440
W regret to record the sudden death, at Hebburn, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, of Captain W. E. Duke, who was for 28 years connected with the Glen Line of steamers, trading between London and China.
On the 12th instant a policeman in Shek Wan. writes our Canton correspondent, arrested a man in the street for infringing the State mourning regulations hy shaving his head within the mourning period. The delinquent did not offer any resistance nor did he utter a word of dissatis- faction. The offender quietly accompanied the policeman, but on turning into a quiet street he pulled out a revolver and shot his captor dead. The culprit then ran away. All trace of him was lost. The man is variously described as a re- former and a pirate.
Hongkong and other similar dollars on silver basis are usually imported into Bangkok, says the Financial Adviser to the Government of Siam, for two purposes only-firstly, for use in the arts, and secondly for sale to Chinese im- migrants returning to their own country, via Hongkong. These usually take their savings with them in the form of silver dollars and the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS ́ AND
CHECKING A DISGUSTING HABAT.
The
(Daily Press, December 12th.) There can be no two opinions, among Europeans at least, about the filthiness of the habit of expectoration, so common among the Chinese population, and there bas from time to time been a strong desire manifested for some legislative enactment which would stamp it as a nuisance and make spitting in public places, other than in the drains, a punishable offence. Sanitary Board has, on several occasions, had the matt r under consideration, and on the broad ground that the habit is detri- ment l to the public health the Govern. ment propose to deal with it by so amend ing the Magistrates' Ordinance as to give the Governor-in-Council power to for issue regulations and attaching penalti s
Alike disregarding them.
on the ground of social inconvenience and for hygienic reasons this measure ought to be welcomed, but, as the reader will have noticed, it met with opposition on various grounds when the Bill came up for its second reading at the meeting of the Legislative Council on Thursday. The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, while claiming to
[December 21, 1908 suggestion of the Sanitary Board that public notices should be posted up, and weare inclined to think that if the police were at the same time instructed to speak to the persons they see disregarding the notice, possibly because they are unable to read it, a considerable improvement would soon be noticeable. Having regard to the declara- tions of His Excellency the Governor, we can see no adequate reason for further postponing legislation on this subject.
BRITISH POLITICS.
(Daily Press, December 14th.) Reading recent telegrams bearing on the political situation at home the fateful words which scripture has made well known "Mene mere tekel upharsen' suggest themselves. The British Government have surely seen the handwriting on the wall, and it can only be a matter of months be- fore they realise that the end has come. True, they may on an appeal to the country, return with a semblance of power, but it does not require the gift of prophecy to realise that the Liberal Party has passed its zenith. Whether it will coalesen with the Conservatives and Unionists or be swallow.
Customs returns show that there was a large increase last year, as, compared with the previous one, in the number of deck passengers both entering and leaving the port of Bangkok-the departures for Hongkong numbering over 42,000 against the previous year's figure of 32,000 odd. or an advance of 31 per cent. This fact pro. bably accounts for a considerable portion of the increased import of dollars, while the unusually low rate of exchange on Hongkong which pre.be a strict sanitarian, argued that hygieni-ed up by the Labour and Socialist Party is vailed during the latter part of the year may also have had some effect in inducing speculative importations.
In reference to the announcement of the ap- pointment of Mr. Rufus Thayer as Judge of the United States Court of China, the N.-C. Daily News understands that Judge Wildey formally
tendered his resignation on November 16th, to
it
cally considered there was nothing to ch se between spitting promiscuously in the public streets and the more refined practice of using bandkerchiefs. Further reflection, we are sure, will satisfy Dr. Ho Kat that his argument is ill considered and unsound. Hygienically considered there is a vast difference between the two practices which it is quite unnecessary for us to elaborate. Another of Dr. Ho Kat's contentions was that "habt is second nature an I becomes a sort of involuntary act," which is true enough, but it is none the les necessary that some check should be placed upon disgusting involuntary acts in a civilised society. In short, it seems to us, that Dr. Ho Kar's speech begs the question, for it was not in to stop the habit, but simply to regulate it. There would be no need to fill the gaols with offenders. We believe that when the regulations are
take effect on January 1, 1909. At the same time Mr. Arthur Bassett tendered to the Washington Government his resignation of the post of District Attorney. Coming at the present juncture, it is inevitable, remarks our contemporary, that these resignations should be open to misconstruction; but we believe that we are right in saying that the issue between Mr. Wilfey and his Government has been of a personal nature. Certainly, neither Mr. Wilfey nor Mr. Bassett has hesitated to face any music that have been prepared for them; and contemplatin
may having mapped out a vigorous line of conduct from the first they deserve credit for the courage with which they have adhered to it. The birth
of the United States Court for China has been
accompanied by somewhat violent throes, but the good sense of the American community will be content to leave the verdict on the first years of its work to the impartial judgment of later generations of residents."
t
published and when it is known that there
shall scon see is the force of law at the back of them, we a great improvement in the It will not be Colony in this respect. necessary for the police to arrest every man Mr. J. W, Gibson, president of the Manila they see offending against the regulations; Merchants' Association, and one of the most it will generally be sufficient for them to successful lumber merchants in the Philippines, impress upon the offender that it is is at present staying at the Hongkong Hotel.
a punishable offence. There is not much He is returning to Manila from the United difficulty in stopping Chinese from expect- States, where he has been on holiday. Mr. Gibson owns various timber concessions in the orating promiscuously in the public schools Philippines, mainly on the Island of Mindanao,
or in the workshops where they are under and carries about forty-five varieties of wood in European supervision, and in view of the his lumber yard at Manila, principally pine used prevalence of tuberculosis among the in the manufacture of furniture. It is worked Chinese it seems highly desirable in their into doors, windows and ceilings by 500 Filipinos own interest that something should be done in his employ. Mr. Gibson has never
10 cbeck or regulate 2 babit which attempted to enter the China trade, as the present method
not only disgusting but dangerous. of getting Philippine woods, he explained to a Daily Press As to the other objection which the Hon presentative, makes it too expensive for competi. Mr. GRESSON and the Hon. Mr. SLADE shared with the Chinese representatives, namely that such legislation would have a disturbing effect on the Chinese, we are quite sure that the Government fully appre- ciates the necessity for acting with the greatest caution in the matter. All the members of the Council, Mr. GRESSON said, were agreed that it was a desirab'e Bill, but those who objected to it said the time was not ripe for forcing these regulations on the Chine e. This objection seems to us to be sufficiently met by the promise of His Excellency the Governor not to issue regulations for a period of six months. His Excellency is in favour of trying first the
re-
tion with Borneo and Australia. It had been proposed to him on several occasions that he should provide woods for different railways in China, but for the reasons stated he did not see his way to consider the propositions favourably. There are several woods in the Archipelago of the texture and quality of pine, but the cost of getting them makes it more economical to use pine from Oregon. There is not much business in cheap grades of lumber in the Philippines, but the excellent hardwoods of the islands are mostly used for building purposes, as they are impervious to white ants. Mr. Gibson concluded with the remark that if more of such woods had been used in some of the buildings in Hongkong, a few collapses might 4&ve been avoided.
not for us to say, but it is apparent that the advent of a new political party has not made for the best interests of traditional Li. beralism. As a rule, home politics have little more than an academic interest for us in the
Fast except perhaps when, like the opium question, they have a direct bearing on our welfare, and we do not feel greatly concern- ed
whether a Home Ruler is returned for Pudsey or, a Passive Re-ister is elected to represent West Ham, but as the two great parties are popularly supposed to have distinguishing colonial and foreign policies we are interested in knowing which party is to hold the seals of office. For that retson, if for no other, the present political situation claims our attention.
Perhaps the most conspicuous failure of the Government was their attempt to solve the education problem of England. Their first Bill passed the Commons, but was rejected by the Lords, and their second effort which was anticipated with so much hope bas met with even less success, Then the much-discussed Licensing Bill met a fate similar to the first Education Bill, and now the Upper House has rejected another im- portant measure, the second Scottish Land Bill. The fact that the House of Lords, which on other occasions has correctly interpreted the opinion of the country, bas dared to throw out so many measures without raising any general outcry, is proof that the second chamber is fully alive to its responsibilities and does not act from mere wantonuess or prejudice. The Government may imagine that the Lords, in doing what they have done, are “ filling up the cup" but another aspect of the case is that the Government is itself riding to a fall. Its most important proposals bave been nega. tived. The cry of the unemployed heard throughout the land cannot sound pleasant in the ears of Cabinet ministers, and the raucous voice of the Suffragettes every where piercing the air must give them moments of disquietude, not to speak of the mournful tolling which indicates ministerial defeats.. at bye-el ctions. The Government prospect is indeed far from promising. Everybody's hand seems raised against them. Labour is dissatisfied, the shrieking sisterhood is far from content, Nonconformists are disgusted with their friends, the licensed trade is at " open war, and t e Home Rulers have not yet been pacified. The forces-of opposition are
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