THE HONGKONG ARBORETUM,
(Daily Press 5th January) Favourable as most residents are to the
construction of the proposed new tramway up the Peak, there is bound to be a good deal of dismay when it is reelized that the New Gardens are, under the existing plans, to suffer despoliation of a most regrettable kind.
'The plans deposited show a cutting through the Gardens, and this catring, if allowed, will inevitably ruin one of the best
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
BEACHCOMBERS.
(Daily Press 6th January.)
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We notice that a correspondent in one of our evening contemporaries thinks the Government rem 'ss in not doing something for the beachcombers." To quote him correctly, he thinks it strange that the Government of a Colony whose wealth shows a continual increase cannot provide the funds to relieve the few men occasionally We think the stranded in Hongkong," Government has already done all that can be expected, in providing its House of
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[January 9, 1905.
adopt the paternal principles of the ultra- socialists; but we would have the satisfac tion of seeing the survival of the unfit. In-
deed, since few men work, as the Rev. CAMPBELL would express it, "for the work's sake," we should probably all become unfit, revelling in an untroubled universal stagna- tion. he dread is lest some "beachcomber": should really be a deserving character, in want
through no fault of his own.. Considerable experience of the genus warrants the belief that this fear need not obsess us to the extent it appears to do. Such a man has
opportunities to prove his status and secure
and most important features there. That Detention; and that a more sustained study help, without the suggested Government
is the very valuable and interesting planta- tion of pine trees, which were not collected without pains and difficulties; and have since been cultivated at the cost of the best skill and labour that the Botanical and
Afforestation Department could bestow. This collection is believed to represent almost known species of pine; and we
every have heard of no similar collection anywhere
in the East.
of the problem of the unemployed would persuade the tender-hearted letter writer to a like opinion. In the Far Eas', the
"beachcomber" is one of the most con-
Wherever there is
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spicuous figures. foreign community, with the need of pre- reving the prestige of the foreigner in the eyes of the native, the "beachcomber" is
sure to be. The reason is that Far Eastern communities, with that same prestige as
So far, we have not been able to ascertain their particular car bave all along indulged what view the Gover. ment takes of this in such promiscuous eleemosynary givings item; but there ought to be some effort that they have unwittingly advertised the made to save such a unique arboretum, Far East as a place where a tired man may which occupies a totally different position
find rest from his labours, without having in popular esteem to the outlying plantations to starve in the meantime. One of the most of whose destruction we had something to typical of these idle or shiftless characters say a short time ago. While abating not recently boasted that Shanghai was a place one iota of our complaint with regard to the where he was always sure of a square meal. short-sighted and mercenary scheme of In Shanghai the people are just as foolishly deforesting the hills, we consider the newer
generous as are our Hongkong sentiments attack if possible as of a more serious lists; but so far, we have heard of no nature. There is a scientific and educational demand that the Municipal Council should value attaching to this collection of trees, found a coddling establishment for the in- many of them rare varieties, against which
vertebrate waifs who stray thither from it would be difficult to name a satisfactory time to time. The community of Shanghai off-set. We cannot speak from the eu-is strongly opposed to communalism, or that gineer's point of view, and do not know [ form of socialism known as municipal how far it would be possible to arrange for trading; and perhaps they recognise that a deviation so as to spare this place. Makers [ if it be unfair for the governing authority of railways are proverbially callous to such to cater in that way to the industrious mem- considerations, and without some pressure bers of the community, it is also unfair to brought to bear upon them, would scarcely usurp the functions of private philanthropy. be likely to give such a matter any thought. It is rather curious to observe how most It is for the Legislative Council, when
men object to socialism in politics and next the plans come before it, to take bold busines, and bow, when they are brought of this question, with a view to induce the
face to face with some of the unpleasant responsible persons to see its importance in things incidental to a society based on the right light.
individualism, they so often cry out for Government relief. Why not, to use fiscalitis phrase, go the whole hog? If it be proper
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almshouse. It is not true to suggest that a destitute man is driven to dishonesty. Tem- porary destitution drives an honest one to work, to renewed energy, to greater resource- fulness. BECKY SHARP thought she could- be good on £5,000 a year, but many remain
tolerably so on much less. If they don't, they have to atone sooner or later. Those
who are not downright bad are usually shiftless through lack of intentive, and indiscriminate charity robs them of that incentive.
THE SALE OF SHIPS IN WAR TIME.
(Daily Press, 7th January,)- The attitude which Russia has adopted with regard to international law on occasions when it is in her favour as compared with that assumed on occasions on which it has been against her would be amusing in its inconsistency, if the interests involved were not of so much importance that the matter seriously. International, law is proverbially can hardly be looked upon otherwise than elastic, and certainly Russia may claim the credit of showing very distinctly the lengths to which it can be stretched. If there is one point which is clearly established by international practice, and which is accepted by all the authorities on international law, it is that the purpose for which articles.not in their nature contraband are designed is the test as to whether they can fairly be considered contraband. Warlike materials
such as arms and ammunition are of course
can be expected from people under the cir- cumstances. But in all these cases, Russia has not hesitated to interpret the law widely in her own favour, and has in more than one instance treated as contraband articles, which are not so in themselves, and on some occa- sions has done so without giving an oppor- tunity for the matter to be adjudicated by any Prize Court.
contraband in their very nature. But there are a large number of articles which may There are numerous arguments in favour
F or may not be used in the furtherance of war, of the importance of the new tramway
such as foodstuffs, railway material, and scheme going through. We are fully dis-
that the Government of the like. With regard to these, the test has posed to adduce all we can, from the view this Colony should make provision for always been whether they are directly sent point of the general public; but after all, the amelioration of the out-of-worker, why to assist the forces in the field. In deciding it is primarily a concern originated with a shoul it not also be asked to help the many this point, there is of course a very large view to private profit, and it is not too much patient workers whose troubles are none the loophole left to the discretion of Prize to ask that for such a public property as the less real because unheard of, or at least, not Courts, and on the whole they have been one whose existence is now threatened more
so noisily bewailed ? Why not demand found to net with as much reasonableness as consideration should be forthcoming.
that they should acquire all the house pro- We have had to speak very unsympathe-perty in the Colony, and ease the struggling tically of the action of the Botanical and rent-payers by lowering rates where they Afforestation Depar ment within the past most pinch? They have already begun few months, since they went in for the time this movement at Home, with their Housing ber trade-u branch of municipal tra·ling of the Working Classes Act, and like all with which our readers were not at all half measures, it has been attended by pleased. Even after the vandalism of which results not always satisfactory. In Ger- we maintain the Department was guilty at many, public works are arrauged as often A berde, n and neighbourhood, ad the as possible to fit the needs of cheap labour. evident pride with which they paraded the There is usually a loss, but the gain to consequent financial returns, We cannot humanity is accounted a sufficient offset, believe that Superint udent Dunn and his This would not help the situation much colleagues will view with equanimity the in Hongkong, were it practicable, for it is loss of the plantation whose inte meantime understood that the foreigner must not do hangs in ale ance. Have they no protest unskilled labour, and if he could, the to make no evidence with which to compe beachcomber would not. The Germans the active int rest of a perhaps unobserving have also tried, in common with Switzer- Government? This is a subject on which land and Belgium, schemes of insurance our unofficial members ought to ascertain against unemp.oyment, but without ade. public opinion, and afterwards to obtain quate success, because only a whole hog" from the Government some assurance that programme can secure that. Life would it either has had or will have their attention.scarcely be worth living were society to
A writer in the Spectator, Mr. DE MONT- MORENC, sets forth the true bearing of the action of Russia in buying cruisers of such a character that they might either be used for merely mere ntile purposes, or, should ocension arise, for war purposes. In this it is needless to say Russia has taken a very different stand to that which she adopted in regard to articles which might or might not according to circumstances be contra- band, though the principle which governs both cases is essentially the same, namely the object for which the articles challenge l are desigue!. Tre above named writer,
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