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first accused and the deceased quarrelled, the latter alleging that the former owed him money. Deceased was the first to strike or lay hands on the other and then both men fought. The second defendant joined in the fight, and in the words of the woman they were chasing one another round the room. Blows were exchanged and the decea-ed ran out on to the verandah and jumped over. Another witness was the master of a boarding house who would tell the jury that he BSW No. 1 standing in front of the door to prevent the deceased from going back into the room while the other man was fighting with the deceased. Then he saw the deceased go over the verandah. Whether he was pushed or not the witness could not say. He ran downstairs t help the injured man and the police were sent for. The two men were taken to the Plice Station where two documents were found on No. 1. These documents, the prosecution submitted, were the property of the deceased and related to the mortgage. The deceased spoke to bis friend but died soon afterwards. The theory of the Crown was that if this man was in bodily fear and had a well grounded apprehension that farther violence would be done to him as would endanger his life, prisoners would be answerable for the consequences of his fall as much as if they had thrown him over the verandah them- selves.
When the case for the Crown was closed, the jury found there was no evidence on which they could convict and the prisoners were discharged.
Wednesday, 22nd July.
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (SIE F. PIGGOTT).
UTTERING A FORGED BANK NOTE.
Two Chinese, fokis in a money changer's were charged with uttering a bank note know. ing it to be false. The Attorney-General (Hon. Mr. Rees Davies, K.C.,) instructed by Mr. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, who was assisted by Mr. E. P. Hett, of Messrs. Brutton and Hett, appeared to proseouts, and Mr. M. Blade, instructed by Mr. S. Dickson, of the office of Mr. R. A. Harding and Mr. Steavenson, of Messrs. Deacon, Looker, and Deacon, defended.
The following jury were empanelled:-L. Plummer, G. Beck, A. J. M. Thiesen, E. Humphreys, J. F. Millar, S. R. Ismail, and C. Scott.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
to cash the notes into Canton silter and Shi Hing, taking a coolia with him, went to the Yau Kee shop in Botham 8 rand where he bad done business before, and after agreeing as to the premium to be received, Shi Hing took the notes out of the bandkerchief where he kept them since the morning. The attendant saw that the note purporting to be $10 was a forgery and he drew Shi Hing's attention to it. On learning this Shi Hing wrapped up the notes in his handkerchief and prooee led to the Shui Cheong shop where he had received the notes in the morning. On the way however he met his master to whom he mentioned the matter and on his suggestion they entered the On Loong Bank where the note was shown and declared to be a forgery. On arrival at the Shui Cheong shop Shi Hing showed the note to the Arst prisoner who denied | that he had given him a hundred dollar note at all that morning. Th second prisoner came up at that time and said the $100 note they had was on the Hongkong Bank and not on the Chartered Bank, so that the note produced could not have been obtained there Shi Hing insisted that he had received the note there and a quarrel took place. A orowd gathered and a lukong coming on the scene arrested Shi Hing and took him to the Police Station, telling the two men to follow. At the Station Shi Hing was searched and 860) was found upon him. Shi Hing's master and the prose cator appeared and ultimately the two defendants were charged with uttering a false bank note. The Attorney. General then described the note, on which the figures 100 appeared in the centre and the same figures appeared in the corners, though on the back the figure five appeared in several places. The Chinese characters had been altered. The forgery was calculated to deceive the Chinese but from the English point of view the forgery was a clumsy one. It was unlikely that Shi Hing would have gone to three money changers and tried to pass the note if he had known it was a forgery. He would have tried to dupe some one less accustomed to handling notes than money changers. He thought the jury would be satisfied that the note was obtained from the prisoners as alleged and that they had guilty knowledge, that they knew the note was forged when they attempted to pass it.
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Evidence was then called for the prosecution. Shi Hing was examined at length and re coguised the note produced as the one which he bad received from the prisoners and which had been declared false.
The hearing was adjourned.
Thursday, 23rd July.
IN CRIMINAL JUR SDICTION.
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
(SIR F. PIGGOT).
THE BANK NOTE CASE.
The trial was resumed of Tong Nam and Ng Chun for attering a forged bank note.
The Attorney-General, in outlining the case for the Crown, said that the prisoners were charged with uttering a forged bank note for the sum of $100. The two prisoners were the cashier and the runner respectively of Chinese money changer's shop, called the Shui Cheong at 116 Queen's Road Central. The prosecutor was the owner of a salt junk trading between Fokien province and Caxton. He arrived in Hongkong for the first time in his life on the 23rd May last and went to his friend Shi Hing. As he could not talk Cantonese Shi Hing went round with him to assist in Mr. Slade cross-examined Shai Hing, who alearing his junk at the Harbour Office and to
was said to have received the altered bank note do other matters. Afterwards the prosecutor from the prisoners. He said that when he returned to Canton but came back to the Colony returned to the Shui Cheong modey changers on the 26th May with a draft for $700. 8bishop in the afternoon he had received a false Hing went out with him to the money changer's note from them and wished to have it changed shop where the prisoners were employed in His master, who was present, went for the order to cash the draft. They saw the first and prosecutor, and during his absence the police second prisoners behind the counter and Shi) arrested him. Hing presented the draft to the first man and asked for bank notes, The first prisoner counted out the notes and handed them to the second who after counting them also handed the bundle over to Shi Hing, who counted them himself. Shi Hing could not read English and was, of course, guided by the Chinese characters on the notes. The notes consisted of one $100 note, one $50, several tens and fives. As a matter of fact the note which appeared to be for $10') was a five dollar note which had been altered to a hundred. Shai Hing and the prosecutor then went back to the shop where Sbi Hing was employed. The prosecutor afterwards met the crew of bis junk and they had tiffin together. After the tiffin Shi Hing handed a letter and telegram to the prosecutor and as the result of these he left for Fokien to get a cargo of salt. It was necessary
The case for the defence was opened and the hearing adjourned.
Mr. Frank Browne, the Government Analyst, in his report for 1907 remarks:-" A good deal of care is taken by retailers that the quality of their liquors answers the legal requirements. A large quantity of brandy being deficient in ethers, was returned to the shippers. As the question as to What is Whisky has not yet been decided, it has not been considered advisable to recommend say prosecutions with regard to this liquor, At present therefore the quality of whisky remains the same as that required in England. The analysis of locally made beer has shown it to be possible to brow here a beverage of bigh quality, which will keep sufficiently long without the use of any preservative.”
[July 25, 1908.
INDO-CHINA STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.
THE ANNUAL MEETING.
The ordinary general meeting was held on June 25th at the offices, 29, Cornhill.
Mr. W. KESWICK, M.P., presided. The CHAIRMAN expressed regret that the directors had to meet the shareholders with a report much less satisfactory than they could have desired; but everyone who was acquainted with the shipping trade in the Far East would understand the difficulties under which the company had to work, not only from ordinary o mpetition, but from the fact that steamers were excessively subsidized by Governments, and were thereby enabled to maintain their opposition. He regretted that it had been necessary to transfer £30,000 from the under. writing account, and £50,000 from the reserve fand, to meet the charges of the year.
The directors proposed to pay the full cumulative dividend due upon the preferred ordinary shares and to carry forward £13,755. They much regretted that they were not in A position to make a distribution upon that occasion upon the defer- red ordinary shares. He then, moved the adoption of the report.
Mr. H. BEAZLEY seconded the motion.
Mr. MICAEL said that he thought it was very much to the company's discredit that there should appear a statement in the certificate of the auditors, Messrs Turqaand, Youngs, sad Co., to the following effect:-"
-“The revenue account has been charged this year with a reduced amount for depreciation of steamers, and whilst the working accounts have been charged with the premiums of insurance actually paid, they have not been debited with premiums In respect of the company's underwriting account," He considered that the alteration which had been made upon that occasion was s most unsatisfactory one, and they ought to be informed what this sum was they had been in previous balance-sheets, It was not very creditable to a com- pany like their's that the auditors should have to make such a statement. He asked that the figures should be disclosed, and, farther, that the directors should pledge themselves in the future to set the matter forth clearly in the statement submitted to the shareholders,
Similar views were expressed by Mr. CROSSFIELD and other shareholders, who con- tended that they ought to have the exact figures placed before them, in order that they might understand the accounts.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that the amount involved was between £25,000 and £30,000. There need not be the slightest anxiety in regard to the matter. With reference to taking any binding instructions from the meeting as to how they would deal with the subject in the future, the directors refused to accept any demand or order, but they would bear the the matter thoroughly in mind, and give it sympathetic attention,
Eventually the report was unanimously carried.
The report reads as follows:-
The Board of Directors now submit their report and statement of accounts for the year 1907.
The large number of our shareholders who are familiar with Chins will know that the characteristic of the year there has been trade depression, in all directions, of almost unprece- dented severity. The result has been a heavy falling off in the earnings of all shipping engaged in the Coast trade.
Freight receipts have. therefore, auffered correspondingly, and the Directors have found it necessary to have recourse to the General Reserve Fund and Underwriting Account in order to provide for the depreciation of the feet (£56,584. 12s.) and other requirements. After making these appropriations and meeting all expenses chargeable upon the year, including debentare interest, there remains a balance of £28,632 6. 5d, out of which it is proposed to pay the full cumulative dividend dae upon the preferred ordinary shares and to carry forward the sum of £13,755 7s. 5d,
The debenture issue, authorised by the shareholders, has been duly effected during the year, and £250,000 subscribed.
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