February 6, 1909.]
The basis of the whole trouble was the sub- sidiary coin question, but he submitted that the Tramway Company were not responsible for the deplorable condition of the coinage of this Colony. On the contrary, he believed that no company here suffered more serious loss than the Tramway Company on this account. If the defendant desired to commence a crusade against the condition of the coinage here he might find in the Tramway Company a staunch supporter, but he was not justified in making them subject to these unwarrantable attacks. The Company carried on its business not with out considerable difficulty, because it was not an easy thing to satisfy the public. But from the evidence given by the defendant he showed that by a very simple operation the whole trouble might have been saved. He admitted that he handed a dollar to the con- ductor when he had a ten-cent piece in his pocket. The defendant had no right to demand change, it was his duty to tender the fare. But as the Company were anxious to facilitate matters, they gave change where possible. It would be very bad, however, in a place where the coinage was ninety per cent Chinese, were the Company to adopt his attitude and say they would only accept legal currency of the Colony. As a matter of fact, had they chosen to be objectionable, they night have handed him the money in British copper, which was a legal tender, but which he would no doubt have refused.
His Worship The question is whether the defendant should get back the dollar.
Mr. Scott-His obvious remedy was to write to me, and I should have been most happy to have sent his change as he wished it, in British coinage. If your Worship decides that the evidence is sufficient to justify a conviction, I will instance other cases where the defendant has been a source of trouble in the carrying out of the tramway service.
His Worship-I cannot take that into
consideration.
Commander Taylor remarked that one of the witnesses said the car following them was at the Hongkong Hotel corner. When he got out he walked back towards the Hongkong Hotel, but could not see another car, and that bore out his contention that the delay was a very short one. A great deal was made of asking him to sign a paper, but he could not any obligation on his part to sign anything as both the conductor and motorman knew him perfectly well. Mr. Scott made a great point of the currency of the Colony. He had never, by any chance, accepted Chinese money, and never intended to.
see
C
Defendant then asked his Worship to read the charge which ran without lawful excuse did obstruct.”
Proceeding, Commander Taylor said he had a very lawful excuse, as by section 4 of Ordinance 5 of 1865 he was trying to prevent the con- ductor from committing a felony. He contended that this money was wrongfully converted by the conductor, and under the section mentioned this amounted to larceny. He also wished to point out that up till the present moment the Tramway Company still had his money. Mr. Scott said if the speaker had written he (Mr. Scott) would have sent the money. He called Mr. Scott up on the telephone, as he had no time to write letters on these trivial subjects. When he rang up he could not get anyone on the telephone, but was told that Mr. Scott was expected back every moment, and that when he did arrive the speaker would be informed. Then he got a very impertinent letter from Mr. Scott saying that he could send for his money if he wanted it. That was very much at variance with his recent statement that he should have been delighted to have sent it.
Mr. Scott-The defendant stated that he could not understand why the motorman and conductor desired him to write his name. That was merely done for their own protection.
His Worship held that there was no evidence of a felony, or of attempt to commit a felony.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Commander Taylor-I object to that. It has nothing whatever to do with the case in hand.
His Worship (to Mr. Scott)-In what way? Mr. Scott In declining to pay his fare. On previous occasions he has placed himself in such a position as to enable us, if we wished to do
80, to charge him in this Court. His Worship-Do you admit that or not? You need not. unless you like.
Commander Taylor-It is absolutely untrue. His Worship imposed a fine of $1. Commander Taylor-I would point out to your Worship I have not yet got back my dollar. Mr. Scott-We are prepared to give it back at any time.
His Worship-Send a ten-cent piece to the Company, and they will return the dollar.
Commander Taylor asked his Worship to grant a summons against the conductor of the tram under the section he referred to, but the | Magistrate declined.
He found that the defendant obstructed the car
wilfully, and without any lawful excuse. (To Mr. Scott)-You mentioned something just now with regard to the penalty.
Mr. Scott-My point was this: the defendant has on several occasions made himself very objectionable.
|
ANGLO-PORTUGUESE SCHOOL]
SILVER JUBILEË,
PRIZE DISTRIBUTION.
A pleasant function took place in the large hall of the Club Lusitano on the 31st ult. when Mrs. Leiria, wife of the Consul-General for Portugal, distributed prizes to the success→ ful pupils of this school. There was a large attendance of parents and friends, and all ap- peared to enjoy the musical programme provided by the pupils, assisted by the orchestra of the Sociedade Philarmonica. His Lordship Bishop PozzoNI presided and called upon the orchestra for an opening selection.
Then Mr. J. L. ALVES, president of the Club Lusitano, extended a welcome to all present.
The Rt. REV. BISHOP POZZONI dwelt on the efforts made by the management of this school to promote Christian education in Hongkong. So pleased was he with the result of an examina tion he conducted in this subject that he intend. ed to offer a special prize to the scholar obtaining the highest number of marks (applause).
CONSUL LEIRIA said:-My Lord Bishop, Ladies and Gentlemen: I appear before you this afternoon in an entirely novel rôle; for it is not often that a Consul or official combines with his duties those of principal of a school as I have been asked to act for the nonce to-day. The modern conception of the occupier of a Consular incumbency is, however, not only that of the representative of his country in that to which he is accredited, but also that of a com- mercial agent, an intelligencer, and, in short, that of a Jack-of-all-trades, under which latter denomination comes, I suppose, that of a school- master. Not that I suppose, as it is believed, a Consul possesses the omniscience of the code; but like most people with whom nature has been bountiful in her disposition of the gift of vanity, Consuls, I imagine, with the sad deficiency of a sense of modesty, arrogate to themselves certain prominence in public functions to which they may not justly have a claim. My want of modesty, I suppose, is responsible for the eagerness with which I seized upon the occasion to appear in my present rôle, when I was up- proached to present to you the first public annual report of the Victoria Anglo-Portuguese School. That report, which furnishes interest- ing reading, from an educational point of view, is submitted by the headmistress of the school, Mrs. D. A. Cordeiro. With your permission, I have pleasure in reading it.
a
ONSUL LEIRIA then read the report of the headmistress, extracts from which follow:- Started in 1884 by the late Mr. Claudio J. da Silva, with Mrs. Silva as assistant, the Victoria Anglo-Portuguese School enrolled three names on the inaugural day, twenty-five years ago, After carrying on the school which was designed primarily for children of Portuguese parentage. for a few years, Mrs. Silva, wife of the founder, died, whereupon Mr. Silva left theolony and the school passed under new management in 1889 with 30 pupils on the roll. By this time application had been made for the school to be recognised as one of the Grant schools under Government supervision, and has con- in 1902 the enrolment gradually increased until tinued to remain so since then. From 27 pupils
it reached 78 in 1908 and stands to-day at 85, the maximum number which the available floor space
107
of the school is capable of accommodating. Later✨. applications for admission have had reluctantly, to be refused. The number of school days in 1908 was 224 and the average attendance 61:71. i. In 1908,72 pupils were presented for the Inspec tor of Schools' annual examination and the school, was again returned as "thoroughly, efficient, While regretting the noise which has formed the subject of comment by the Inspector, it has to be noted that the very limited accommodation' militates against the possibility of a better 2. exercise of discipline so essential and eminently desirable in every school organisation. Having regard, however, to the smallness of the fees char- ged to the scholars, the cost of house rent in a suitable location for the school is comparatively.... prohibitive to the management without having to resort to higher school fees, which in the majority of cases would be beyond the means of parents to pay. A half-team was presented by this School for the Hygiene School Competition held by Government in Deo,, 1908. This school was bracketed first in the aggregate of marks, but, owing to the absence of the full com- plement of competitors, the school was not: awarded the shield. Maria Remedios' paper: was awarded 757 per cent of marks, it was listed first by the examiner, Dr. Pearse, in the half team presented by the school. Acknowledgments are due from the manage- ment and staff of the school to the following donors to the Prize Fund:-Right Rev. Bishop D. Pozzoni, special prize for Christian doctrine; Mrs. J. J. Leiria, special prize for hygiene; Committee Club Lusitano, Messrs. Noronha & Co., L. Noronha, J. M. E. Machado, C. C. Corveth, Ho Wing, Ho Fook, Choa Leep Chee, J. M. de Castro Basto, G. Sequeira, A. J. M. Gomes, H. J. M. de Carvalho, Julio A. Carvalho, C. F. Carvalho, E. J. de Figueiredo, F. P. de V. Soares, F. Montalto de Jesus, M. E. da Silva, - J. M. Noronha, D. A. Cordeiro, A. E. Silva, J. M. Placè da Silva, and friends who deisre to remain anonymous.
A very satisfactory report by the Inspector of Schools was then read. Mr. WOLFE returned the school as thoroughly efficient, aud recom- mended the full grant of 35/-
Mr. LEIRIA then gave an interesting history. of the school, and remarked that, when it could take its rank with the best schools in the Colony in a public examination like the hygiene com- petition, he thought the time had arrived when the management could, with confidence, consider the enlargement of the scope of the school. During the month a great deal had been heard., about the Governor's excellent scheme for a university. When that project materialised, he hoped to see undergraduates from the Victoria Anglo-Portuguese school matriculate in the future Hongkong university with which Sir Frederick Lugard's name would ever be grate- fully identified by the younger generation of the Colony. The speaker then thanked all for their attendance, and concluded by asking Mr. Wolfe, on behalf of Mrs. Leiria, to present Miss Marie Remedios with a special prize for ranking first in the hygiene competition.
Mrs. LEIRIA then presented the prizes, and interesting addresses followed by Mr. E. D. C. WOLFE and by Consul-General WILDER.
..
The Government, remarks the Japan Chronicle, seems determined to carry out the policy of high tariffs against imports, without rhyme or reason. It is noted that cotton satins, cotton prints, cotton velvet, and grew and white shirtings being protected by the Conventional Tariffs, the import duty on these articles does not exceed 8 per cent. ad valorem, against about 30 per cent. is added the duty on the articles in question on other fabrics. When the excise of 15 per cent. does not exceed 25 per cent. (as if this were not enough, in all conscience!). Accordingly, the Government intends to increase the duty we understand from vernacular contemporaries, when the opportunity comes "in justice to other fabrics." Japanese dealers interested in the lines concerned are opposed to an increase of duty; They fear that when the duty is increased the importation will be checked, and maintain that as these imported cotton goods are of high quality and cannot yet be produced in Japan,
dealers to address a memorial to the Governmen they should be admitted at a reasonable rate as hitherto. A proposal is on foot among the
accordingly.
GO
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