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year so that he may judge for himself whether *they are fit for the service or not.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE NEW
DOLLAR COINS.
The Viceroy has issued instructions for a striot search to be made with a view to the discovery of persons who are smuggling or remelting the new dollar coins of the province which are now nowhere to be found. It is a mystery where these ecios have gone. Those caught smuggling will be fined ten times the amount they attempted to smuggle and will also be banished.
EXPORT OF COFFINS AND FIREARMS A
There is a great increase in the annual export of cofios from Kwanglung to Hunan Province, Formerly about 50 to 60 ccffius were annually sent, but during the last two years it has reached the large total of 300. It is a curious 00- incidence that modern firearms are to be found everywhere in Hunan and it is surmised that there must be some connection between the two Provinces.
The Hunsa Viceroy has requested his Kwangtung colleague to have every coffia that leaves his province examined to ensure that it does contain a corpse and not firearms.
September 4th.
TRANSFER OF I. M, CURTOMS OFFICIAL.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
SILK DIALERS BOBBED/
[September 14, 1908– tion of fire-arms into China by foreign-1 Recently the firm of Mr T. E. Griffith here | chants. It is said that the new regulations have entered into a contract with the Mi Lan firm❘ been approved of by the Foreign Ministers at for the purchase of 60 bales of silk and a sum of | Peking. The Viceroy is requested to dia $10,000 was paid to the latter firm as bargain tribute copies to all the Customs Housse and Likin Stations within his jurisdiction. This is the outcome of the "Tatsu Maru" affair.
SLAVE LAWS.
money.
¦
On the 18th altimo, the Mi Lan firm dis- patobed several fokis with 2,500 taels to a town called Hang Sze in the Nam Hoi District tɔ purchase silk from the filatures there for delivery to Mr. T. E. Griffith. On their voyage to Hang Sze they were robbed of the whole amount while the boat was at anchor at a large village named Ng Chean quite close to Canton, ❘ by a band of robbers belonging to the village of Tam. The leader's name is Tam Yan who is a nephew of Tam Kwok Chi, a powerful resident of the village. The booty was taken to the Ancestral Temple of the village where it was divided amongst all those who took part in the robbing.
H. B. M. Consul-General has reported the matter to the Viceroy who is said to have given orders to the Nam Hoi Magistrate to arrest the culprits and punish them.
September 7th.
MOURNING DISREGARDED.
THE MACAO BOUNDARY,
His Excellency Yeong Shing, ex-Minister It is reported that the I.M. Customs bere
to Germany left Canton for Peking on the 3rd received a cablegram from the Acting Inspeo
instant. The Wai-wa pu telegraphed for him tor-General of Customs yesterday transferring because they are in urgent need of a high Mr. Alabaster, Indoor Deputy-Commissioner to Boochow. It is said that Mr. J. C. John-official with knowledge of foreign languages. Yoong is still in mourning, and, according to ston, Acting Commissioner at Wahu, is likely Chinese Custom, Civil officials cannot hold to succeed him here, TKB ARMIES OF THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES. appointments during their mourning, so that the summoning of His Excellency to Peking General Chang Wai Chi, who has been
shows a disregard of custom. deputed by the Board of War to inspect the Reformed Armies of the Southern Provinces, has arrived in Fookien, and is expected here shortly, Viceroy Chang has given instractions to the Military Authorities to make preparations for the reception of the General and also to hasten the preparation of a list containing the number of soldiers enlisted, their names, and the number of rifles and other fire-arms and ammunition in store, and plans of all the bar- racks and military stations in the Province so as to have them ready for delivery to General Chang on his arrival.
THE CANTON GOVERNMENT CEMENT FACTORY.
The Director of the Government Cement
Factory recently reported to Viceroy Chang that, in order to complete the works of the factory, a further sum of 270,000 taels is
necessary.
Upon receipt of the report His Excellency instructed the Provincial Treasurer and the Bureau of Local Affairs to pay the amount out of their treasuries. Unfortunately the funds of
both these treasuries are rather low; but, as the Cement Factory is regarded as an important Government concern, and the sam required is enormous, the officials of the above departments decided to borrow the amount from a local Shansi bank. The amount will be repaid to the bank in instalments, with interest out of the profits made by the Cement Factory.
OPIUM SMOKERS DISMISSED FROM SERV.CO.
A few days ago the Commissioner of Customs here dismissed two Chinese clerks for continuing to smoke opiam after they had signed the pledge to give up the habit. Ona olerk had been in the I. M. Customs service for about 18 years, It is said that he originally purobased the position for 3,000 taels.
FLOOD BELIEF FUND.
The following gambling monopolies viz;- Shew Wing Shan Piu Co., Western Suburb Fantan Co., Old Walled City Fantan Co., have donated $20,000, $10,000 and $12,000 respectively to the Flood Relief Fand.
PROVINCIAL TREASURER'S RESIGNATION ACCEPTED.
It is reported that Viceroy Chang has accepted the resignation of the Provincial Treasurer, Woo Pak Fong. Од his departure the Provincial Literary Chancellor will be appointed Aating Provincial Treasurer.
FRENCH OFFICIALS DECORATED.
On the recommendation of the Viceroy of Canton, several officials of the French Colony of Kwang-Chow-Wan have received decorations of the second and third degrees from the Chinese
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Owing to frequent troubles arising between the Chinese and the Portuguese Governments over the boundary question of Macao, Viceroy Chang has suggested to the Wai-wa-pu the establishment of a foreign office in the district of Chin Shan where a sub-prefect will be appointed to deal with international questions.
FLOOD PREVENTION.
The Self-Government Association has written a letter to Viceroy Chang suggesting the con- struction of large canals in the Canton Delta to lead the waters of the North, East and West Rivers into the neighbourhood of the mouth of the River near the sea, so as to prevent the petition of disastrous floods in future. They also suggest the prohibition of reclamations of the foreshore in the Delta for paddy fields. The Viceroy replied that he has been consider- ing this important subject ever since the flood happened and has had several interviews with the Kwong Chau Prefect on the matter. He ha, given instruco1ions to the Provincial Treasurer
Judge, and several Taotais to report to him the names of officials acquainted with hydrography and these will be instructed to inspect the Rivers and devise means to carry out the project. This might interest some Hongkong engineers.
September 8th.
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT.
Viceroy Chang has received a dispatch from the Grand Council at Paking stating that, in view of the public agitation for Constitution 1 Government, the Throne has recently issued an Ediot fixing a definite time for the establish- ment of Parliament. The dispatch goes on to say that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor consider that great responsibility is attached to all officials, high and low, in this important matter, as they had taken a leading part in recommending Constitutional Government. Con- sequently, it is their duty to cause thorough investigations to be made for the purpose of ascertaining what is the best procedure. If there are any persons well versed in Constita- tional Government it is the duty of all Viceroys and Governors to recommend them, so that the Throne may know those who are useful and employ them.
All officials are requested to exhort the educated classes who are against the establish ment of Constitutional Government and forbid them inducing the public to protest against it. They are also to forbid the making of seditious speeches.
NEW PIBE-ARMS REGULATI‚NE. Government for services rendered in capturing of the new regulations regarding the imports The Waiwupu has sent to the Viceroy copies pirates.
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It is reported that Viosroy Chang has in- structed the Provincial Judge to draw up a law covering the prevalent custom of selling boys and girls as slaves. A clause must be inserted giving right of redemption within a fixed period, a reasonable rats of interest being allowed on the purchase price. The purchaser of a girl is to be prohibited fromƐre selling her to any house of ill-fame.
OPIUM LICENSES.
Up to about a month ago anybody who wished to obtain an opium I cense sould easily do so by going to a licensed opium shop and purchasing some opium. He would be immediately arrested and fined a couple of dollars for purchasing opium without a license, and a license would there upon be given to him, free of chargs. Des- lers in opium licenses have often made use of this trick and the officials were pleased to see it repeated as it benefited both parties. This in the surest and quickest way to obtain a license, A license is granted to a person free of charge and, but the officials make nothing out of it, they are usually rather slow in granting licenses; then, again, an applicant has to answer a series of questions and go through a lot of unnecessary trouble in obtaining it.
The result is that very few opium smokers care to take the trouble to go personally to the police stations and apply for a license. This has created a new line of business known as the opium license trade.
I am informed that the Government has ceased isning the paper license and iz tends calling in all the present licenses and replacing them with wooden ones, in which case a fee will be charged all new app'icants. The price of each license is quoted as 10 tsels in Fatshan, and business is said to be rather brisk.
SMUGGLER ARENSTED,
It is reportedį that Captain Lui Chan Hoi, who was recently appointed Captain of the Sha- meen Gaard, has arrested a Chinese stoker of the 88. "Heung Shan" who is alleged to have been implicated in the smuggling of the 200lbs. of dynamite and 2,000 percussion caps. The man is now detained in Luis Yamen pending investigations, which are expected to lead to the arrest f other persons who were connected with the affair. !
The explosives have been dumped into the River near F Moon (Tiger Forts). The Custom House Officers who made the seizure have been rewarded with Tis. 160, being 80 për cent of the value of the articles seized.
REINSTATEMEŃC OF CASHINEND OFFICIAIS,
Viceroy Chang has recently memorialized the Throne to reinstate many officials who were cashiered or degraded by ex-Viceroy Shum. Prominent among them are ex-Marshal Soo Yuen Chao, ex Nam-Hoi Pai King Fook, ex-Colonel Li Sai Kwai and ex-Prafsot Li Ka Cheuk. Fui was to return to Canton and receive official appointment, but the merchants here, on hearing the news, im- mediately petitioned the high Cantonese officials in Paking to take measures to prevent Pai's return to Kwangtung. Li Sai Kwai is now in Canton and is the monopolist of the Western Subarb Fantan. It is reported that he is about to receive an official appointment. Li Ka Chenk is on his way to Canton and will be appointed Prefect of certain Prefecture.
A few days ago His Excellency, received a decree from Peking in reply to a memorial sent by him reinstating the casbiered officials ex- Sub-prefect Shum Lun Sha and ex Colonel Lai Chan Kok, who were cashiered on account of the Lienchow massacre.
What is especially noteworthy about this fact is that the Viceroy has given them their former positions in Lienohow again. In the Viceroy's memorial he exonerated these two officials from responsibility by stating that if was beyond their power to suppress the riot which occurred so suddenly, and he blamed the American Missionaries who, he said, had catone through interference with a religious decemony's the riot by rousing the anger of the people
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