20
temperature baving brought on an invasion of these plains by the more southern Mediterranean fauna, the Mongol pony and bis associates of the old northera fauna had to retreat; and their line of retreat was across the plains of northern Siberia, the, climate of which, opposite to that of Europe, was then milder than now. But the animals did rot undertake the journey alone; for the ancient human dwellers in central and western Europe found them-: selves compelled, under similar pressure from the more advanced Mediterraneau ! peoples, to move with the animals to which they were accustomed. Such was the position of these peoples at tie first dawn of history, as we learn from HERODOTUS. His authority is claimed to have been an ancient ¦ Greek poet whom he calls ARISTEAS, son of KAYISTROBIUS, who, inspired by Apollo, is said to have wandered into the regions of the Issedoues. The real nuthority is the old tradition of the Zoroastrians to be found in the Avesta. Beyond the Issedones, said the poet, dwelt the Arimaspians, and these continually encroaching on their neighbours, forced them southwards in to the great plains of the Sgdian Mesopo- tamia, and eventually into India and China The Greck puet does not give a clue to the true cause of the movement, which is, however, supplied by the Z roas trian scriptures. The first of lauds created by Ahura Mazda was the old Aryano Vaejo, by the Good River Daitya", at first a land of bliss till Angra Mainyu came and counter-created winter. “There are ten winter mouths there, two summer months." The fact was t'at as the northern land of Asia rose, it also became colder and less habitable, so that the irruption of the Arimaspians was by no means of their own seeking. It had the effect, as we learn from Zoroastrian, Indian, and Chinese legends, as well as from HERODOTUS, of bringing about the first historical human emigration, that of the Aryans and Iranians in the East.
|
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
OVERTAXED MACAO.
(July 13, 1907.
of the world, and it is only since yesterday | baker, the fish dealer, the Chinese pen- we have been able to compreh nd that while | maker (as well as the friend to Chinese both Etruscan and Romi'u have been able illiterate humanity who writes letters at argely to assimilate the arts of their the street corner, and his near business neighbours, both have possessed at all times relative the maker of Chinese "chops "), at bottom a genuine artistic instinct which the manufacturer as well as the seller of has always prevented them from being mere joss-sticks, the vendor as well as the maker copyists.
of candles, those who let out on hire bicycles, jinrickishas or carriages, those who build houses or decorate them or make any conceivable article wherewith to furnish them. The Chinese doctor is also taxed, so are the dispensaries, and we might appro priately close the list with the coffin makers. One may not even escape taxation by living idly in Macao, for there is a Police Tax which apparently is levied on every individual, the amount of the tax ranging from 86.25 a month to 35 cents a month. For this purpose the community is graded into teu classes, a classification compre- hensive enough to embrace everybody from a nobleman to a dustman or a beach- cober. Macao inay still have its attractions for the visitor, but it has few
(Daily Pres1, 12th July.) What a contrast Macao presents to Hong kong in the matter of taxation! It is the proud boast of Hongkong that it has reached its pinnacle of greatness among the ports of the Far East by reason of the freedom of its trade from rexitious and injurious taxation. Fifty years ago Macau might have been regarded as one of the most important centres of foreign trade in the Far East. It is now little more than of historical interest as the first foreign Colony on the China coast. Its trade has almost entirely disappeared. The governing authorities have done nothing to encourage | left for residents. trade, but everything t strangle it. Lishon, has regarded Macao as a lemon to HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD. be squeezed; and to produce sufficient juice the Colony has had to be taxed to an extent which can only mean its ultimate extinction as a Portuguese Colony. The latest tax- tion law-it was adopted in 1887, but is only now put into force-secus to be the coup,
de grace, and it is not surprising that the most despondent view is taken of the future by residents iu the Colony. The Chinese have entered a strong protest against it. During the plague scare thousands of Chinese left the Colony and the new taxation which was decrea last March, has had the effect, it is said, of keeping them away, perhaps never to return. The list of taxes embraces 21 businesses, and a few extracts
from this list will not be without interest to those who have the good fortune to live where the tax- gatherer is not so prominent as he is at Now Canon TAYLOR, while probably cor.
Macao. Every business is specialise. rect in connecting his Etruscans with these There are no fewer than nine kinds of Arimaspians of northern Asia, has certainly carpenters, so that if a man who makes no sufficient basis for his next conclusion-tea chests also makes furniture he that of bringing his Etruscans from the has to pay additional taxation. More. flanks of the Altais or Urds. As we have over every industry is dividel into seen, the migration of the animals eastward three classes. There are, for instance, was not so complete but that some were first-class oll clo' men, second class oli left behind, even in the time of HERODOTUs. clo' men and third-class old clo' men. when the Mongolian pony was still wild on Those in the first class pay a tax of $3 a the banks of the modern Duiester. As-year, those in the second $5.40, and those suming that horse and mau started from in the third $7.80. The heaviest tax is on the same locality, us ክር are certainly cement and brick factories, the tax rauging justified in doing, we may trace both back from $100 to $300 a year. Hotels, accord- to the level lands of south western France, ing to their class, pay $25, $30, and $40, and this we are the more justified in doing while on, private boarding houses the tax that, as Canou TAYLOR pointed out, there ranges from $4.80 to $9. Apparently the are other reasous to trace kinship between Assessment Committee classifies the houses the old Etruscans and the original in- habitauts of western Asia Minor.
But this establishes a further strange re- lationship. These cave-dwellers in southern France, notwithstanding their low civili. sation, had already evolved considerable artistic power; and their rude drawings of the now extinct animals by which they were surrounded are remarkable for their truth and spirit. Amongst these drawings are their sketches of the Mongolian pouy, which are so life-like in their draftmanship that the animal cannot be mistaken. The search into the rigin of the Mongolian pony has led us to the still further dis cove y that to the rude aits of the D. rdogne cave-dweller is really to be traced the art of the Etruscan predecessor of t. e Romans, in many aspeto tll unsurpassed. Lke the Etruscan the Roman ba also leeu classed as of no account in the artistic development
|
or
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held
Dr. J. M. Atkinson (President) presided, and on July 9th at the Board Room. The Hon.
there were als› present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham (Vice-President), Dr. F. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Dr. H. McFarlane (Assistant Medical Oficer of Health), Police), Major T. P. Jones, R A.M.C., Hoo. Mr. Mr. F. J. Badeley, (Captain Superintendent of
A. W. Brewin, (Registrar General), Mr. A. and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary). Sholton Hooper, Mr. Lau Cha-pak,
CHINESE CEMETERY AT APLICHAN.
The report by the committee consisting of the Hon. Registrar General and Messrs. Fang Wa Chun and Lau Chu-pak relative to a site on Aplichan being used as a public cemetery for tombs of a more permanent nature and larger than are allowed cemeteries was read as under.
in the present Chinese
and
Of the two sites suggested Aplichan and Tsing Yi-the former is considered the better though it is difficult of access rocky. It has not been found possible to make regulations for a public cemetery of the nature suggested, and it is recommended that this site or another should be leased by the Government as a cemetery to ous or more private individuals who can satisfy the Registrar-General that they are acting on behalf of a sufficient number of Chinese residents in Hongkong, and who will undertake to be guided by the Registrar- General in the management of it.
swers
The PRESIDENT-The report scarcely an. the quee ions referred to. It is for members to approve and adopt. The site has teen suggested, but the rate of premium on each grave is not given. It is proposed that this site should be leased as a cemetery to one or more private individuals.
The VICE-PRESIDENT --The committee pro- bably intended such private individuals to be representatives of the Chinese commanity at large. I move that the report be referred bak so that they can make the matters quite clear in which the opinion of the Board was asked.
The PRESIDENT seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
industries as first, second, or third. A license has to be taken out within three days, and anybody who fails to comply with this requirement is liable to prosecution for defrauding the public revenue. The license has to be hung up in a prominent place at the entrance t
NUISANCES AND NOTICES. the shop so that it can readily be seen.
A letter from the PRESIDENT was read re- This is not obligatory on mercantile firms. Hooper, asking: Was it a fact that notices were lative to a question put by Mr. A. Shelton In the event of failure to pay the tax always served for the abatement of a nuisance quarterly in advance on the due date, the before prosecution? The letter was as follows:- penalty for a first offence is payment of a The case referred to by Mr. Hooper of the full year's taxes in addition to the quarterly tent of No. 476 Queen's Road West, having payment due, and double the cost of the
been pros-cuted in December 1906 for the stimp.
In no case is the fine to exced, rtion of cubicles without the previous service 20,000 reis. A rep-tition of the offence is
of a notice, fails under part 3 of the Ordinance, wet by a distress warrant.
and the prosecution was instituted with the sanction of the Building Authority. The Everybody is taxed; the dairy which touse Was • now od just completed, supplies the baby's milk, the shờ, which | ia which the erect.on of cu bio es is supplies its clo hes (whether new or secund-absolutely prohibited
by the Ordinance, hand), the shoemaker, grocer and the The other three summonses mantioned by Mr-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.