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Counsel intended to prove that some
time between July 1st and August 7th twenty cases of shark fins and shark liver disappeared from Talati's warehouses, and that on July 31st the second prisoner went with another man to a shark fin dealer. He introduced this man as a person who had come from Singapore with shark fins for sale.
His Lordship said he thought he had better discharge the case against the second prisoner.
Mr. Potter asked his Lordship to direct the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty.
Mr. Alabaster said he offered no further evidence against the second man.
The jury, on his Lordship's direction, brought in a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged.
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Mr. Alabaster then continued with his case against the other prisoner. He stated that on August 7th an officer of police obtained a search warrant for a shop in Des Voeux Road. It was a business in which the prisoner ad- mitted that he had an interest, and of which he was in charge. On these premises 1,085 lbs. of shark fins and 267 lbs. of liver were found. Under the bed a special kind of Indian shark fin, which was imported by only four merchants in the Colony, was found, and in the same room there were a number of pieces of packing cases, about which the jury would learn more when they heard the evidence.
The hearing was adjourned,
CANTON.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
FINANCIAL MATTERS.
October 14.
It would appear that money is urgently wanted by the Peking Government, as several despaches have been received by the Viceroy on this subject lately. The latest states that the ordinary remittance from the province must be sent to the Capital without delay, and the Viceroy has given the Provincial Treasurer orders accordingly.
Another despatch states that the statements of income and expenditure for the past two years are to be made out in detail and submitted to Peking immediately.
CHEAP RICE.
As an act of devotion to the memory of Confucius certain shops have been selling rice at the rate of 6 catties more per dollar than the usual price. Only one dollar's worth at a time is allowed to be purchased, but many persons have taken advantage of this offer as the price of rice has ruled very high lately.
PETITION FROM A LADY STUDENT.
A lady named Miss Kong Lau, who has received her education in America, has now petitioned the Government to defray her educational expenses, as was done in the case of Miss Ho Sheung Ying, She also prays to be recognised as a government student. The Viceroy says that he is unable to make any definite promise in the matter until he has asked the opinion of the Chinese Minister in America, and he has therefore communicated with that officer on the subject.
BRIGANDAGE IN KWONGSAI.
A petition numerously signed has reached the authorities from Mo Soon in the Kwongsai Province. The petition states that such is the activity of bandits in the district and so in- adequate are the forces to cope with them that neither life nor property is safe and the people are in a state of great alarm The petition prays for military help to clear the district, and the Viceroy has given instructions to the Provincial Judge and certain other officials to make enquiry into the real state of affairs. Meanwhile a detachment of troops is to be sent ..to the district.
October 16th.
SEIZURE OF DYNAMITE. It is reported in the native Press that on the arrival of the s.s. Kwong Tung on Wednesday a man was seen endeavouring to leave the ship in a sampan with several suspicions looking parcels. He was arrested, and examination of the parcels led to the discovery that they were full of dynamite. The man gave a very garbled story when arrested, saying that the parcels had been placed in the sampan by two men whom he did not know and who subsequently made off.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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The explosive was taken in charge by the police and the man was led off to Nam Hoi to be inter- rogated by the Magistrate. There have been several of these dynamite episodes lately, and whether the importation is the work of revolu- tionaries, bandits or ignorant fanatics who wish to destroy the railway lines romains to be
seon.
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT.
The first meeting of the Deliberative Council for the preparation of Constitutional Govern- ment was held on the 14th inst. in the old Yamen of the Provincial Governor. The Viceroy presided, and the Provincial Treasurer, Educa- tional Commissioner and many officers of high rank were present. Seats were also prepared for the representatives of the native Press. The proceedings, which lasted about two hours, were of quite a formal nature, the chief business being the work of electing officers. Mr. Yik Hok Ching was chosen President, and the Vice-Pre- sidont is to be voted for on Sunday, when the next meeting takes place.
MILITARY MATTERS.
The chief officers of the Provincial Army are to be interviewed by the Viceroy on Monday and Tuesday. They will be questioned as to what improvements have been made in military organisation, the erection of arsenals and such like matters of importance. It is probable that in the near future the Viceroy will himself hold a grand review of the troops in the district.
MACAO BOUNDARY.
The Commissioner in charge of the Macao Boundary question arrived in the City yostor day afternoon by the s.s. Honum and proceeded to the Viceroy's Yamen, where the two officials held a consultation regarding the present nego. tiations.
BONFIRE OF OPIUM PİPES.
The Nam Hoi Magistrate has for a long time collected all the confiscated opium pipes which have been seized in various raids. Yes- terday these were all broken up and burnt in a huge bonfire outside the Yamen gates. Great crowds came to see the fire and the smell of burning opium pervaded the air. Later on in the day a zealous petty officer found a privato opium den in the district and a body of police were sent to take possession. This they did and six smokers were arrested. According to the new regulations the building will probably be confiscated.
A NEW SCHOOL.
A gentleman in Fatshan has lately been subjecting the native school fathers to some sharp criticism. He states that many of them are without the necessary learning and aptitude to fit them for their important duties. This gentleman is also grieved that the children of the water population get little or no schooling hence their gross ignorance and want of manners. He has come forward with a plan to start a primary school for these children in Fatshau, and he suggests that the expenses be paid by levying a small tax on cargo boats that come to the town. The proposal has been submitted to the Provincial Educational Com- missioner, and, in the interests of these poor children, it is to be hoped that he will countenance the scheme.
RED CROSS SOCIETY.
This useful society does a great deal of very good work in the city, but like all such societies it does not escape criticism. Yesterday, a man fell from an upper window and was seriously injured and the Red Cross doctor was sent for, but it was found that no medical man was on duty. This excited a good deal of adverse comment, and no doubt the Society will see to it in in future that there is always someone waiting. The public has not much to complain of, for in one day the Society treated no less than six men who were injured in as many assaults.
October 20th, 1909. THEATRE AIDS SCHOOL. The Kai Ming School in the City is an in- stitution which in its time has done a great Unfor- deal of good in the educational world. tunately funds are lacking to keep the good work going and the school was advertised to be closed down. Hearing this the Yan Tin Ying" theatrical troupe offered to give per formances in aid of the school funds in the Ngok Sin theatre. It is expected by this means that the school will obtain a new lease of life.
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[October 25, 1909.
MOUNTED POLICE.
Outside the East Gate there is a great deal of building going on and the traffic into the city from the villages in this locality is very great. As is usually the case in districts out- side the city, many robberies have from time to time occurred, and it has lately been suggested to the Taotai of Constabulary that mounted police be used to patrol this district. The Taotai: has fallen in with this suggestion and the patrols will be started in the near future.
While speaking of police it is necessary to. state that many of the villages lying outside the City are without any police system at all, hence the prevalence of robberies with violence in these places. The headmen of the villages, it is rumoured, often work in concert with the miscreants who disturb the public peace and In some districts, at share profits with them. all events, this state of affairs is soon to be altered. Such is the state of lawlessness in some localities that even the supine Chinese officials have at last been moved to action. Taotai of Constabulary has given orders that the Siu Chow Prefecture and the Fa District are to be adequately policed and other places will be supplied with constables before long.
The
It unfortunately happens, however, that the police, instead of preserving the law, frequently break it, as lately happened in the following case. A constable who had been found guilty of several misdemeanours was placed in Nam Hoi Gaol. Soon after his imprisonment a man petitioned the Viceroy for justice against this man for enticing away the petitioner's wife. The Viceroy has ordered the Chief of Police to make an investigation.
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT.
The second meeting of the Deliberative Council for the Preparation of Constitutional Government was held on Sunday. There were not so many officials present on this occasion, as the Viceroy and Provincial Judge were engaged in the trial of a political offender called Tsai Ki Ming. Many private gentlemen were, however, present, and Mr. Lo Nai Tung was elected Vice-President.
MACAO BOUNDARY.
As formerly reported, a meeting of the Boundary Rights Society was held on Sunday. At the meeting it was unanimously held that the Commissioner had yielded too much to the Portuguese and that China had suffered a serious rebuff. A telegram was dispatched to Peking urging that no treaty be signed with Portugal. The Viceroy was also urged to take serious steps in the matter. Telegrams were also sent to Cantonese residents in Peking and various provinces as well as in foreign countries notifying them as to the state of affairs.
October 22nd,
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT. The Deliberative Council for the preparation of Self-Government, has now been declared to be fully constituted and will be recorded in the anuals of the Province as having started during the 9th moon of the first year of Hsun Tung. It is estimated that the Council will require 50,000 taels yearly for its expenses, and the Viceroy has been asked to find a source from which this sum may be raised.
KOBBERS BEHEADED.
The Mo Ming District has lately been infested with banditti. It is said that strangers from other districts and provinces have been to this locality and induced the peasantry to join them in their nefarious work. To clear out these undesirable people the magistrate of the district and Brigadier-General Wong have established a military camp. As a result, nine notorious bandits and several other bad characters have been captured and decapitated. The news has been wired to the Viceroy.
THE HONAM POLICE OUTRAGE.
The outrage by the Honam police reported a day or two ago still continues to cause much discussion and excitement. Yesterday a mass meeting was held in order to express indignation and to find out some method of obtaining redress. Petitions signed by many persons have been forwarded to the Honam Chief of Police and to the aotai of Constabulary. Further action will depend upon what action the authorities take in the matter, and the residents of this district are determined not to let the matter drop until reparation has been
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