296
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE "ROOFLESS NURSERIES" OF KOWLOON.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'DAILY PRESS,”]
SIE-It is high time that steps be taken to remove the amah and child nuisance from the pavements in Kowloon. Everywhere the pedes trian stumbles over infantile "humanity unless, perchance, a bundle of cigarette smoking amabs bappen to be barrac-ading the sidewalks, Not only is this bighly inconvenient to people shop ping near the fists, but, pedestrians wishing to get to shelter from the sun, find themselves distinctly blocked.
Again, the noise of the little ones is not the most pleasing to the residents above; nor is the Innocent prattle of the highv-oiced children combined with the tinny falsetto of their nurses conducive to facile business in the shop. Indeed the clamour is a positive nuisance, especially when anyone is sick with fever or headaches.
nervous
That mothers want their offsprings to be out of their way from time to time, is but natural, but why foist them on to others ? There is A nice piece of sandy beach on the sea front at Kowloon, and a few spaces also in this suburb which could be utilised by the army of amahs quite easily.
tha
Cannot someone suggest the building of a large matched on the open space back of Granville Road, or at the bottom of the road by the Native Infantry Officers' mess? Surely Authorities might take pity on the rapidly increasing European, and somi-European, community under the age of five. The amaba have nowhere to go; no abelter for the little charges under their care. Can they be blamed P And, too, why should the street doors and gutters of our otherwise clean roads be turned into open air bath rooms for the childran, or, into roofless nurseries? Babies must be dressed, and human nature is human nature with child and adult. It is little short of a scandal allowing well-brought-up little girls to not as they are now so oft seen doing or that their little brothers should be permitted to imitate the sampan woman's boy, who knows no better.
In fine this subject is pertinent to the well being of Kowloon, whiob, already through the seizure of the beach by the railway, is becoming quickly unfit to live in as a pleasure or sea side Hongkong suburban resort-Yours do.
I.
AN INTERESTING DEBATE.
On Thursday a debate of more than ordinary interest took place at the Union Charoh Hall under the auspices of the Literary Club. The subject discussed was Free Trade, as opposed to Tariff Reform, and the leaders represented the Club and the Y.M.C.A. Dəbating Society. Mr R. Shewan advocated free trade and Mr. B. A. Lowry and Captain Baker presented the case for tariff reform. Dr. A P. Wilder, American Consul-General, presided over a good attendance. In a racy speech the Chairman opened the proceedings, remarking that it was not strange that nations which had higher standards of living should seek to protect themselves against people of a lower economic order, and it was not strange that communities whose welfare was concentrated in one particular industry believed they would conserve their own welfare by protecting that industry.
Mr Lowry dealt with tariff reform from the Colonial point of view and argued that preferences would encourage trade with the mother country.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Mr. Showan admitted (bat tariff reform was good from the colonial standpoint but contended that it would not be beneficial for the United Kingdom. A tax on food, he declared, would raise the cost of living, Labour, would be more
expensive, and Britain would not be able to
manufacture as cheaply as she had done.
Mr. Baker followed with the argument that protection would be in the best interests of the United Kingdom.
Bev. C. H. Hickling, Messrs. Bell, Shelton Hooper, Macpherson, Hickling, Humphreys. and others partiopated in the ensuing debate and the show of hands revealed a majority of the Y.M.C.A. speakers,
AN EMIGRATION STORY.
It was an Ameriosa who told the world that "for ways that are dark and tricks that are mean, the Heatheo Chines is peculiar. The tricks that are played in connection with the emigration | of Chinese to the United States are illustrations | in point; and American Consuls in the Treaty ports of Chins could probably all volumes with such stories.
A few days ago the accountant of the Po Lan Fong arm at Canton informed the man- aging partner, Mr. Tani Lan Fong that, daring his temporary absence from the shop, a | respectably-dressed Chinaman bad called at the firin in a chair carried by threh bearers to in- quire if a man named Ngai Nge, an intending emigrant for Ban Francisco, was a partner of the firm. The accountant gave a negative answer, adding that all the partners of the firm belonged to
family surnamed sol. Fearing that the matter might involve the shop in some trouble the accountant, asked the stranger who had deputed him to make the inquiry. The stranger replied was the interpreter of the United States Consulate of Canton and that the man
that be
one
Ngai Ngo had applied to the American Consal for papers to proceed to the United States and had lodged certain documents at the Consulate ohopped by the Po Lin Fong frm as guarantors certifying him to be a genuine merchant wish. ing to proceed to San Francisco to establish formed the American Consul that he his no a business there. Mr. Tsoi Lan Fong has in. knowledge of the matter. He does not know any body by the name of Ngai Ngo, and the chop of his shop on the documents lodged with the Consulate by Ngai Ngo he declared to be a forgery. Inquiries into the affair go to show that an ex-Chinese Consul of San Francisco was at the bottom of it and that this Chinese
official has been continually working up emi- grants and pussing them through the Consu. late, thereby making big sams of money.
The matter is now in the bands of the Amercian Consul who will, no doubt, soon bring the offenders to book.
KIDNAPPED
|
Inspector Robertson charged a native before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Oct. 22od with bringing two boys into the Colony by false pretences for the purpose of emigration, or for some other purpose. The defendant, it was stated, beguiled the boys from their homes in Inland China and took them to Fatahan and Canton where he offered them for sale, but with- out success. He then decided 10 try to sell thera in Hongkong, and brought them here on Wednesday by the river steamer
Kwong Tang." As the trio were entering a house in Third Street between five and six o'clock yes- terday morning they were observed by a con- stable who, thinking that all was not right, The boys told him that the man they ware with called the boys downstairs and questioned them.
was their elder brother. Then the constable asked their names, and calling the defendant downstairs, saked his name As different surnames were given, the trio were taken to No. 7 Police Station, and there the boys told the polios that the defendant had brought them to by promising to take them to the theatre. Hongkong against their will, bat pacified them
His Worship found the defendant guilty, and sentenced him to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour.
DISTINGUISHED CHINESE
VISITOR.
|
His Excellency Wen Trang Yao, better known as Total Wen, arrived in Hongkong on the 22od inst on his way to Tibet to take up his new position as minister. He was invited to lunch at Mountain Lodge, and the following were invited to meet him:- E. Colonel
Mr. Darling, RE., Hoa.
May, Hon, Hewett, Commander opicelli, Bir Henry Berkeley, Hon. Mr. Irving, Mr. Harris Captain Hare-Synnot, Mr. Clementi, and
Mr.
Taotai Woo,
[October 98, 1808.
JAPAN'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FORMOSAN TRIBES.
It is estimated, saya a Japanema com tam porngy as we learn from a transistion in the Juga: Mail, that the Selbaas, or the Formoma nativen now living outside the sphere of logni adminin. tration, number about 110,000. They divided into 732 large and small tribes, cosupy ing a region of 1,200 square ri, or 7,500 square miles. Each tribe has its own territory and· sort of assembly-hall, where they hold meetings for the discuation and management of their affairs.
Among these mayagu tribes, Atalyara are the fercast and most obstinate of all, and consider beheading most, honourable. But apart from this tribe" and some of the Vonumn and Trison near Mt. Morrison who are occasionally guilty of brutality, the majority of the Seibans are comparatively mild, nor is the” standard of their knowledge" very low. IL, therefore, the authorities marry out their inten tions, these people might probably be taught at least to be farmers." Although the lines of polley taken by the suthorities in dealing with these natives differ from one another owing to their own customs and ebarsoteristics, one may olassify them, briefy under two bónda--- the evolutionary principle of fores, and its opposite. The iron wire entanglements constracted by the Japanese as a means of defence and guard against the natives, are like those used by a force seting on the defensive in war, with an slectric current ospable of being passed through every wire, places are placed field and mountain guns for while on the saddles of mountains and elevated
the purpose of holding the Seibans in check. Two lines of these entanglements have already been made, their total extent being in fact over 180 ri, or 450 milm. One of them begins at the cost of Girsa cho (chom-prefecture) in the east, and on reaching Hashirika and Nanko in the west, tursing northwards and paming through the Kusshaku districts of Shinko-sho in a round-about way, terminates in the Horisba districts in Nanto-sho; while the other is constructed in the vicinity of Kwaarenko in Taito-oho. It is stated," however; that the authorities
contemplating gradusi að vanosment and extension of these lines. Incapable of withstanding these cunningly devised obstacles, the Beibans are forced biok more and more towards the interior mountain
Gre
ranges, with the result that they have lost all their cultivated field and are also able to get their food by gr wing millet and hie plants upon steep monatal slopes. It is expected, now that they have no means of obtaining either arms, ammunition, or mit (which is absolutely necessary for life), that they will before loge abandon their obstinacy and pledge allegiance to the Boversign Power,
BECLAMATION OF SEA-FRONT
IN CHEMULPO.
at Chemulpo held a meeting on the 7th inst, to The General Settlement Manicipal Council
appointed in order to carry out enquiries into hear the repart of the Committee recently-
Lot No. 8 of the same settlement. The report the petition for reclamation of sea-front slong of the Committee was in favour of the grant of the petition. Tho Council approved the recom mendation of the Committee in spite of some dissentient voïde. Promoters of the plan are leading Japanese residents at Chemulpo, Ao- Shinobu, on behalf of the promoters, gave his cording to the report of the Committee, Resident word that the land thus reclaimed would be sold by the promoters by auction, for which the minimum price will be represented by the cost plus a reasonable profit, and that all amounts realised above that limit would be presented to the Reserve Funds of the General Settlement. The Council also adopted the representation of the Committee that the petitioners be caused to commence the actual work of reclamation with- in four months from the date on which the sanction by the Korean Government shall have bean obtained.
A petition for the reclamation was filed with - the Korean Government on the 8th inst. The promuters are reported as saying that the work will be completed by next spring unless the necessary sanction is muck" delayed.--Scont Press.
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