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484
to die away again; and the attenti of the high officials may have to be drawn to it.
The rest of the voluminous notes and com- ments deal chiefly with the arrival of detach- ments, and so on, the gist of which has appeared in our telegrams. Some volunteers, it
appears, noticed that shots were fired at them from upper windows in one street. The Police Magistrate had to deal with the cases of several foreigners who, trough hard drinking and excitement, made themselves dangerous with loaded revolvers. His Worship said, "most people are carrying revolvers now, I know," but added that they must not get drunk and flourish them about. In some cases, sentries and pickets had been nearly shot by these drunken fools.
THE STATUS OF SHANGHAI.
The following official correspondence was ordered for immediate publication :—
Shanghai, 13th December, 1904. Sir-Having received assurance that the defendant in kidnapping case Li Wanshib, from Szechuen, is innocent in the charge brought against her, the Consular Body decided
that she should be released at once.
Therefore I request you to immediately take the necessary action to restore her liberty. -I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
S. KLEIM NOW, Senior Consul. F. ANDERSON, Esq..
Chairman of the Municipal Council,
Shanghai.
15th, December, 1905. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, conveying to the Council an intimation that the Consular Body has received assurance that the defendant the kidnapping case is innocent, and requesting therefore that she be released at once from custody.
in
As a result of a special meeting held to discuss. the matter on Thursday, the Council decided to give effect to your request, and the woman in question was accordingly set at liberty. The Council took for granted that your letter was intended to apply to the several persons implicated in the case, whose arrest was sanctioned under the same warrant as that referring to the woman Li, and therefore released them all.
While thus giving effect to the decision of the Consular Body which, it is understood, is taken under instructions from Peking, the Conncil desires to place on record the following obserations and facts in connection with this
case
It is observed with regret that the substance of your communication of yesterday appears to- day in practically identical form, though un. official and without authority, in the local Press. It will be within your recollection that the Consular Body formally requested on a certain occasion that matters of this kind should not be communicated to the Press except upon their conclusion.
The Council notes that the Consular Body is informed that the defendant in this case is innocent of the charge brought against her. but no, mention is made of any evidence to justify this conclusion. On the other hand, it is to be observed that this case was brought'iu & proper and regular manner before the Mixed Court; that a warrant in proper form was issued and that the prima facie evidence produced by the Police was sufficient for the Court to remand the prisoners for further enquiry. It is also to be observed that the Council had subsequently made arrangements,
in view of the possible innocence of the defen- dants, to release them on security, but that, owing to the confirmation of this arrangement by the Court not being forthcoming, the prisoners were necessarily detained in custody.
A
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
again before the Court when, if the Police evidence was insufficient for a conviction, the defendants would have been duly discharged.
The Council is not a judicial Body, and fu'. filling its executive functions, has no alternative but to carry out the irregular procedure pre- scribed in this case, regarding the authorities from whom it emanated in this instance as a special Court of Appeal, but the responsibility for this decision and for its consequences cannot rest with the Council.
ļ
(December 30, 1965.
CORRESPONDENCE.
HONGKONG FLOWER SHOW.
<
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS."
SIR-I am again asking you to allow me to The reasons for which the Cousular Body
use your correspondence column with reference originally decided that femeie prisoners should
to the approaching Flower Show, as the be placed in the new women's ward have been gardens in Victoria, on the Peak and in Kow- Governor has offered prizes for the best kept fully recorded in the past. but the Counciloon, and this is the surest way of conveying would take this opportunity of again drawing His Excellency's offer to the community. It attention to the facts published in last year's Annual Report as to the condition of the
wil be necessary for owners of gardens wishing. cells in which women were formerly detained at
to compete to send in their names to me before the Mixed Court and to that of the 14th inspection visits between January 22nd and January 10th. The judges would make their October, recently submitted to yourself.
27th (inclusive), and would pay special attention to the neatness of the gardens and the evidence of personal care and attention.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
S. T. DUNN,
The Consular Body's decision to introduce necessary reforms in the management of the women's ward, a decision based on civilised usage and fully justified by local conditions, was conveyed to the Chinese authorities in the Senior Consul's dispatch of the 10th June; if this decision is now to be reversed it is to be hoped that at least arrangements will be made Hongkong, 28th December, 1905.
with the Chinese authorities for suitable supervision of the native gaol's administration.
Similarly, in carrying out the instructions of th British Assessor and insisting upon the detention of the female defendants in the custody of the Municipal Police, the latter were acting strictly within their duties and in accordance with the recorded instructions of the Consular Body. It cannot be too clearly stated Council has proceeded in agreement with the that from the inception of this matter. the Consular Body, nor can the action of the Polic in carrying out the instructions of the Assessor be called in question. The objects of the Consular Body and of the Council have been to promote the best interests of the native com- munity and to remedy the more flagrant of those abuses which have made the Mixed Court notorious in the past; and by publicity, and the additional security afforded by the presence of Assessors, to prevent their continuance.
The native community has frequently recog- nised that the policy thus urged on the native authorities by the Consular Body and the Municipal Council has been dictated solely in the interests of good government and the more humane treatment of prisoners. Therefore, in the negotiations now pending between the Con- sular Body and the Chinese Authorities in regard to future administration, it appears essential that in the rehemence of popular agitation, the past history of the Court should not be overlooked, and that the recurrence of such abuses be prevented.
In conclusion, the Council would suggest that the present moment is particularly opportune for the Ministers representing the Treaty Powers at Peking to arrange with the Chinese Government a code of Regulations aud revised constitution of the Mixed Court of this Settle-
ment based on the agreements and procedure which long experience has proved to be necessary, so that misunderstanding and friction may in future be avoided. This request may the more reasonably be made inasmuch as it has been put forward by the Consular Body and the Council at various times since 1876, but more particularly during the past ten years, with no
result whatever.
With a view to placing the situation clearly before the public, the Council will now publish his correspondence officially, a
course which doubtless meets with your approval.—I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant.
1
F. ANDERSON, Chairman. C. KLEIMENOw, Esq.,
Consul General for Russia
and Senior Consul :
The Chugai Shogyo Shimpo reports that two important Chinese sugar merchants of Formosa base failed in consequence of the heavy decliné
It is not the Councils-inteiftion to discuss the original evidence or the reasons for the
arrest in this case, since the prisoners have been released, but the Council desires to point out that, the case being properly before the the market, and have involved in heavy losses Court and formally remanded, the only regular the Bank of Formosa, the 34th Bank, and manner of dealing with the matter in conform- others. One report puts the losses of the banks ity with legality and the Consular Body's at Y200,000, and another estimates the loss of established: procédure, was to bring the matter 1 the Bank of Formosa at Y400,000.
Hon. Sec. Flower Show Committee.
CHRISTMAS MISADVENTURES.
HONGKONG GENTLEMEN'S UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES.
as
A most unorthodox Christmastide was spent by. a number of local gentlemen who set out on Sun- day morning in a launch for Lantao Island, where they intended enjoying the holidays. Leaving Hongkong about 10 o'clock the party, which consisted of Sir Henry Berkeley, Mr. EH. Sharp, Mr. J. Hastings, Mr. C. Ewens and Mr. C. D. Melbourne, reached Tung Chun and landed with the intention of exploring the island. The plateau on the summit of a hill became their objective, but they had only climbed part of the way when they realised that the party had become separated. Sir Henry Berkeley, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Ewens decided to proceed to Taro police station. Meanwhile the launch had been ordered to Sam Wat, but
nothing could bo learned of its whereabouts the three gentlemen named embarked on the ordinary ferry launch with the intention of returning to Hongkong. launch had not got farout of the bay when in the But further misfortunes awaited them. The
tempestuous seas that were running, it struck on a reef and was wrecked, all efforts to get her off proving unavailing. The gentlemen wero in a sorry plight, drenched, without food and shelter and exposed all night to the ele- meats. Meanwhile Mr. Ewens and Mr. Melbourne had found their way to the Taio Police Station and afterwards obtained quarters for the night: launch for Hongkong and on the way came Next morning they took a
across their shipwrecked comrades on the reef. They were taken on board, together with the Chinese passengers, and returned to Hongkong on Monday morning when the anxiety of their friends was relieved.
THE MIXED COURT INCIDENT.
The N.-C. Daily News on Deo 18 said The news which was in the air yesterday that our Foreign Office has decided that the Taotai's demand for the removal of Mr. Twyman from the post of British assessor at the Mixed Court, is entirely inadmissible, has given general satisfaction. The studiously discourteous tone of the Taotai's dispatch to Sir Pelham Warren, as published in the native papers, would itself have been sufficient reason for the refusal of the demand, even if Mr. Twyman had not been simply acting under orders. The release of the prisoners in the irregular fashion in which it was done is the very utmost concession that could ba made to the Chinese demands, and we trust- that the whole incident is new closed.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.