Hongkong, 8th March. The Past Week has again been quiet, but things are commencing to wake up a little. The cain, however, cometh not, and the fog has only been symptomatic. Meantime the smells are rampant, but the p'ague, am thankful to-ay, is not so. Probably the dryness and geniality of the weather, which induces the "hinese to live a great deal out of doors and keep their dwellings open, help to wart off the dreaded visitor. Wh n the needed showers come w- hope shay ay fall rin torrents and wash out the city properly.
The Governor of Hong<ong avd he Corona'ion.
HLF. Genera Sir W. Gascoigne, Acting Governor, has received information by telegraph that Sir H. A. Blake, Governor of Hongkong, has been commanded to attend the Coronation ceremonies in June next, so that is leave will be extended much over the original three im nths ita The word "commanded" is in this case, I imagine, a figure of speech, the solid fact no doubt being tha He-ry applied to the Colonial Office for extension of leave in order to witness the Coronation ceremony. Meantime Colony does not {mourn too much. It is satisfied that the Coronation will be quite kong.
The Hon. W. Mei-h Goodman, K.C., Att rey-General of Hongkon:, has been "pointed Chief Justice +n the retirement of Si: John Carrington, C.M.G., at present on leave in Enzland. No appointment has "0 far been made to the now vacant post of Attorney-General. Mi Wise, Pusne Judg. who has een acting as locum: enens for Sir John Car-Tington, will chub down at the end of the month, when Mr. Goodman will commence his duties as chief Justice.
In Rene prance of La' smith.
Some sixty petty officers of H. M.S. Terrible, who took part in the oper tions for the relief of La smith, sat down to dinner on Saturday night, th" Ist inst., at Thomas's Grillroom, in commemorate on of the event. Songs, dances, etc., were indulged in and a very enjoyable evening spent. A quaint menu was placed before each person and consisted of, amongst other items, Fricasseed Durban Shark, Tugela So Saddle of Mutton i la Percy Scott, ivin of Beef & la Buller, Bloemud Pretorian Coffee.
An English School for Chinese.
A school for teaching English to the Chinese has been opened here. It is main-tame! by Mr. Chan He-wan and Mr, Lo Kung-ting, of the Ip On Insurance Company. It is free to the children, is fitted in European style, and has three qualified Chinese schoolmasters.
Many pupils have already entered, Meetings of Companies.
There have been several ¢-many meetings daring the past week, most of which were very satisfactory.
the 3rd inst., the shareholders in Geo. Fenwick & Ca., Limited, met, at the Hongkong Hotel, and, after a plain tale from the chairman, passd the very excelent report and the accounts for the year 1901 with one voice, such voice not bein; extra sonorous owing to the slenderness the gathering.
The shareholders of the Punjom Mining Ca., La., had their yearly meeting at the offices, Beaconsfield Arcade, the follow ug day, when the chairman gave a lucid s: atement of the present position of the Company, and expressed a hope (which he thought was not too sanguine) thi it was at last on the threshold of success. He strongly deprecated, however, the practice of looking only on the bright side of things, and said that his experience of mines and money had taught him to expect nothing until you got it. Still, appearances wore favourable. They had a reef and alluvial deposits that promised well; they had a tramway to connect that reef with the batters; the stone was of a kind easy to crush; and they had a magnificent water power now that the dam was completed—sufficient to provide for all likely wants. He praised the manager and commended the staff, and_said that both "arked well toget r. After some qnostio-s, ther port and ace nuts were passed by acclaim tin, and the othe busi-ess ted, after which the shareholders examined with much interest the specie us of ore from Swab and the photogra: lis of the dam.
the 6th inst, the annual meeting of the shareholders in the China Fire Insurance Ca., Ld., was held at the offices, Queen's Road, Mr. C. S. $ ary presiding. The chairman explained the Company and showed that th- pr. spects of 1902 were excellent. He also intimated that when the Extra Reserve Fund had re-ched the sum of $120,000. the Board would consider the advisability of paying an incrossed dividend, though they did not intend to consider that as the maximum amount it should be raised to. Mr. Osborne
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.