July 20, 1908.]
the imagination and the well known charity of the Hongkong public. Before asking you, Sir, to perform the opening ceremony, I desire to tender to you, the sinoere and respectful thanks of the Committee, for your kind sympathy and conder contion in coming amongst us this after noon, a d taking the leading part in the cer- emony (applause). I desire also to thank the Communities of Hongkong, especially the European, for their liberal donations and con- trilutions to the bazaar (applause). Now, Your Excellency, we are ready to display our wares, and are more ready still to receive fancy prices for them (laughter). I will call upon you, therefore, with one pull to loosen the curtains of this temple of splendour, and at the sme time the heart strings, and what is more important still, the parse strings of a rich and manificent assembly (Applause).
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR said- Ladies and Gentlemen, we have heard of the terrible distress which his overtaken the neigh bouring provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi and which has been caused by recent floods. Rivers have burst their embankments and carried devastation over great areas,
Great numbers of the population have been drowned and others have been rendered homeless and foodless, their stores swept away and their orops destroyed. In this calamity the leading Chinese members of our community have come forward to help the sufferers of their own race with a generosity and a thoroughness for which they are just'y renowned. It is a very striking testimony to the confidence which is felt in the Tang Wah Committee of Hongkong that the charitable institutions of Canton have asked them to undertake the task of collecting sub- scriptions from Chinese residents abroad, in California, Australia, the Straits, and Java and that those communities are ready to respond and entrust their funds to the Tang Wah Committee here, confident that they will be well applied under their direction. (Applause). We in this British Colony may be and I am sure we all are proud of the world-wide reputation for integrity which our Chinese fellow subjects have established for themselves. Their unfailing resource bas prompted them to adopt a Western idea of a bazaar in order to raise funds. Hitherto I have been inclined to regard bazaars as one of the prominent vices of Western civilisation, (laughter) but it is a benev lent rice and is not open to the same condemnation as some other
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
It is gratifying to record that the first bazaar undertaken by Chinese has been such an un- qualified success. At least $60,000 has been realised which is perhaps a little more than was anticipated, and this will be disbarsed in rice and necessary articles for the relief of those rendered destitute by the disastrous floods.
AN INTERESTING CANTÓN RUMOUR.
Our Canton correspondent writes:-A rumour is current in Canton that the Japanese Govern ment intends to donate to the flood relief fand the 200,000 taels exa:ted as indemnity in the "Tatan-Maru case, together with a further important sum. If the rumour is true it will go a long way towards removing the boycott instituted so successfully against Japanese goods.
In connexion with the relief fands, Mr. Fox, our Acting British Consul-General, has been very energetic in promoting the subscription raised among the British community, and the amount bids fair to reach an important mm. All the foreign consuls are urging their nationals to subscribe.
The Chinese are busy on their side and the theatre guild has contributed over $11,000 through performances given on behalf of the fund.
BAZAAR PROPOSED AT CANTON.
The leading citizens of Canton have been so impressed with the success of the Bazaar in Hongkong that it is proposed to make a similar innovation in Canton. The Self-Governing Society has taken the matter in hand and it is expected that the project will take shape in a very short time. Should this undertaking be successful it will indicate a greater step in the path of progress than even the Hongkong Bazaar with its breaking away from old oastom, at least so far as the ladies are concerned.
FLOODS IN THE NORTH.
+1
Authentic news of the extent of damage done to the railway through floods is still difficult of attainment, the "Hankow Daily News says, but it is generally recognised that many weeks must elapse before through communication to Peking can be thoroughly restored. Meanwhile the journey of a coolie who arrived on the 5th inst. with letters from Chin Kung shan will prove interesting to our readers as showing the pre- sent difficulty of access to Hankow's pet summer Western methods which have of late, I resort. Leaving Chih Kung-shan on the 30th regret to say, found favour in the Far East. ult. he proceeded by train to Kahngohoei, Its adaptation to the conditions of Chinese beyond which he was informed to trains were Society marks, I think, A very striking ranaing, three bridges being down. A short depture, and in opening this bazoar to-day journey overland brought him to the edge of I feel I am privileged to perform an historical the flooded country where he found no difficulty aot. Those of us who are from Western lands in obtaining a simpan. The waters were run- are wont to regard our women as foremost inning swiftly and progress was by no means fast, all that pertains to the relief of suffering and a long detour in addition having to be made. distress. We call them, and rightly, our mine
He surmises that he actually covered 300 li in eistaring angels. We look to them to orgauis- the sampan and the journey occupied days and direct campaigns against the pockets of the antil terra firma at Kilometre 50 was reached. wealthy and to extract contributions therefrom Throughout the inland sea voyage the depth of by the arts of suasion and the virtues of insist. water found was never less than two feet and at tance. To-day for the first time Chinese ladies times, of course, a great deal more. We under- are coming forward to assume the role of their stand that letters sent through the Railway Western sisters and to publicly play the part of Administration have reached Hankow in two + promoters of charitable undertakings. I wish and a half days.
them every success, and I am confident that they will achieve it (applause). I trust that this bazaar to which so many have with equal generosity contributed will add a large sum to the already magnificent fund which has been raised by the generous and sympathetic gentle- men of the Chinese community of Hongkong, I shall now have much pleasure in opening this Bazaar (Applause).
The GOVERNOR amid cheers then pulled the silken cords and the bazaar was considered opened. Before he preceeded on his round of the stalls under the guidance of Mr. Fang Wa Chan, His Excellency received a buttonhole from Miss No SHI HENG, daughter of the late Mr. Ng Tung shan, which she neatly placed in his coat,
The business of buying and selling was then proceeded with and the entertainment in the theatre was also commenced. The Bazaar con. tiones for seven consecutive days.
It has been found that to run the bazaar for twelve hours was too great a tar on those engaged in the work, and instead of remaining open till 2 a.m. it will close at 11 p.m. from to-day.
HALF YEARLY DIVIDENDS.
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK.
We are officially authorised to state that subject to audit, the Directors of the Hongkong & Shanghai Bauking Corporation will recom mend at the forthcoming meeting :-Dividend of £2 per share; add to the Reserve Food $500,000; write off Bank Premises account $250,000; carry forward about $2,000,000.
LAND COMPANIES.
An interim dividend of $3.50 per share for the half year is announced by the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Co. Ld.
An interim divident of $2 per share is announced by the West Point Building Com- pany, Ltd.
A dividend of 6 per cent. for the half year has been declared by the Shanghai Land Investment Company.
SHANGHAI GAS CO.
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The Shanghai Gas Co. Ltd, has notified that a dividend of 7 per cent. will be paid for the half-year ended June 30th.
89
PLAGUE WORK IN HONGKONG.
The following description of plague work in Hongkong forms an aunere to the annual report of the Principal Civil Medical Officer, Dr Atkinson, and the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Clark:-
There are at present four Plague Inspectors for the City of Victoria, and one for Kowloon. There are eleven coloured Foremen Interpreters, one for each District of the City of Victoria and one for Kowloon, who supervise the work of the rat-catchers, assist in the house-to-house cleans-
one
ing, and act as Interpreters to the Inspectors, where necessary. There are four gangs in the City of Victoria each consisting of Chinese foreman, one artisan and seven coolies, while Kowloon has a gang consisting of a Chinese Foreman, two artisans and ten coolies.
Daring non-epidemic periods the whole of this staff is engaged in house-to-house cleansing work, about ten houses or thirty floors a day are dealt with, and each tenant receives three days' notice, on a form in English and Chinese, requiring him to thoroughly cleanse his premises. On the day fixed the gang attends in the street in which the houses are situated, and supplies hot water and soap solution to the tenants, and cleans out all empty floors, base- mente, etc., the tenants themselves cleaning out their own premises. The refuse turned out dar- ing this cleansing is removed by the gang to the nearest dust boat, The soap solution is also used by the tenants for washing their bad- boards, etc., in the street or on the verandah.
This
When the cleansing work is completed by the tenants the Inspector visits every door, socom. panied by the Foreman Interpreter and some of the poolies with a bucket of Pesterine (liquid fuel) which is applied to the sides and corners of the floors, and to the skirtings and round the partitions of cubicles, and the corners of the stairs, by means of the mops, under the personal supervision of the Inspector. Pesterine is a black treacle-like liquid "which stains woodwork and it was decided therefore at the latter end of the year to substitute for it a mixture of equal parts of Cyllin and Petrol diluted with water to 1 in 200. mixture acts both as a pulicide and a germicide and has the advantage of not staining the The solution has to flooring and skirtings. be freshly mixed each day as it undergoes certain chemical changes, the nature of which has not yet been worked out. At this visit when the floors are clear of furniture, etc., the. Inspector makes special note of the condition of the ground surfaces, the absence of gratings to drain-inlets and ventilators, and the pres- ence of rat-runs, and all these matters are dealt The tenants with by legal notice at once; are invited, by notice in the form attached, to allow their bedding and spare clothing to be steamed, in order to destroy fleas and other vermin and their ova, and compensation is Should a offered for all articles damaged. case of Plague occur in a house, the Kaifong (Street Committee) of the District are informed, and the floor on which the case has occurred is di infected by the Plague staff, the walls being sprayed with corrosive sublimate, and the floor and the bed boards washed with the mixture of Cyllin and Petrol; orude carbolic acid is poured into the rat-runs, which are then filled up with cement; and the clothing and bedding is sent to the Disinfecting Station to be steamed. The remaining floors of the in- fected house are cleansed by the tenants in the same manner as in the house-to-house cleansing. Should there be any ceilings or stair-linings in the infected house they are removed and com- pensation is paid for them, if the case has been duly reported, while illegalities are dealt with by notice. The compensation is, in the case of Chinese, assessed separately by theKaifong of the district and by the Plague Inspector, and their assessments are dealt with by a Committee of the Sanitary Board. The Kaifong are appointed by the Government on the nomination of the Tung Wa Hospital for the City of Victoria, and in Kowloon by the inhabitants of Kowloon Point, Taumati and Hanghom respectively.
Any spare time at the disposal of the Plague Inspectors is occupied in paying special visits to houses in which cases of Plague have occurred in the previous season, with
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