October 2, 1909.]
We understand that a marriage has been arranged and will shortly take place between Lieutenant Alexander Norman Paxton, of the Royal Engineers, stationed in Hongkong, and Miss Florence Gertrude Dennys, elder daughter of Mr. H. L. Dennys.
A
Ever since the tragic murder of the two Indian police in the New Territory foreigners there are taking no risks. It is not uncommon now for some when they meet bands of Chinese éoming towards them to insist that they separate. and stand aside.
Mr. J. Thomson, third engineer of the s.s Ningpo, has reported to the police that he lost on the 25th instant, between the Engineers' Institute and Quarry Bay, a black leather pocket book valued at $5, and containing a cheque for $240 and a second of exchange draft for £50.
The syllabus of the Union Church Literary Club is one of the most attractive we have seen, and those responsible for its arrangement are to be congratulated. A wide range of subjects will be considered, and several debates will be introduced. The contributors include Mrs. Bellamy Brown, Mrs. R. A. Belilios, Mrs. W. J. Williams, Miss Briggs, Lieut. Col. Bayard, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. May, Eng. Lieut. Hodson, Dr. F. Clark, Messrs. S. T. Dunn, H. C. White, P. H. Holyoak, E. F. Aucott, E. Gaster, Bellamy Brown, J. J. Stubbings, C. G., Alabaster, F. Browne, J. I. Plummer, and Rev. C. H. Hickling,
As the absence of H. E. the Governor from the Interport Carnival, held under the auspicos of the Victoria Recreation Club, occasioned some comment, we may mention that His Excellency's absence was due to no want of interest in the event. It was Sir Froderick Lugard's intention to have been present on Saturday, but as he was entertaining the late Governor of Macao and suite at luncheon, and afterwards had an interview on an urgent matter with the Director of Public Works, which lasted until 7.30 p.m., His Excellency's absence from the carnival was quite unavoidable. Captain Taylor, A.D.C., the same evening wrote to Mr. Frank Lammert giving this explanation, and saying how sorry His Excellency was not to have been present at the Interport Aquatic Sports which Mr. Lammert and his Committee zealously arranged.
had so
The death of an old woman who was knocked
CHINA QVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
down by a truck and received injuries to which she succumbed was the subject of an inquiry at the Magistracy on Monday. Mr. Hazeland, sit- ting as corner, conducted the inquiry, and the jurors were Messrs. C. A. Warnes, A. C. Putley, and E. G. Smith. It appeared from the evidence that when one of Watson's trucks laden with aerated water bottles turned a corner from Canton Road there was a crowd of people in the way. They all moved out of the way with the exception of an old woman, who was knocked down and whose foot was injured by a wheel passing over it. She was taken to Watson's dispensary, where her wound was dressed. When the police sought to interview her they found that she was so deaf that even with the aid of a megaphone it took them over ten minutes to ascertain her name and age. She died in hospital. The jury wished to know if it was not compulsory for trucks to have brakes in Kowloon, but Inspector Langley informed the Court that the authorities did not consider that it was necessary that they should have brakes in Kowloon, His Worship asked the jury to consider whether death was the résult of an accident or of negligence. The jury found that death was due to misadventure, and added a rider to the effect that in their opinion trucks on the Kowloon side should be equipped
with brakes.
The Emperor of Japan has conferred the Order of the Sacred Treasure upon the Rev. J. Batchelor, the veteran representative of the Church Missionary Society among the Ainu, in Northern Japan. Mr. Batchelor, who is now at home on leave of absence, has received an intimation of his Imperial Majesty's decision in the following terms: I have great pleasure in informing you that on the merits of your self-sacrificing labours among the inu for the last 30 years and of your contributions to the knowledge of the Ainu language and traditions, our Emperor has decorated you with the Fourth Order of the Sacred Treasure."
THE HONGKONG OPIUM FARM.
SURPRISING FIGURES,
for three years from 1st March, 191", were The tenders for the Hongkong Opium Farm opened on the 30th ult. They were as follows:
Ku Yiu-shan, Loung Kin- sang, and Ng Ming-
sau,
Ho Shai-kit, Luk Yau
Per Month.
$ 98,750 98,600 96,000 She Ying-luk,
91,000 The present farm brings in to the Trea-ry $1,452,000 per annum, while the highest tender received would amount to $1,185,000-a reduc tion of only $267,000 a year. As the Govern ment had been reckoning on a loss of about $600,000 per annum, these tenders come as an agreeable surprise to the Government and the taxpayers.
The tenders will be considered by the ecutive Council.
Ex-
COLLAPSE IN D'AGUILAR STREET.
293
Hall, and at 8 p.m. he dined with the Royal Engineers. At 10 o'clock he embarked on the night steamer for Canton. He spent Wednesday in Canton, staying for the night at the British Consulate-General. On Thursday morning at eight o'clock he left. Canton on board a torpedo boat destroyer and boarded the s.s. Himalaya at 4.30 en route for Shanghai.
There was something characteristic in the action of Field Marshal Kitchener when he on Tuesday morning paid a surprise visit to the quarters of the 13th Rajputs ut Kowloon. His clock and found all the officers and men at Lordship arrived on the square about seven duty. He asked to be shown the quarters of cleanliness of the matsheds as well as the uniform the Indian soldiers, and commented upon the whiteness of the sheets. Considering that he had come upon them unexpectedly he considered that their condition was very satisfactory indeed. After this informal inspection he went to the officers' mess and partook of breakfast, the band meanwhile playing. One of the features of the programme was a march specially compose for Lord Kitchener by Bandmaster Coké entitled ¿ Shortly before four o'clock Thursday after-The words
Salaam, Burra Sahib." of the chorus noon the coping of the roof of the Yee Sang men
sung by the in Hindustani mean "Clear out the Queen's Road and D'Aguilar Street collapsed. breakfast Lord Kitchener went up to the Band- Fat drapery establishment at the corner of road: the Burra Sahib is coming." As usual, there was a large crowd in the latter master and told him how much he appreciated street at the time, but fortunately there was not the march and that he had much pleasure in one fatality, notwithstanding the fact that the allowing the march to be dedicated to him. His fallen debris stretched right across the width of Lordship and the officers were then photo- the street. The only person injured was the graphed, and while the band played the regi owner of the postcard stall at the corner, who mental march he bade the officers farewell and was struck on the arm by a falling brick as he said how pleased he was with everything he had was making his escape. His injury, however, soon. proved slight. The police were early on tho scene, and kept the crowd clear of the danger zone. Later, public works officials visited theA GANG OF ALLEGED TRICKSTERS. scene of the collapse, and on their suggestion the lower portion of D'Aguilar street was closed to traffic until shoring operations had been completed.
UNDER BANISHMENT ORDER.
After
Complaint having been made to the Authorities about the doings of a gang of LORD KITCHENER IN HONGKONG, supposed fortune tellers, six men and a woman who were arrested are to be banished from the For some time now Hongkong has been Colony, without trial, by order of His Excellency interested in Lord Kitchener, and when that the Governor. Chinese who presume to know gallant soldier set foot on our island home say that the members of this gang have been on Monday that feeling of interest was demon-relieving clients of their valuables by hoodwink- strated by the large crowds which had assem-ing them with a trick called "planting the bled to catch a glance of the man who has done golden tree." A woman is generally the so much for the Empire. His Lordship was a victim, the wiles of the imagician apparently o'clock the gun fired from the Peak Signal promises of future wealth take deep root in her passenger on the M. M. Sydney About eleven hypnotising her, while his artful speeches and station indicated that the steamer was in sight, fertile imagination. H. E. the Governor and H. E. Major-General to plant her jewellery in a spot known only to She is easily persuaded Broadwood went out in a private launch to wel- those who are humbugging her, and is made to come the distinguised visitor. After a brief believe that it will increase in quantity if left greeting on the vessel as it came to a standstill where buried for a certain time; that is, near Green Island, to allow of the mails being provided it has been charmed by the fortune. taken off, Their Excellencies returned to Statue teller. When next she examines her valu- Wharf, H.E. the Governor proceeding to ables and finds more than she placed in the Government House, and H. E. the General to buried box, she becomes keen on increasing her Blake Pier to await: Lord Kitchener's arrival, stock of adornments, and to this end gathers His Lordship, wearing a light lounge suit and together all of the family jewellery and places a topee, came ashore in the Victoria accom. it in the box. The fortune teller, then knowing panied by his private secretary and Captain that he has got all he can expect from his client, Mitchell Taylor, A.D.C. to H.E. The removes the box, and when the dupe pays her next Governor. Here he was met by His Ex-visit of inspection she discovers that her jewel- cellency Major General Broadwood, and after flery has vanished. Many women in such a predica- shaking hands with him he greeted Commodore ment have not the courage to face their Lyon. Thereafter a number of officers were husbands, and seek to end their troubles by introduced to him, among the number being committing suicide. Colonel Chamier, Colonel Bayard, Colonel Bedford, Colonel Grant, Lieut.-Colonel Chapman (H.K.V.C.) Captain Marescaux (H.M.S. Kent), Commander Heard (H.M.S. Cadmas) Major Hart- Synott, Commander Barret (Clio), Com- mander Penfield (H. M. Naval Dockyard) Ligut. Beckwith, and Rev. Dallas Innes. A guard of honour consisted of fifty rank and file
Mr. E. Schulze, formerly a manager of the of the Buffs under the command of Captain Deutsch-Asiatische Bank at Tientsin, is reported Barker received his Lordship with a salute, which was accompanied by musical hon- ours played by the band. Having inspected the guard of honour he and his aide-de-camp entered chairs and were conveyed to Govern ment House, being escorted by a possé of police. Imperial Chinese Commissioner Wen Tsung at night his Lordship was entertained to an Yao (an "old boy," of Queen's College, Hong- official dinner at Government House, after kong) has memorialized the Throne, suggesting which he returned to Mountain Lodge, where he various methods for the development of Tibet spent the night. On Tuesday he lunched with He strongly emphasizes the necessity of train- Sir Paul Chater and afterwards viewed his won-ing a strong army before the introduction of derful collection of Chinese porcelain at Marble' reforms. He also urges compulsory education.
We understand that Mr. W. E. L. Shenton, from the office of Messrs Deacon, Looker and Deacon, will make an application for habeas corpus on behalf of one of the men ordered to be banished.
in northern papers to have left that institution and taken over the firm of Snethlage, Ltd., which is being reconstituted at Shanghai, Mr. Seitz and Mrs. Snethlage being bought out.
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