On the whole, it is reported that the Com- investigation. The boycott, it appears, was not has also been given that the soldiery were the cause of the trouble. Eatisfactory evidence
to the hills, their hiding place was found too not in fault. The missionaries having fled late; the majority of the fugitives were already killed when the soldiers learned where they
were.
|
The American Consul General pointed out that a riot occurred last year on account of the Po Pui lottery, and added that the Linchow people were easily excited. He also said that there were many members of the Triad Society n Linchow. Wên Tsung-Yac full
gave question about the vacant piece of land near explanations regarding these remarks. The
the temple and opposite the hospital was also aised. It appears this land had been used from time immemorial for the annual Ta-chu festival. Last year Dr. Machle notified the gentry that he had bought the ground and told them to complied with the doctor's request. The sheds erect their matsheds elsewhere. The gentry were erected on a piece of land further down. The people not believing, however, that the land in question had been really bought, asked Dr. Machle to produce his title deeds; but the
doctor was unable to do so.
The gentry and people of Linchow professed to be satisfied with the investigation, and gave the Commissioners a popular send off.
I am preparing translations for you of three proclamations by Wên Tsung-yao.
As the result of a boiler explosion on board the German steamer Wongkoi on Dec. 11 the second and third engineers were severely scalded. The former, Gerhardt Christiansen, has since succumbed to his injuries, while the latter les in hospital in a critical condition. The steamer
resumed her journey to Bangkok yesterday.
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 11th December."
421
IN SUMMARY JurisdicTION.
BEFORE MR. A. G. WISE (PUISNE Judge),
A QUESTION OF COSTS.
In the case in which the Club Lusitano sited J. M. Xavier to recover the sum of $30, the his Lordship had to decide as to costa. summons had been previously withdrawn, but
Mr. E. J. Grist (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. P W. Goldring (of Messrs Brutton, Hett and Goldring) represented the defendant.
His Lordship-Well, Mr. Goldring, haven't you settled up this serious question of costs?
Mr. Goldring-No, my Lord, we have not had much opportunity owing to the holiday. The question is whether they should pay our costs, the money having been paid by a third party without the knowledge of the defendant.
His Lordship-What is the trouble behind this?
Mr. Grist-So far as I oзn see this is simply an action brought for the amount of refresh- ments supplied, and the subscription due by a member to the Club. When obits are signed by a man he ought to meet them. Altogether, there was
an amount of $42 owing, and that has been paid. So far as I am concerned, the matter is at an end. With regard to costs, I am prepared to waive them.
His Lordship (to Mr. Goldring)—I cannot do anything for you now.
Mr. Goldring-Won't my client be entitled to his costs?
His Lordship--Oh, no. I won't give either of you costs. Drop the whole thing; it seems to me that it is a petty affair. I don't know whether any ill-feeling or bad blood exists between the parties, but there must be some trouble.
Mr. Grist--Even if there is, we should keep it out of this case.
His Lordship Very well. By consent the case is withdrawn. I think that is best, as I am certain there is something behind it, and you would probably be washing dirty linen before you had done.
A CROSS-ACTION,
The case was continued in which Ching Kwai alias Chin Chin Tong, the sum of $91, being Wan, trader, claimed from Leung Wai Ting, balance due on account of medicine pills sold and delivered.
In the cross-action the previous defendant claimed from the plaintiff the sum of $50, money
lent.
Mr. F. X. d'Almada e Castro represented the plaintiff in the first action and the defendant in the second, while Mr. R. A. Harding appeared for the defendant in the first and the plaintiff in the second.
Mr. Almada closed his case on the previous
day.
In open ng his, Mr. Harding said there were two points to consider. The first was, whether there was, previous to July, a transaction between the two parties leaving a balance due for which the document he was suing on
was given. Secondly whether the defendant supplied the pills referred to and whether the document the plaintiff put in was in payment on account of business in Canton, was a partner in the Nam pills The plaintiff, a merchant carrying on Loong Hing and sole proprietor of the Tang Kee with a capital of $20,000. He dealt in general merchandise, and had been in the habit of sending goods to Hongkong for sale. He was also the custodian of the funds of his native village, and in January of this year a farmer from that village told him it was necessary to arm against robbers and asked him to arrange for the supply of rifles. As he had no means of obtaining these he went to see a brother-in-law of the defendant's, Ho Kin San, who carried on business in Canton, Hoinformed him that the defendant carried on business in Hongkong, and said that he could arrange with him for the supply of the rifles. Accord- ingly Ho Kin San, the farmer and the plaintiff visited Hongkong about the end of the year and went to see the defendant at the office of the Fuk Sing. The
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