148
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
August 20th.
POLION AND RELIGION,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The 24th day of the 7th moon (20th August) is the Birthday of the Guardian spirit of the City. Every year on that day thousands of men and women in Canton and the neighbouring villages and towns go to the Guardian Spirit Temple in the Old Walled City to worship that god, and they remain in the temple all through the night sleeping anywhere so as to "absorb the heat of the earth," as the Chinese say, and in the hope of the Guardian Spirit visiting them in their slumber and bestowing upon them good luck or restoration to health. The Guardian Spirit Temple is one of the largest josshouses here, but the concourse of people on such occasions has always been so great that many are compelled to sleep in the street. The best and surest place for receiving blessings from the god is the floor just under the shrine of the Joss; after that the various compounds adjoining the josshouse, and lastly the street.
There has always been a great struggle for the place of rest at night inside the temple and even in those compounds nearest to the josshouse.
Naturally the bad characters of the City take advantage of such a confused gathering, and they flock there to pick pockets, snatch earings and hairpins. They commence operations at about sun-set when the worshippers start to scramble for places of repose. The noise made and the filthy language used by people of both sexes, in disputing over places, are deafening and horrible, and the utter disregard displayed for the sanctity of the place is enough to disgust and drive away the most humble and patient god.
The Chief of Police has issued a prohibition against the people sleeping in the temple on the night of the god's birthday.
The proclamation states that the ancient people established gods and religions to caution the ignorant people against doing evil, bat now temples are erected as money-making places. The promiscuity displayed by men and women is immoral, while sleeping on the tile floor and in the compounds is unhealthy. It encourages theft and on the whole is calculated to disturb the peace; hence these gatherings should be prohibited. More over the death of the gate keeper (caused by the collapse of a wall in the temple during the recent typhoon) who was accustomed to sleep there every night is sufficient to prove the absurdity of the idea that sleeping there one night preserves one from harm.
THE FLOOD FUND BAZAAR,
Yesterday the Committee reported that they had collected a further sum of $2,611.50 from the outstanding accounts.
The Canton Press have written a joint letter thanking the members of the Bazaar Com mittee for the good services rendered by them in the recent Bazaar and at the same time requesting them to furnish, as soon as possible, the total sum of the proceeds of sales at the Bazaar, including donations.
August 25th.
SUPPRESSION OF ILLEGAL SOCIETIES. The local Authorities have received the following Imperial Edict by cable-
"This Imperial Ediot is issued to inform you that I (Emperor) have recently heard that there are numerous societies established in both the Northern and Southern Provinces bordering the Sea Coast under the general name of Political Information Societies. Amongst these Societies there are many members who are prominent seditious criminals who under shelter of these societies get the people to subscribe large sums of money and form factions under
the pretext of investigating the political and commercial affairs of the country, but in reality they are scoretly scheming and inciting insur- rections and creating trouble and generally design to disturb the peace of the public. If stern measures are not immediately taken to investigate and suppress these societies it is feared that they will corrupt and the people, I have ordered the Board of Census, Viceroys and Governors of all the
rain
[August 31, 1908.
to
The Viceroy gave instructions the Commissioner of Customs to pass these goods free of duty. They arrived here by the s.a. All'Kwong Sai" on the 24th instant.
Provinces, Generals in command of the armies, and the Prefect of Sbun Tien to make rigid and minute inquiries and adopt stringent measures to suppress these societies. officials are instructed to arrest and severely punish the members of these associations and not to look upon this as an unimportant matter as negligence on your part may result in involv ing the State in serious calamity. Respect this (Edict).”,
The above ediot refers to the Self-Govern- ment Society, Association for Protection of Chinese Rights, Investigation Society, and so forth, all of which poly sprung up last year. They express freely their opinions on governmental matters and very often hamper the actions of the local authorities. Trouble was bound to crop up, for while nothing like representative government is As yet established, there so-called societies arrogate to themselves
and
power to interfere in
every matter, and they undoubtedly constitute a standing danger both to their countrymen and to foreigners. I mentioned the danger of the existence of these societies last year when they interfered with the West River Patrol question.
SUBSIDIARY COINS.
Recently the Board of Revenue at Peking sent a despatch to Viceroy Chang stating that the British Minister had requested them to order the Kwangtung Mint to cease for a time to coin subsidiary coins. On receipt of the despatch the Viceroy instructed the Provincial Treasurer, the Bureau of Local Affairs, and the official in obarge of the Mint to consider the matter and report their opinions. The following is the gist of the report sent to the Viceroy:
The merchants and the people have long been accustomed to the use of the 20 cent coins. If we cease to mint these, then we have to look to foreign sources for a supply. The British Minister on the pretext of the interests of commerce has requested that the coining of them be stopped. Your predecessors have previously reported on this subject giving fall particulars and substantial proofs, This year the British Minister has alṛain taken up the subject and discussed it with the Wai- wapu. On the last occasion, with a view to prevent international complications, the Wai- wupa was reluctantly compelled_to_comply with the request of the Minister and ordered the (monthly) production of subsidiary coins to be reduced by 8,000 taels.
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As it was said that by stopping the minting of subsidiary coins the basiness of the merchants and the poeple would be facilitated we disregard. ed the question of profits accruing from the minting of the coins. We still found, however, that it was occasionally necessary to stamp several thousand dollars' worth of ten cents coins, to meet the public and private business transactions of the Mint. As the people are so accustomed to the use of subsidiary o ins we were compelled to mint a certain quantity above the usual limit so as to facilitate circulation and meet the demands for change for dollar coins,
"On the present occasion the British Min- ister has again requested that the minting of the subsidiary coins be stopped and has supported his request by saying that the premium on foreign banknotes is daily increasing &c., &o. But the fluctuation of premium on foreign banknotes really depends on the cornering of subsidiary coins in the market, and has nothing to do with the amount of subsidiary ooins minted. The Bri- tish Minister does not appreciate the real condition of affairs, but simply puts the blame on the Kwangtung subsidiary coins. Excellency's statement is not based on a full review of the facts. Moreover, the amount minted above the limit is only an additional aum of coins necessary to meet the payment of salaries of officials and soldiers and at times on account of insufficient subsidiary coins in the market required for the transaction of the business of the merchants.”
THE FLOOD-JAPAN'S GIFTS.
His
has sent the following articles: to the Viceroy It is reported that the Japanese Government
in aid of the flood sufferers :---
7,100 rolls of cotton piece goods. 25,000, bottles of medicine (P)
7,000 catties of flour. 10,000 tins of preserved cabbage.
August, 26th.
INCREASE OF SALARIES.
Prices of all kinds of articles having incressed considerably of late, almost doubling the cost of living to what it was a few years ago. Bir Robert Hart last year instructed the Com- missioner of Customs in the Kwangtung Pro- vince to add to the salaries of the Chinese staff of the Customs a bonus of 10 per cent, on this account.
It is now reported that Mr. Paul H. King, Commissioner of Customs here, has received instructions from the Acting Inspector-General of Customs to replace the bonus by a defluite increase of 10 per cent. in the salaries of the Chinese staff, commencing from the month of October.
THE BOYCOTT,
The following is a translation of a circular issued by the Piece Goods Guild here:-
"We beg respectfully to inform you that on the 16th day of the 4th moon this year the Guild, sent a notice round to all the merchants calling upon them to carry out the duty of up- holding the honour and dignity of the people and the country. We are deeply grateful to the merchants for answering the call.
"In the meeting held to-day we all declared that hereafter we will not purchase any fresh goods (Japanese) and will strictly adhere to our duty to our country,
W
Following is a list of the regulations framed at the meeting and we trust that you will obey them :-
1. Hereafter all merchants of this Guild will not purchase any fresh goods. Those who break this rule are liable to be fined $50 for each offence. Seventy per cent, of the fine will be given to the informer and 30 por cent. will be retained by the Guild. This will act as a warning to the merchants.
2. Should a delinquent firm or merchant refuse to pay the fiue imposed, all the mer- ohants of the guild will cease to trans- act business with that firm and we will immediately publish the
of the firm in the newspapers, denouncing the proprietors of the firm as men devoid of shame, so as to caution others.
name
3. The merchants of this guild will cease to transact business through any brokers who are discovered to be clandestinely purchasing (forbidden P) goods on behalf of any firms, The breaking of any of the above rules means disobedience."
The Bank Guild has also announced to the
public that they have recently discovered that several banks are devoid of shame in making money by purchasing money (Japanese) and negotiating drafts. They state that the breaking up the Boycott Union, and that the proprietors of these banks are desirous of public are greatly incensed against them for
their "abominable behaviour."
of these "cold-blooded reptiles" should have the The Guild has resolved that hereafter, if any audacity to disregard the rules of the guild, all other banks will cease to transact any business whatever with them.
THE FLOOD FUND BAZAAR, The Bazar Committee reported that they collected $637.70, $418.60 and $7,045.50 on the 23rd, 24th and 25th instant respec ively.
It is reported that many of the prominent purchasers at the Bazaar have not yet paid the money enabling them to take delivery of their purchases.
The Bazaar Committee have not complied with the request of the Canton Press who asked to be supplied with particulars of the auctions. In the meantime much anpleasant corres-
pondence has passed between the Committee and
the Press. The merchants in Fatshan recently decided to hold a similar Bassar, bat have now announced to the public that they have abandoned the idea. This is probably due to
connec ion with the Cnton Bassar. the existing unsatisfactory state of affairs in
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INCOMPREHλNSIBLE LAW8.* Recently the Hien bing Pin Cha Koon, the New Board or Department established at Peking to make preparations for parliamentary government, sent a despatch to Viceroy Chang
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