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THE RONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
requested compliance with the request of the Canadian Government.
His Excellency Viceroy Chang, on receipt of the above dispatch, instructed the Literary Chancellor of the Kwangtung Province to place the matter on official record and issue notifications to that effect.
TORTURE.
October 28th.
The Grand Council in Peking has sent a dispatch to H.E. the Viceroy stating that they have received an Imperial Edict which states that certain persons have again memo:ialised the Throne that striat orders may be given to all the officials to stop the infliction of torture for the purpose of extorting evidence and con- fession from witnesses and prisoners, and also that rigid measures should be adopted to stop the officials from extorting money from litigants. The dispatch enjoins the Board of Panishment Viceroys and Governors of all the provinces to see that the Imperial Order is strictly carried out so that these evil custome may be abolished forthwith, thus having com- passion on the people A copy of the original memorial was enclosed in the dispatch for the Viceroy's perusal. It is reported that His Excellency Chang has already given instruo bions to the Provincial Treasurer and Judge and the Salt Commissioner to make inquiries if torture is still being used in any of the yamens in the Kwangtung Province. It will be remembered that in the beginning of the year 1906 Com. Z. Volpicelli, Italian Consul General for Kwangtung, Kwangsi and Fokien Provinces, published, in Chinese, a pamphlet containing essays on the subject of torture for the purpose of extorting evidence, exposing its uselessness and barbarity. Thousands of these pamphlets were distributed amongst the Chinese officials, gentry and students gratis. Several officials, realizing the truth of the statements, memorialized the Throne to abolish the barbarous practice, and in response an Im. perial Ediot was issued commanding the officials to abolish the inflic'ion of torture in all the yamens.
The Chinese Press announced their gratitude for Com, Volpicelli's good work through the medium of their newsp pera. [Only last week our correspondent reported a case at the Nam-hoi Magistracy in which a wit- ness, a woman, was subjected to torture.-ED]
A HIGH OFFICIAL'S FATHER KIDNAPPED BY PIRATES,
Mr. Sin Ting, father of Sin Ying Fan, Secretary of the Foreign Office in Tien- tain, was kidnapped by the notorious Pirate Chief, Luk Lan Ching, from his house in the Wong Ting village near Canton some time ago. Luk demanded $40.00 som for the release of the old man who is over 80 years of age. His son in Tientsin reported the matter to Mr. Tsoi Shew Ki, Thotai of Tientsin, wh› has sent many telegrams to Viceroy Chang requesting him to cause rigid search to be made for Mr. Sin Ting Ping and obtain his release. So far. his whereabouts are unknown. Yesterday the Board of Revenue in Reking oabled the Viceroy that the man must be found and released at all costs, The Viceroy has given 15 days to the Nam Hoi Magistrate to see that the captive is found and delivered under penalty of being cashiered. Colonel Li BA KWA who was recently reinstated by the Vloeroy has also been deputed to Sai Chew to make investigations into the matter.
PROVINCIAL PAPER MONEY,
It is reported that the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha here have already delivered $3,000,000 worth of Chinese notes, redeemable in subsidiary coin, to the Provincial Treasurer of Kwangtung. They are all $10 and $5 notes and will be air- culated in the Canton market during this month.
BOYCOTT NOT ABATING,
At a meeting of the Canton Cooks Guild the other day. the chairman said he was in receipt of a letter from Doctor Hui of Hongkong which stated that cholers had broken out in Amoy. In future when purchasing provisions for their masters they should be careful in making their selections. Sea delicacies contained germs. They were indigestible and had very little nourishing power in them. Taken as food they were injurious to health. Consequently foreigners never had them on their tables. It The high Hme that the Chinese people
also gave up eating such thingë moreover it had been proved in Hongkong that many people had been poisoned through eating sed delicacies and died from the effects thereof. Therefore, in future, if the brethern of the Guild were dis covered purchasing sos delicacies for the table, or any other food that was indigestible, they would be treated as uncivilized men and would be liable to a monetary fine which would be impose by the Guild,
The Medicine Guild of Canton Lay sent the following express to the member of the Guild:- "We beg respectfully to inform you that from the 20th day of this moon (10th moon) if any of | the managers or employees of medicine shops are discovered purchasing goods of a certain country (Japan) they will be immediately dismissed from service and will not be permitted to find employment in any medicine shops again. If proprietors of medicine shops are discovered doing it, they will be ostracised for ever, All members of the Medioine Guild are respectfully requested to obey this."
FIFTEEN PIRATES BEHEADED,
On the 24th instant fifteen pirates were carried in baskets to the execution ground by order of the Nam Hoi sad Poon fu Magistrates. +ight prisoners were taken from the Nam Hoi jail and seven from the Poon Yu. It was noticed that the Nam Hoi prisoners looked clean, neat and well-fed in contrast with those from the Poon Ya who presented the usual pitiable appearance of Chinese prisoners. This plainly shows that the Poon Yu Magistrate has neglected to carry out the law reforming the prison administration.
OFFICIAL MATTERS.
Owing to the increase of international affairs here, His Excellency Viceroy Chang bus appointed two special operators in the Telegraph Department in the Viceroy's Yamen to decipher telegrams relating to international matters so as to prevent secret and important messages leaking out.
His Excellency King Fung. Tartar General here, is in receipt of a cable notifying that an Edict promotes him to be Minister of the Imperial Palace in Peking.
Liputenant Tartar-General Chong Kin of Canton has been granted three months' leave by the Throne to care his opium smoking habit. The Board of Revenue in Peking has cabled to the Provincial Miut of Kwangtung to cease minting the new dollar o ins and to cia instead 1 tael and 5 mace coins.
October 27th.
NEY CHINESS CONSULATES,
One of the Chinese papers bere mentions that the Wai-wa-pu has established a Chinese Consulate at New Orleans and has directed inquiries to be ma le with a view to establishing consulates at Saigon, l'aiphong, and in Java to afford protection to Chinese subjects.
The Foreign Office la issuing instructions on the subject mentioned Saigon as being in close touch with the provinces of Kwangtang and Fokien and as being one of the most prosperous business cзutres in An nam. Of recent years the Tonkia Government had enacted Dew
(October 31, 1808.
this purpose are most atrocious and in- human; therefore it is abeblafaly hasśśśïrý to appoint Chinese Consuls in the above mentioned places without further delay so an′′to regain lost prestige.
It is reported that the Viceroy has received a dispa'oh to that affect,
GERMAN COLLEGE FOS CANTON,
It is reported that a German College will soon be established in Canton. The German Consul called on the Chief Superintendent of Polios (Wong Taofai) yesterday and discussed the proposition and the selection of a suitable site.
AN AFFORESTATION SCHEME. Last year the Director of the Reclamation
had 501 trees planted on
the Bureau new band. As the Bureau had no funds the Bureau of Looal Affairs -wan obliged to pay the piper. Most of the trees that were planted have either been stolen or destroyed and a good portion of the bund is still without trees. A public subscription is proposed to enable che authorities to complete the tree planting
soheme.
1. M. CUSTOM 8.-CHINESE TIDEWAITERA. The I. M. Customs here commenced to employ Chinese tidewaiters last years. Five Chinese students who passed the competitive examination at the Custom House last year received these appointments. Espently re more Chinese tidewaiters were required and the examination took place to-day. There were nineteen applicants for the vacant positions.
October 28th.
THE OPIUM OBUSADS.
At a general meeting of the Association for the suppression of Oplam Smoking the other day an official who was present said that it had been the earnest desire of the Emperor to suppress opium smoking As His Majesty had already issued several Edicts commanding the suppression of opium smoking it was the daty of the officials to see that the Emperor's wishes were properly carried out. The speaker further said that Wong Taotai, Chief Superintendant of Polios, had given him verbal instructions to inform the members of the Association that although many deputies had been appointed to make striat inquiries to find out if any of the officials continued to indulge in that evil habit, it was yet feared that their effəris would not be effectual. Woog Taotai had there- fore requested him to ask the membira of the Association to assist the officials in tus inves tigation to dis over if any of the officials from the rank of sab-Prefect downwards, whether holding permanent positions or waiting for appointments, indulged in the banéfal habit of smoking opiam if any of the members of the Association had substantial proofs that any of them still continued to indulge they were respectfully requested to telephone to Chief Police Station at any hour of the day or night and upon receipt of such information the Chief of Police would immediately attend to the matter and see that the delinqusat official was severily punished.
the
[Note. The Chief Sap-rintendent of Pulioa is oppressive laws, the Chinese people there being an official of the fourth rank and only has looked upon as "fish and meat." No Cuinese jurisdiction over officials under that rank: schools nor
hence his instructions “to investigate and find out if any of the officials from the rank of sub- prefect downwards. ']
has been
even B
And
ohimber of comnieroe
the established by
Chinese in Saigon yet, this being due to the stern and severe attitude adopted by the Government.
AMBITION OVERLWAPING ITS LF. The Chinese people are oppressed and stand so A local Chinese newspapər, høre says that of much in awe of the Government that they dare the four ganbats ordered by the Provincial not start these institutions; besides there is Government from Hongkong last year for a want of union amongst the Chinese patrolling the West River, the two built by the there. The despatch goes on to say that Chinese firm of Kwong Hip Loong havəs greater Haiphong is not far from the Provinces speed by two knots an hour than the vessels of Kwangai
Yunasa. Roads and built by the Hongkong and Whampoa Dook waterways connect these two provinces and Company Limited. This, says the writer, shows there is also the Tonkin-Yaonan railway. that the work of the Chinese firm is much Affairs in Yunnan and Kwangsi appear to be superior to that of the foreign firm. The artiole controlled by the French Government. As to proceeds to say that the Chinese have hitherto Java, it is one of the most important of the recognised the superiority of knowledge and southern Islands. There has been an emigration workmanship of foreigners in the manufac of Chinese to Java for several centuries. They tare of all kinds of articles as well as in have cultivated the land and developed trade the construction of vessels; consequently the there. Of late years the Datch Government Chinese people have preferred and striven has passed numerous new laws and appointed to purchase foreign manufactures thus allow. native officials to control the Chinese withing enormous profits to go to foreign posa the intention of putting a yoke on the Chinese so as to compel them to quit the island and return to their native country. The measures adopted by the Dutch Government for
tries. Foreigners know that the Chinese AKO AN intelligent race and they bare bega, alarmári at their potentialities. The only drawback, Chinese people is that they do not take au
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