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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND companies, they would, each in her own | Things farfetched and half understood are
sphere, get something of the knowledge and training which-fit men to the business of the State. All experience proves that mere book knowledge of such matters is not only insufficient but often dangerous, and this is the most that the best informed of women are likely to attain to so long as the chief sphere of their interests must of necessity lie in their homes'aud in social questions which naturally come within their cogni- sance. In their own sphere women not only have all the rights of meu, but a great deal more, and the advanced persons who wish to claim the rights of men, will do well to consider how much of the privileges of women they will have to sacrifice iu order to obtain them.
There is also another practical bearing of the subject which should not be overlooked. If women had the vote in a country like Great Britain, there would always be a danger of a Government being either returned or ousted by some sensational cry, which would appeal to women's feelings to the exclusion of all other and possibly much more important considerations. We have seen enough of the working of this principle in the part which the false reports about Chinese slavery in the Transvaal played in the last election. Auy topic of that kind, worked up in a way which would appeal to the female imagination, would be sufficient to command a large number of their votes, and there would thus be more danger even than there is at present (which is assuredly enough) that by some similar catchwords of a taking character the female vote might be caught without any reference to or con- sideration of much more important issues that might be involved in a change of Government. We have had warning enough of this contingency as the franchise now stands, and will certainly do well to besitate to introduce a radical change for which there is no real call, which will undoubtedly have the effect of increasing this danger.
JAPANESE COMMENTS ON
ENGLAND.
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(Daily Press, 14th June). If to see ourselves as others zee us be occasionally a good thing, we would like to see more of the kind of articles that have lately figured in the Daily Mail. In that increasingly popular auxiliary of the British breaktast table, Mr. K. SUGIMURA, special correspondent of the Tokyo Asahi, has been giving his impressions of England and English ways. It is somewhat of a bracing douche, for instance, especially to Britons residing in China, to read that England is a slave to "olo custom." The Japanese observer remarks: "If I were asked the thing that has impressed me most here I would reply the strength-sometimes the tyranny of the Unwritten Law. Custom see me lo rule absolutely in this country to an extent unknown and unimagined by me before. Custom limits the action of people more absolutely in England than strict, written legislation does in my own laud. The Unwritten Law of England controls from the very great to the exceedingly little, and all men bow to it. I find that my dress, the colour of my purse, and the colour of the very travelling bag I carry are decided for me by public opinion." His illustrations are sometimes forced, but here again he unwittingly helps us to see our- selv. 8, for we are irresistibly le to suspect that similar weaknesses must be noted in foreign notes about Far Eastern peuples.
the weapons common to the globetrotter of all natious. As a matter of fact, with regard to fashion and dress convedtions, Mr. SUGIMURA errs only in imagining that Japan is free from them. On the subject of English servants and their familiar way of speaking, Mr. SUGIMURA shares the same disadvantage as the foreign visitor to Japan. He did not discover the true type. The globetrotter's essay on Japanese ser- vants takes coguisance ouly of the species that has evolved to wait upon his kind, and this Japanese visitor's idens of the Euglish servant were evidently based on experiences of the waiter in a London chop-house. It is true he met another kin 1, but he has no complaint to make of the butler's manners. They must have been irreproachable. The incident is well worth repeating:
One evening I visited a certain house and rang the bell. A gentleman ome to the door and opened it. He was dressed in evening clothes; be was quite a fins-locking fellow, and spok.... English very fluently, and he must have been an Englishman. I took off my hat in defer-nos. I bowel very low, in Japanese fashion (for in my country we often bow like a carpenter s measure), then I held out my hand to sh ka hands with him. 1, of course, thought that he
was an honoured member of the household,
Imagine what was my chagrin when I after wards found that he was a butler!
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Our critic Wilkes а little superior occasionally, as when he di-covers that the English fad of the moment is the immemorial custom of Japan, The "fresh air' cure Japau has believed in pneumotherapy for the past 2,500 old vears. And so on. He rightly condemas the over-furnishing of the English living room, but then, English writers have already dwelt on that, and the Japanese are just as much slaves to lumber, only they stow it away differently. On the subject of women and clothes, there will arise may to say that Mr. SUGIMURA has scored a buil. They will say it as if jestingly, but with au undertone of earnestness. Mr. SUGIMURA the intrepid hints that "it is possible English ladies would gain more than they lost if they devoted more time to home affairs." He is shocked by their affecting the kimono, doubtless because they wear it wrongly, but he firmly condemns the big hat and the trailing skirt, and to him, evening frocks are indecent.
"Corsets have been so much discussed that I
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shall not deal with hem, except to stats my hope that it will be a long time before they too far in what I say, and if my readers find come into general use in Japan. If I have gone anything offensive in my frank speech, kindly remember that I am a stranger, knowing nothing of your social etiquette."
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He thinks that even good wives are too familiar with their husbands, in England. He prefers the Japanese fashion. We think in Japan that the husband is greater than the wife, and that the wife should do him reverence and pay him respect. We have wany good arguments to support us in so thinking, but this is Lot the place to advance their. What will he say when he sees & mob of suffragettes ?
Mr. J. F. C. da Roza, whose death is announced in our obituary column, was the last survivor of the forty Portuguese heroes in the memorable Passa:ead victory. He resided in Hongkong for over 50 years, was for many years a director of the Hungkong Hotel Co., Ld, and was the original member of the Club Lusitano. He was also a prominent figure i› the Stockbrokers Association of Hongkong. In 1901 deceased left the Colony to open a cigar factory in Manila, but returned here in May.
[June 16, 1907:
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on the 13th instant in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINI- STERING THE Government, Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G.
MAJOR GENERAL R. G. BROADWOOD, C.B., A C.D.
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON(Colonial Secretary). Hon. Mr. H. H. J. GOMPERTZ (Aɩtorney. General).
Hon. Mr. C. McI. MESSER (Colonial Trea- surer).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Publio Works).
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- General),
Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captain-Superia- tendent of Police).
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Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M G. Hon. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C. Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT. Hon. Mr. E OSBORNE, Hon. Mr. H. KESWICK,
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
PAPERS.
His Excellency the Acting Governor, laid on The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of
the table the report of the Registrar-General for the year 19 6.
QUESTIONS.
The HON. DR. HO KAI-I beg to put the questions standing in my name.
The questions were as under :-
(1) What steps does the Government propose to take, and when, in reg rd to carrying out the recommandations of the Public Health and Building Ordinance Commiss on ?
(2 If the Government does not propose to carry out the recommendations of the Commis- sion in toto, which of such recommendations does the Government propose not to carry out ?
of what they propose to do with regard to the (3) Will the Government make a statement recommendations of the Commission P
The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as follows: (1) A precis is laid on the table showing how Government has d-alt with certain of the re- commendations, how
it proposes
to deal with others, and how many are still under consideration.
(9) An Heith
Ordinance amending the Public necessary and steps are being taken to prepare and Buildings Ordinance will be
one. It is impossible at preseat to fix a definite
date for its introduction.
(3) Recommendations that do not require an amendment of the Law and which are approved will be carried out as soon as possible having regard to the circumstances in each case.
THE PUBLIC health and BUILDINGS
ORDINANCE AM ·NDM NT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903.
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The COLONIAL SECRETARYR seconded. In doing so he said-In connection with this the question of compensation may arise and I beg to lay on the table a copy of the petition presented to the Governor by landlords with regard to compensation under the Bill of 192 which subsequently became law in 1993. From
this it will be seen that the landowners were perfectly well satisfied with all the concessions except one which was subsequently grated.
His EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, Before I put the question to the Council concerning the passing of the first reading of this Bill I would beg leave to make a few remarks. I shall not be altogether in order in so doing but perhaps the Council will grant me the io- dulgence in the present circumstances. This is the first instalment of the legislation which will become necessary owing to the recommendations made by the Commissioners who have inquired into the administration of the Sanitary Depart- ment. I trust that this Bill and the precis of those recommendations containing the pro- posals of the Government thereon will be