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342
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been employed and drew a pension from the Indian railways, and know about the workings. He used to furnish the defendant with the figures on account of construction. The quarterly stateinent up to 30th June, 1969, was ready to go out on 28th August, but witness did not like to send it out until; he had thoroughly examined the figures and the details of construction had to be supplied by him from accounts that were under compila- tion. All witness had to do with was the actual expenditure of the construction of the railway. Account " Ao7" was supposed to be a summary of accounts paid by the accounts department on the authority of the engineer-in-chief. The last completed Ao7" account was made out in August, 1908. When witness arrived in Canton in March he was not asked to try to make up arrears in the office especially with regard to the "Ao7 " account. It
not was
Indian form of account, but simply adapted to local condi- tion. When witness saw the cash book it was not in the way he expected it to be. Since de- fendant left he had done his best with regard to the accounts, and had kept the current things going on. As far as railway accounts went he thought there were few men in the country who knew better how to keep them than the defendant. Witness did not find any cash balance in the accounts, Up till September, 1908, there were correct allowances made for the difference between Hongkong and Canton currency, but after that. date exchange was not put in the quarterly balance sheets.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[October 16, 1909.
Were you responsible for any statements HONGKONG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. made outside the office as to the amounts ?--I
was not.
Will you swear that? Yes.
You never mentioned any amount as being approximately the amount already discovered of the defalcations ?—I might have.
I don't mean to your official superiors, but generally outside?I have no
distinct re- collection of fixing any definite amount.
There was a statement in the public press that his defalcations had already reached 60,000. Were you responsible for mentioning that figure -Not in the least.
ANNUAL PRIZE DISTRIBUTION,
The Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin, Registrar- General, presided at the annual distribution of prizes of the Hongkong Technical Institute, held at Queen's College, last evening. Mr. T. K. Dealy, Director of Education, the Hon. Mr. P. N. H. Jones, Director of Public Works, and Messrs. E. Ralphs (Director of the Institute) and H. Sykes were also present.
there an
Cross-examined by Mr. Douglas, witness said he first heard the defendant was going to leave the Shameen from the Chief Storekeeper at Tungshan. It was not extraordinary that the books of the railway should be kept in a safe. Witness was not feeling very well when Mr. Wright was about to leave, but he did not feel nervous at the defendant's departure. He simply thought that the accounts should be explained to him in case of the auditors asking any questions. Witness was actually working on the details of the construction account. Witness put in a statement of the gain by exchange not accounted for. This item made the June account incorrect. There was also another mistake owing to the omission of some figures furnished to the chief accountant during the absence of witness, which he had since verified. He thought that an amount had been deducted twice from the construction account.
Ao7" are
I put it to you that the accounts " liable to give misleading information, because they do not distinguish between Hongkong and Canton currency? That is so.
The Court rose until 9.30 a.m.on Friday..
NEW PROSECUTION UNDER
COMPANIES' ORDINANCE.
The hearing of the cases in which the Kwong Kee Ferry Co., Ltd., and the Kwong Shun Steamboat Co., Ltd., were prosecuted for failing to comply with the provisions of sections 30 and 3 of the Companies' Ordinance in that they failed to forward to the Registrar of Companies a copy of the list of persons who on the fourteenth day after the holding of the ordinary general meeting for the year 1908 were members of the Companies, and of the summary required by the said sections, was concluded before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magis- tracy ou Monday. This was the first occasion in which a prosecution of the kind had been brought under the sections mentioned.
any
The Hon. Mr. BREWIN, after distributing a large number of prizes won by successful students, Mr. E. A. M. Williams, accountant in the said this was the second time he had had the office of Messrs. Lowe, Bingham and Mathews, of pleasure of presenting the prizes. On the first Hongkong, said his firm was instructed to audit occasion the Institute was hardly on its legs, the accounts of the Canton branch of the railway but now he could congratulate the Director, Mr. and the audit was begun on September 1st. The Ralphs, and the various teachers, on its flourish. payments to Messrs. Wilks, Tai Lee and a naval || ing condition. At the last annual examination officer had nothing to do with the railway.
were 100 students examined, and Witness did not know where the credits
of these 87 per cent. passed. He in Mr. Butler Wright's private account had the pleasure that evening of distributing in the International Bank
came from. 105 ordinary certificates and 33 certificates of Up to September there were $39,500 not ac- passes with distinction. This showed clearly, counted for in the railway accounts. In the he thought, that the Institute was filling a same month of the previous year the accounts want in Hongkong—a want which could not be were kept better than they have been
made good by any existing school. or, he kept since, and he saw no reason why they thought, by the university which we hoped should not have been carried on in the same way. to have with us soon. The number in He had to ignore the cash book kept and write attendance during the session was 255. Of these a new one up. Witness did not think any only 52 per cent. presented themselves for accountant who saw the accounts on September examination; but he did not think they should 1st last would say that they were in proper complain, because, of the 19 who presented order.
themselves, 87 per cent, passed, while the other students who did not present themselves for examination perhaps only attended with the indefinite object of improving them- selves and getting a little general knowledge. But the students who had gained certificates, he presumed, were all ambitious to do some- thing, and the speaker asked them to remember that nothing could be done of any value without effort and without perseverance. They should not be content simply with attending, but should work hard after they had finished their lectures, and then he hoped they would be given certificates of distinction. He was glad to see that the Director had succeeded in starting lectures on political economy, and that they seemed to
If bo appreciated. of the Chinese students present aspired
take to
it part in public affairs, like many old Queen's College boys had succeeded in doing, they would find a knowledge of politi- cal economy indispensable for the public service. They might have read in the newspapers these last two or three days the discussion about subsidiary coinage. Coinage was a question which could not possibly be understood unless they had studied political economy, and they would hear all sorts of blunders committed by very clever men simply because they had not stu- died that science. He was glad also to see that. a large number of students were studying English. There were plenty of careers open for Chinese with a good knowledge of English. But unless they were able to pick up English novel and read it with pleasure-and he did not think many of those present were in the habit of reading English for pleasure— they should not be satisfied. To some of the students present this would be the third and last session at the Institute. He would ask those students who were attending the engineer- ing classes to remember that a certificate of dis- tinction might be of the greatest value to them, particularly if they looked forward to entering the university to study engineering and to take it up as a profession. It might be possible for Mr. Ralphs to persuade the univer distinction, and to allow it to count for so many sity authorities to recognise such certificate of
months' or perhaps a year's study at the univer sity. The speaker asked the students to bear that in mind, and to work their hardest during next year.
He had nothing more to add, and would not detain them longer, as it was almost time for the first lecture to commence. - (Applause.)
Mr. H. J. Dennys, Jr., from the office of the Crown Solicitor, prosecuted, and Mr. F. Paget Hett (of Messrs. Brutton and Hett) appeared
for the defendants.
Defendants solicitor raised the defence that Do you consider that the present railway neither Company had held its ordinary meeting. cash book is inadequate?—Yes.
His Worship said he intended to give judg- Have you not been told so by the auditorment against each Campany, but seeing that it It is not his opinion I am stating. It is my own as well as his.
I believe you stayed with the defendant when you first came here? Yes.
And you know something about his previous career Yes, I knew him in India in the early 'eighties, when he was drawing a salary of 1,000 rupees a month.
I believe you've heard a lot of Matherite," have you not? Yes, I've heard a lot about it. Has the defendant ever told you whether he was making money out of it ?-He told me he was doing very well.
I believe when you were in London you assisted to advertise it?-I had a business in London, and the defendant asked me to take up the agency for it. I did, but did not do much with it.
When in the head office you found au envelope addressed to Mr. Wright and contain- ing his pass book ?--Yes.
And you opened it P--Yes.
And read the pass book through ?—No. What did you "do with the book after that ?- Gave it to Mr. Grove.
And Mr. Grove took it away with him P--Yes. Before Mr. Grove left did he mention to you that the defendant might have private means? No.
1
The pass book was regarded as suspicious?- It was.
Previous to September 9th there were many wild rumours as to the amount of Mr. Butler Wright's defalcations ?—Yes.
was the first prosecution of the kind, and that there were extenuating circumstances in the fact that the managing director had died some time he would impose what he considered a nominal penalty. A fine of $100 would be inflicted in each case.
age,
SALVAGE OF A DESTROYER AT HONGKONG.
NAVAL CHIEF CONSTRUCTOR PRAISED.
The following extract is from the Naval and Military Record:-The Lords of the Admiralty have expressed their high appreciation of the zeal and judgment shown by Mr. W. Hockaday, Chief Constructor at Hongkong, who about a year ago succeeded in raising the destroyer Whiting, which had been blown ashore during a typhoon
MACÃO CONTRACTS FOR SHANGHAI,
The N.-C. Daily News learns that the Shanghai Dock and Engineering Co., Ltd., has been favoured with instructions by the Governor of Macao to build four steel self-discharging hopper barges with all necessary door lifting and lowering gear. The first two barges are to be delivered in Hongkong Harbour within three months from date of order and the remaining two six weeks later.
an
Mr. DEALY proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Brewin for his attendance. The Re- gistrar-General has many calls on his time and attention, but he was so keenly interested in the work done at the Institute that he willingly attended to distribute the prizes.
The vote was carried by acclamation, and the proceedings ended.
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