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18th November. CHANGE OF OFFICIALS. Taotai Hon Kwok Kwan, the Director of the Military Training Bureau, has, by Imperial Decree, been appointed Commissioner of Foreign Affairs in the three Eastern Provinces. On hearing of the appointment the Viceroy tele- graphed to the capital to ask that that able officer Ng Sih Ming be appointed to the vacant office. His request was acceded to, and yester- day the new Taotai arrived here. Taotai Hon leaves the provincial capital in the course of the next few days.
SELF-GOVERNMENT SOCIETY,
The Self-Government Society is evidently hard up for something to employ its energies. It has come to the knowledge of this body that, certain Portuguese from Macao go to neigh- bouring places to shoot birds on Sunday. This heinous offence is causing great alarm, and considering that the Boundary Question is not yet settled, the Society thinks that the shooting of birds by foreigners should be stopped. Some few months ago, two English gentlemen in the employ of a certain well-known firm had the misfortune to slightly wound an agricultural labourer while they were shooting, and of course the Society is trying to make some capital out of the incident. The question of whether foreigners shall or shall not shoot birds on Sunday is considered by the Society of such importance that they will lay the matter before the Deliberative Council and a statement is also to be forwarded to the capital for con- sideration. Thus the Self-Government Society fritters away its energies in face of the fact that there are real and serious abuses to be considered. Do not the questions of sup- pression of gambling, restriction of opium. education, sanitation of the city and a hundred and one other matters of crying urgency form sufficient grounds for the activity of these people ?
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KWONG WAH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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buried in the débris and 60 per cent, of the growing crops were totally destroyed. The district is said to be suffering the acutest dis tress and over 15,000 persons are depending on charity. It is said that the Government intends to give relief without delay.
PROCESSIONS AND THIEVES. They seem to have a more than ordinary liking for religions processions in Fatshan. Many of these are held at night, and the pick- pockets, thieves and other bad characters are Conse- not slow to take advantage of the same. quently the police have prohibited many proces- sions, but this brings the police into bad odour with the people. It is now proposed to hold a procession to warn people against the evil of opium smoking. Certain persons, dressed to represent an opium smoker in the various stages of his downward career, are to form a prominent part of the procession. The authorities have issued notices calling upon the people to pres serve the peace during these performances, and to take care of their pockets and valuables.
TO PROTECT RETURNING MERCHANTS. The Chinese merchants of Singapore and other places in the South have informed the Government that when they return to their native places they are often ill-treated and squeezed by local officials. They have, in consequence, requested that when a merchant returns to China he shall be provided with a certificate from the Kwong Chow Chamber of Commerce which will protect him from the attentions of these mercenary officials. The Minister of Agriculture and Industries has communicated these facts to the Viceroy, and his Excellency has notified the Taotai of Indus tries and the Kwong Chow Chamber of Commerce.
·“ HONGKONGITES” IN ENGLAND.
Our London Correspondent writes under date of 27th October.:-
Of old China residents no one was better. known, better liked, or did more genuine work for Hongkong than "The Tribune of the People, Mr. T. H. Whitehead, for some years past joint manager of the Chartered Bank. Your readers will be pleased to hear that, owing to the retirement of Mr. Caleb Lewis, after over fifty years' service in the Bank, thirty-five years Mr. of which were spent in the head office, Whitehead has now become senior joint manager. Mr. Thomas Fraser becomes joint manager and Mr. W. E. Preston sub-manager. Hongkong residents will hope that Mr. Whitehead may yet serve many years at the hea of the great. institution which he has done so much to bring to its present high position.
The opening ceremonies of the Kwong Wah Medical Association took place on the 15th inst. There were present the Tartar General, Admiral Li, the Taotai of Industries and many other prominent officials. There were also present more than 1,000 persons, including many foreign ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Chan Yin Fan in a speech declared the object of the Association, and from what he said it is evidently an admirable one. The Association has charge of a hospital, a free hospital, one for a superior class of patients, a medical school, an obstetric ward, a vaccination office, and is interested in the management of the Red Cross Society. During the past six months the working of the Medical School is said to have been very satisfactory and the results achieved by the students to be Mr. H. E, Pollock, K.C., has been adding to meritorious. There were so many visitors on the his experiences by indulging in a little election. opening day that accommodation could not beering work during his holiday. As a Tariff found for many of them, and these were requested Reformer and an opponent to Mr. Lloyd to call on the two following days, when the George's Socialistic Budget, he went down to Ber- management would be pleased to entertain them, mondsey the other day under the auspices of the Anti-Budget League, and addressed a meeting on behalf of the Unionist candidate, Mr. Dum- phreys. It would be well if some more of our Hongkong friends made use of their abilities and experience during their visits to this coun- try to oppose the growing forces of irrational socialism which are becoming a very real and serious danger to Imperial trade.
A MERCILESS MANCHURIAN.
An expectant Magistrate, named Wong, lodged for seven years in the house of a Manchurian named Yang in the Eight Banner Settlement. The man fell into difficulties and for twenty months paid no rent. He then received a call to proceed to Chin Chow, but one day he was smitten with sickness and died. The Manchu, on hearing the news, called upon the deceased's son to pay the sum due for rent, but this the boy was quite unable to do The Manchu then took the unfortunate youth and kept him chained as a prisoner in his house for a long time. News of his pitiable condition at length leaked out and came to the ears of certain of his clan. They interviewed the Manchu, but to no purpose. They then petitioned the Tartar General and other officials, so that the Manchu was summoned to Court. Here he pleaded the debt in extenuation of his offence, but the Magistrate held that he had done wrong in turning his house into a private prison and ordered him to immediately give the youth his liberty. The clansmen of the debtor have been ordered to see that the debt is paid.
A GREAT STORM.
News comes of a great storm which is said to have devastated a great part of Yan Ping district
The numerous friends of Mr. S. J. Hanisch, of the Imperial Chinese Maritime Customs, will regret to hear that he is still on the sick list. met him a day or two ago with Captain Lincolo, of the s.s. Kwanglee. There is no more popu- lar member of the Customs service on the China coast, and I am sure the news that he is on the way to recovery will be welcomed by them. It is now several years since Mr. Hanisch was stationed in Hongkong, but he left there a record of good work performed with a geniality that won him friends in every sphere of life which many men might envy.
MACAO BOUNDARY DELIMITATION.
The Commissioners appointed to discuss the delimitation of the boundaries of Macao have concluded their sittings. They decided, as they were unable to come to a satisfactory con- their respective Governments informed that arbitration seemed the better way of settling the questions at issue.
[November 22, 1909 ALLEGED IMPERSONATING SANI- TARY DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.
An interesting case was heard before Mr. Hallifaxat the Magistracy on Nov. 19, when three Chinese were charged with obtaining money on divers dates from people to whom they represent- ed they were agents of the Sanitary Board. A second trio, for whom Mr. Beavis appeared to defend, was also charged with a like offence.
Chief Detective Inspector Hanson said that some time ago Mr. Wolfe, the Head of the. Sanitary Department, forwarded to the Captain Superintendent of Police a notice and asked inquiries to be made respecting it. The notice
authorised by was not
the Sanitary Department, although it purported to be, and copies of it had been delivered at different places in the Colony calling upon people to tar the latrines on their premises. Inquiries were made but without success until the other day, when detectives brought up the three defendants and later they brought in another three defendants. Mr. Wolfe was really for the prosecution and he declared the notices in question were not authorised by the Sanitary Department and that they were false.
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His Worship-You will prove that P
Mr. Hanson-It will be proved by Mr. Wolfe. All that I can do is to call witnesses, people from the shops, who will tell your Worship that on a certain day a man or men came to the shop and said "We are sent by the Sanitary Depart- ment to tar your latrine." Payments were made to the men, and the entries in the books would be shown. As to identification they all say they cannot remember the men now, but again I would say that r. Wolfe asked me to go on with the case, and make the best of it. The three defendants are quite prepared, or have been, to state that they did the work, but that they did it under the direction of the other three.“.
His Worship This again you will prove? Mr. Hanson-I intend, when the case pro- ceeds, to put these men in the box and let them make their statements to your Worship.
Evidence was then called. Three witnesses spoke to men calling at their places and repre- senting that they were sent by the sanitary Department to have their latrines tarred, and also that they paid the men certain small sums of money for this work. One shopkeeper, said he beat the price down from one dollar for two seats to fifty cents. It did not rouse any suspicion in his mind that the price was lowered.
His Worship said he would like something more definite "to connect the three men with the charge. They could not. incriminate them- selves by making a statement. Was there no evidence against the defendants except their own statements ?
Mr. Hanson -Yes. His Worship suggested the case should be. withdrawn against the three men.
If the pro- secution chose to utilise the defendants in their case that was their business.
Mr. Hanson then withdrew the charge and the defendants were acquitted.
The three other defendants were then placed in the dock on a charge of aiding and abetting, but Mr. Beavis, who a peared for them, pointed out that the question o. false pretences must be proved first.
His Worship agreed that there could be no aiding and abetting unless an offence had been proved.
The case was adjourned.
· VOLUNTEERS IN CAMP.
On Saturday afternoon, in favourable weather conditions, all the Hongkong Volunteers who could get leave left by launch for the camp which is to be held at Customs Pass in the
New Territory instead of, as in former years, on Stonecutters Island. The site of the camp was changed on the suggestion of Major. better opportunities for the ten days' training General Broadwood, who was of opinion hat offered at the Pass. tween twenty and
on the 25th of last moon. The storm raged all | clusion, that negotiations should be stopped and thirty of our citizen soldiers assembled on Blake
night and nearly all the next day and 2,000 houses were wrecked. Seven persons were
Pier on Saturday, and prior to their departure for the camp they were inspected by His Excellency the Governor,
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