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September 5, 1908.]
The Chief Justice-We think it is regularly on the record, not merely technically on the record of the case. It is also clear that it could be referred to, and brought before the Court by way of affidavit, but this is unnecessary now because it is on the record of the trial,
Mr. Pollock--Mr. Lang has filed an affidavit for the purpose of showing that ti was not considered by this Court,
The Chief Justice Supposing it had been written three or four days afterwards to a paper; that could be put before the Court?
Mr. Pollock-As part of the verdict? The Chief Justics--No, simply as a fact which occurred.
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JHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE COLLAPSE OF BUILDINGS IN
THE TYPHOON.
Wad
OFFICIAL INQUIET,
ALLEGED ARMED ROBBERY NEAR SAIKUNG.
í
169
Cheng Kam and eleven other seamen were charged before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy with committing armed robbery near Saikung, on the 6th August. Inspector Langley prosecuted.
Un Leung, master of the junk which was held up, said he was a trader and the owner of a licensed junk. At 1.30 p.m. on the 6th ult, his craft weighed anchor. The cargo consisted of 62 tins of kerosene and 75 bags of flour, half of which was his property. There were diz persons in all on the junk, and the only arm they carried was a chopper, used for cooking purposes. He was bound for Ping Hoi, and had arrived at Tai Fong when the robbery took place. It was a thundering" dark night, and witness was steering the ship when the robbers appeared all bands were rowing, there being no wind. Five men in a boat ran olose to the junk and ordered the rowers to stop pulling. They did not stop until they heard the report of a firearm; then they all rushed down into the bold. The robb rs boarded the junk and asked which he handed over. witness for bi- money. He bad only two dollars, Another five dollars odd robbers did not go down the hold, but the cargo was obtained from the remaining fokis. The
and relieved of valuables and clothing. Then was there. The crew were imprisoned, searched,
two of the robbers returned to their own boat, three remaining on the junk. Sails were hoisted on both boats and they arrived at Tai Long the next night about 11 p.m. During that night the junk's cargo was removed to the shore, and the sail ropes were cut by the robbers lefore they left to prevent the orew imprisoned below getting the juck under weigh again. While the twelfth defendant supplied the crew with "ohows" twice.
His Worship-And when did you get your
Before Mr. J. H. Kemp, sitting as coroner, and Messrs. A Raymond, J. R. Boyes and R. T. Rowan, jurors, an inquiry was held at the Magistracy yesterday morning into the circum- stances attending the deaths of 17 persons who were killed in a collapse at 25, 26 and 27, Shaukiwan West, in the typhoon of July 27th. Mr. Slade said his Lordship, in dealing with
Mr. Kemp informed the jurors that the the question of "tong" names, laid before the chief reason for delay in holding an enquiry jury their duty. The summing up was delivered
that there had been number of before the tiffin adjournment. This typed collapses, which occasioned lia all 64 recommendation or paper was prepared by the deaths. Inquiries had been made as to the jury during the adjournment, and therein the contractors of collapsed buildings, but the jurors said "they felt it their duty to draw the houses being old in most instances, the contrac- attention of bis Lordship to the very objection tors were unable to be found. In the present able sys'em pursued by Chinese firms of conceal-instance the house where the deaths occurred ing the identity of their partners in their
Was an old one, and the theory was that a accounts by the use of fictitious designations or collapse was caused by a wall at the rear. What "tong" names, and are of opinion that firms the jurors bad to consider was the question of that keep their books in this manner should not be liability of the owner and contractor, allowed the benefit of the (ourts of this Colony."
Mr. F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, Your Lordship had told them in the plainest who appeared on behalf of the Govern- possible language that the duty of the Court ment stated that this collapse, which occurred was to recommend "tong" names, and that during the typhoon, resulted in the deaths of no people carrying on businees under "tong" less than 17 persons. The scene of the collapse names in the Colony were entitled to the was at Shaukiwan West where fire new houses. benefit of the Courts of this Colony. The jury a boatbuilder's shed and three old houses were on may they are not. And I shall show your Lord- the one lot of Crown land and facing the sea, ships in this partionlar that the majority They were the ordinary type of Chinese honsea of the jury to their honour be it said two of with a yard and kitoben at the rear, and at the the number stood out as a minority-must have back was a wall which extended the whole deliberately given effect to this desire of theirs length of the fire houses. A blacksmith would to prevent Chinese trading under "tong" state in evidence that while the typhoon was names having the benefit of the Courts of this nearly at its height one of these houses collapsed Colony.
without any warning, and all within were more or less buried in the ruins The police were informed of the occurrence,
and Inspector Cameron and his force set to work to ex- tricate the injured people. They succeeded in rescuing a number, but, as stated, 17 bodies were taken out and removed to the Mortuary. An inspection of the scene of the accident might reveal the fact that there were perhaps other reasons than the typhoon which brought about this catastrophe. Mr. Harker was the architect of these bouses, but after a time the owner undertook to supervise the work himself, and engaged a Chinese con- tractor to complete the work according to Mr. Harker's plans. The houses were apparently run up very quickly, and then the owner sent in an application that the houses might be inspected. They were inspected by an officer of built in accordance with the requirements of the the Building Authority and certified to as being Ordinance. A man who built a wall to a height approaching forty feet was required to do so according to the Ordinance, and to exercise proper care that the wall would not be a danger to life. The Building Ordinance stipulated | that a wall must be solidly built, with good gether. The wall in question was very badly lin e mortar or cement, and properly bonded to- bailt; there was no regularity about it; the very little bonding indeed as to the corner material used was very inferior; while there was
The Paisne Judge- Was the summing-up of the Court concluded before the adjournment?
Mr, Slade-Yes. Then the jury returned, one can only presume, with this typewritten document, because there is no opportunity for typewriting in the library of the Supreme Court.
IN BANKRUPTOY JURISDICTION,
BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
(SIR FRANCIS Piggott).
ALLEGED FRAUDULENT PREFERENCE. His Lordsbip delivered judgment on the mo- tion in the bankruptcy of Li King Shek that the transfer by him of 14,000 bags of flour, the property of the Kwong Yik Wo firm, in favour of Chai Wai Chi was a fraudulent preference se against the other creditors of the debtor, and further that Chai Kee was not a bona fide pur chaser of the flour from Chai Wai Chi, The motion was made by Hon. Mr. Pollock, K.C., on behalf of the Oficial Receiver, His Lord ship said he could not see the slightest use of the motion against Chai Wei Kes which he dismiss-
ed with costs, and so far as he could see the motion against Chai Kee was one of suspicion only. He understood that the trustee was desirous of arguing the question and this might
therefore be done
THE CHOLERA ON THE "ARRATOON APCAR.”
From Yokohama papers to hand by Tues- day's mail we are glad to gather that Dr. Heanley was not seriously ill of cholera when the quarantine authorities at Yokohama sub jected the Arratoon Apear to s further five days' detention after having just completed one period of five days. According to the news. paper reports, the quarantine doctor examined Dr. Heanley's blood and discovered obolers bacilli. Dr. Heanley himself is stated to have confirmed the finding of the quarantine doctor, The ship was, therefore, subjected to renewed detention. Captain Stewart and an engineer were unwell at the time, but, up to the time the Mail left, their complaint had not been diag nosed as cholers. The whole of the cabin passengers and crew were ordered to be again disinfected,
walls and cross walls.
After Chinese witnesses had told the story of the collapse, and Inspector Cameron had given evidence as to the rescue work,
next meal?
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stomach was as flat as fist could be through Witness-I never got anything else; my
bunger.
On the question being repeated witness said he next dined at one o'clock on the afternoon of ship the crew got out of the hold, repaired the the 8th August. When the robbers left the sail ropes and steered for Lin Chung Bay where, as he stated, they procured "chow." "On the same afternoon he reported the matter to the police at Saikung. Witness could identify the twelfth d-fendant, because he saw him through a hole in the hatch.
Corroborative evidence was called, and the hearing adjourned.
THE SEIZURE OF "ARMS” AT AMOY.
The Amoy Gazette" states on the authority of Mr. Mencarni, the Acting Deputy Commis- sioner of Customs, that the reports as to the seizure of arms at Amoy have been greatly exaggerated. The seized goods were nothing imported in a junk from Formosa as “old iron.', more nor less than 9,000 old rusty rifle barrels
CHINA'S IMPORT TRADE.
We have received from the Statistical Department of the I. M. Customs Vol. I... Imports, being Part III of the Analysis of Foreign Trade-a volume which every foreign business man interested in China's trade will find of the atmost value and interest. Every article of trade is dealt with in separate analy tical tables. The following table shows the value of the Foreign Import Trade of Chine 1848 to 1907 :-
Year.
Building Inspector Edwards was called, and testified to inspecting the bouses in question. He found that the three old houses bad totally collapsed, while the two upper storeys of the wall in the rear, right along the whole length, had fallen. Witness thought this wall fell on to the houses. There were dve openings in the wall which had been filled up with stone work, four of them being filled up fairly well. The stone portion of the wall was badly bonded, and the corner near house No. 27 appeared to have been built der. The stone- work was built in very irregular courses, and the corners of the party walls and the main wall were not properly bonded. There were a number of straight joints showing at the end of the party wall, sometimes extending for several feet Had the bonding been properly done, it would have strengthened the rear wall. 1906
The hearing was adjourned.
1899
1899 1900 1901
1902
1903 1904 1905
1907
Import, Re-Export. Net-Import. Hk. Tla Hk. Tla. Hk. Tis. 218,745,347 9,136,013 209.579,834 278,756 065 9,007,609 264,7-8456 222,129,473 11.059.051 211.070,422 277,189,735 8,836,817 268,3 2,918 325,54 911 10,182.406 315,983 905 336,858,134 10,114,001 326,789,188 357,444,63 13.884,055 844,08-4608 461,194,582 14,093,741 447, -00 791 428.290,287 18,20,205 $10.270082 429,071,662 12,670,298,416,401,869
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