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March 6, 1909.]
problem of non-church-going would be inten- sifted, and where the matter would end goodness only knows. Besides, why should parsons seek to make a voluntary offering partake of the nature of an obligation? If the sermon or the service is not worth a ha'penny why should a man be compelled to pay any more for it? To do so is to interfere with the liberty of the subject. It is an attempt to introduce a form of protection in a free trade country.
RODERICK RANDOM.
HONGKONG.
The Bandmann Comedy Company has paid a return visit to the Colony after an absence of two months, and concluded a six nights engage- ment last night.
The Gazette announces that His Majesty the King has been pleased to
the re-appoint- approve ment of the Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk, C.M.G., to be an unofficial member of the Legislative Council for a further period of six years.
The ninth case of plague in the Colony since the 1st of January was notified on Mar. 4. This case, like most of the others, was from Kowloon City. No case has yet occurred in the city of Victoria.
Lady Lugard continues to make slow progress towards recovery from her very serious illness, but as her ladyship is too weak yet to walk even across her room, the date of her departure for England has not yet been definitely settled.
A seaman who stopped a tram car by the novel method of pulling the motor man's queue instead of the bell rope, appeared before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on the 2nd inst. on a charge of assault, and was fined $15.
For the first time in many months the stocks were utilised again on the 1st inst. A native who appeared before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on a charge of returning from banishment was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and three hours' stocks.
Five coolies appeared before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on the 3rd inst. on a charge of cutting down trees on Crown land at Pokfulam. The first three defendants were found guilty, and each was sentenced to three months' im prisonment. The other two defendants were discharged.
Before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Mar. 3 the case concluded in which the cook of the steamer Manila was charged with secret ing a quantity of opium on board. His Wor- ship held the offence proved, and ordered the defendant to pay a fine of $500, the alternative being six months' imprisonment.
fore whom the cases
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
The marriage which was to have taken place on the 1st inst, between Mr. G. G. S. Forsyths of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, and Miss M. E. Moir, of the Government Hospitals, was unavoidably postponed through the regrettable indisposition of the bride.
the Magistracy has been provided with two Since t e passing of the Spitting (rdinance apologies for spittoons. These are shallow, open tins containing a solution of Jeyes' fluid and are secused to the pillars of the verandah by chains. They are by no means ornamental, but rather they are likely to make all who see them violently unwell. It would surely have been cheaper in the long run for whoever is responsible to have furnished a more durable article and one with more covering.
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THE CHINESE REPRESENTATION ON THE SANITARY BOARD.
The announcement that Messrs. Lau Chu- pak and Fung Wah-chun have definitely declined to serve another term on the Sanitary Board has set speculation going in Chinese circles as the time approaches for the Government to nominate new members to fill the vacancies thereby caused. Besides those which have already been mentioned in the Daily Press, we learn that the qualifications of two other Chinese gentlemen are being favourably discussed, viz.: deen Paper Mills, and Mr. C. H. Lee, the Mr. Lau Yau-pau, the Manager of the Aber Secretary of W. S. Bailey & Co., both of whom, in addition to their knowledge of matters affecting the general interests of the Chinese community, are in intimate touch with labour conditions in the field of Engineering and Manufacturing. There is no doubt that apon an ample supply of skilled and unskilled labour depend the success of Hongkong as an industrial centre, and the changing conditions able that at least one of the Chinese representa- before the Colony would make it appear desir tives on the Board should be fully acquainted with the needs of this necessary element of our population. Not being direct ratepayers, they, nevertheless, contribute substantially to the revenue and prosperity of Hongkong.
SANITARY BOARD.
189
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 2nd inst. at the Board Room. Mr. R. O. Hutcheson presided, and there were present Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett. Hon. Mr. Irving, Mr. Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, C.M.G., (Vice President)
A. Shelton Hooper, Dr. G. H. I. Fitzwilliams, ` Dr. Pearse (Medical Officer of Health) Dr. McFarlane (Assistant Medical Officer of Health) and Mr. A. Gibson (Secretary).
DISCIPLINE OF THE DEPARTMENT. The COLONIAL SECRETARY wrote:- Sir, Iam directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 258 of the 5th instant, in which you ask for instruction as to the procedure which should regulate the enforcement of disciplinary measures in your department.
2. The policy of this Government in the matter was clearly expressed by His Excellency the Governor in his speech introducing the the Public Health and Buildings Amendment Ordinance of 1908. His Excellency said “The working head of the department must, in my opinion, be given full powers on discipline and control of the day to day routine of the depart- ment," and in other passages he emphasised the opinion that subordinate officers appointed by the Crown could be dealt with by the Govern- ment as regards punishment or discharge, e.g., in minor matters by the head of the
Government. departinent as the representative of the
Excellency's words, "are safeguarded to them "Their rights," to quote His
through the representative of the Crown,... with an ultimate right of appeal to the Secretary of State; neither do I think it would be to the benefit of the department to be run as a separate concern from the... rest of the Civil Service. You would not get the same class of men, and you would not get the continuity which I consider to be the key to efficiency."
3. In order that the Board might be given full opportunity of knowing what takes place in the department, and of scrutinising, if necessary, and to make recommendations to the Governor- in-Council, the head of the department was instructed to inform the Board of any re- commendations he makes for appointment, leave or dismissal of the European staff, and to lay before them any complaint of the public regarding the staff.
Messrs. Lau and Lee have had distin- guished careers at Queen's College and are known to be close students of public affairs, interested in the progressive development of Sanitation and the wise application of Sanitary 4. His Excellency has no desire to restrict laws; they are fluent speakers in English and the powers of the Board, but for the reasons. either gentleman should prove well able to given in the passages quoted, it is in his opinion effectively represent the Chinese point of view necessary that any inspectors and others at Sanitary Board meetings alike to the satis-engaged by Government under the conditions faction of their fellow citizens and the benefit of the Colony.
LAUNCH AT KOWLOON.
The tenth shallow-draft vessel built for the Imperial Chinese Navy by Messrs. W. S. Bailey & Co., Ltd., was on Mar. 4 duly completed when Admiral Li Chun and his staff took over the motor boat Tin On from the builders yard
It has been decided by Mr. J. H. Kemp, be- were brought at the Magistracy, that the spring bagatelle tables which have become fairly numerous in the city of late come under the definition of a lottery.in Kowloon Bay. Nominal fines of five dollars each were imposed on the defendants.
A seaman on the s.s. Kaifong was charged before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on the 1st inst. with being in unlawful possession of eleven taels of opium, and with being on board the steamer without permission. On the first charge he was fined $25, and on the second $10. In another case before the same magis- trate the cook of the steamer Manila was arraigned on a charge of having secreted 249 taels of opium in the store room. He pleaded not guilty and the case was remanded, defendant being admitted to bail in the sum of $200.
The Tin On is a teakwood vessel 83 feet in length fitted with twin kerosine Gardner motors of one hundred horse power. She has two decks, the lower deck comprising saloon and two staterooms, motor space, pantry with cooking range, native and European gallery and crew's quarters. On the upper deck is fitted the Admiral's state-room with bath and lavatory and the captain and officers' rooms and servants quarters.
Electric lights. bells and electric fans are fitted throughout the vessel and these with the bedding, cutlery, crockery and electro plate are supplied by the builders of the very highest the vessel are also electric. class. The side light and masthead lights of
summer.
A case came before Commander Basil R. H. Taylor, R.N., at the Marine Magistrate's Court on Mar. 1 in which air. E. V. Monk, of Messrs..with a dining table, having electric light The forward part of the upper deck is fitted Butterfield and Swire, proceeded against Captain clusters overhead and is intended for the Roza of the Portuguese steamer Sui Cheong entertainment of the Admiral's guests in the for lying alongside the east side of the Kiu Hing wharf, and overlapping the wharf by 60 to 70 feet, in such a manner as to prevent the free access of the British steamer Sanui, to the Yun On wharf. Prosecutor informed the Court that he, personally, knew nothing about the matter, and the defendant was discharged.
The Tin On will be mounted with four quick firing guns and will carry a crew of twenty five His Excellency the Admiral, the vessel attained a men. On the official trial which was attended by speed of 19-4 statute miles per hour on a draft of twenty four inches of water.
com-
laid down in the Colonial Regulations should be amenable to discipline to the Government; while the Board has every opportunity of stating its views and, if necessary, of informing the Head of the Government that it dissents from the action of the Head of the Department.
5. When plaint against a member
the papers concerning a
of the staff, together with the head of the department's disposal of it, are laid before the Board, it is in their discretion to deal with the matter as they wish. It may, however, be suggested that they should in the first instance discuss the case confidentially and later, if they desired to give publicity to their views, or to make any recommendation to the Government, they could, if they saw fit, record their views in the printed minutes.
MR. SHELTON HOOPER minuted-I am sure the Board does not desire to have the right to appoint or dismiss any officer of the department, but I certainly think that, as His Excellency the Governor by his instructions ordered all complaints against officers to be laid before the Board, it is clearly within the right of the Board to review all complaints, and any judgment passed thereon by the Head of the Sanitary Department, to do which effectually of the Sanitary Department acted should and judicially, all evidence on which the Head accompany the complaint. The Board then would be in a position to confirm the action taken by the Head of the Sanitary Department, or to recommend His Excellency the Governor to take other steps in the matter. I agree that in the first fidentially, but this should be after investigation case the Board should consider the matter con- by the Head of the Sanitary Department, and before he has given judgment thereon, otherwise
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