400..
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[May 15, 1909.
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
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Speaking of leagues, reminds mo. of a suggestion that a similar competition might be got up among the local bowling-clubs. Kowloon Bowling Club is the oldest organisation, and since it was formed some eight or nine years ago a number of clubs have sprung into existence. The Civil Service players were the next to take up the game, then the Police followed suit, and shortly afterwards the green at Cosmopolitan Dock was opened. Since then the Taikoo Club has been formed, and other sporting associations have shown an interest in the game. or five bowling associations in the colony, it should not be difficult to form a league which would give a great impetus to the game. Perhaps the Kowloon Club as the oldest might take the lead in calling a meeting, or the Police, as being perhaps the most enthusiastic, might do so. matter should not be allowed to drop.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND come a dangerous rival, is attained. There As the P.M.O. of the Garrison observed, may not have been more than this in what malaria cannot be fought without the ex-
Local sport is not so conspicuous in the has occurred but, even so, it is significant,penditure of money, and we think we can and combined with other incidents, it is not anticipate the report of the Committee columns of the newspapers these days. Tennis encouraging to those who had hoped that of Inquiry to the extent of saying that is practically the only game that attracts any attention at present, with the exception perhaps the Peking authorities were really in earnest to rid the neighbourhood of Shauki of lawn bowls. The new league will soon be in their professions of a willingness to in- wan of the conditions which conduce getting to business, and if it does as much
The central to
of augurate necessary reform.
the breeding
the anopheles to improve tennis as the football league did for Government have committed themselves so mosquito will into a considerable that game, the promoters will have every reason
the
to feel satisfied. far in the direction of reform that it demand
Colony's exchequer.
I understand the Kowloon will certainly cause great disappointment As showing the cost of these anti-malarial | Cği:ket Club has received the promise ‘of a throughout China if they do not in some measures we may note that a couple of years trophy to be offered for an open championship way act up to the promises held out. They ago a sum of $13,456 was spent on training competition. That is decidedly good but when are the ladies to be catered for? There are stand pledged to something, after the nullahs in the Tai Hang valley, which is quite a number of first-rate lady players in the assurances that have been given, and extensively used by the washermen of colony and it would certainly be interesting nothing could be more ill-advised than to go Victoria for clothes washing operations, to note their prowess with the racquet. back completely on their promises once ther For the past ten years the Government has have been made, at a time when the feeling made provision in the Estimates for anti- that reform is necessary is so general, as it malarial measures, and the last Estimate has of late become in China. It can hardle show that down to the end of 1908 a total be believed that the most reactionary of sum of $107,500 had been expended on the Chinese officials will counsel such a step. training of nullahs in various parts of the But there is still room to fear that the same Colony. The estimated expenditure on this result might be attained by first delay and work in the current year is $20,000, which ultimately by minimising what is done; and may be taken as representing the avere it would seem that the idea at Peking is to annual cost of this work in recent years-au meet the difficulty by temporising somewhat expenditure which is amply justified by the of this nature. No one of course can blime gratifying decline of malarial disense par the Chinese for being careful how ther passu with the progress of this work attempt to introduce gearching reforms, but The average annual number of death- it will be a grave mistake on their part to from Malaria in the Colony for the quin- simmer down the promises held forth almost quenium 1898-1902 was 526; and in the to the vanishing point. If such a policy is to following five years the average yearly be adopted, it would have been far wiser to number fell to 386, although there was a have held out no prospects whatever. In that large increase in the population during tha case, there might have been discontent, but period. The medical rep rts leave us in no at least those who were discontented, could doubt that the disease is most prevalent in not point to a specific grievance, which they the villages of Hongkong. It is shown in will be able to do if the promise of reform, the returns for 1907 (the latest published having been onre made, little or nothing that there were 138 deaths from Malaria in is done to carry it out. The course
the City of Victoria; 191 for the whol which it would seem should commend of Kowloon, and 203 in the villages. itself to those in authority at Peking would But the Government, quite rightly, com- be introduce at least some definite reformas menced their campaign in the neighbourhood
the largest tending in the direction to which they are
centres of population. pledged, if they cannot see the way to grant Gradually the Public Works Departmen all that has been promised. Chinese states- has carried the war against the mosquito manship would be quite equal to this task, east and w at of the city, and no doubt in if only the authorities should be well enough the natural order of progress the district of Shaukiwan would rec-ive due attention. advised to recognise that it is the course which both prudence and good faith dictate as that which should be pursued after the solemn assurances which have been given by them.
MALARIA IN HONGKONG.
(Daily Press, May 14th.) The information given to the Sanitary Board on Tuesday last by Colonel BEDFORD, the Principal Medical Officer of the Garrison. with regard to the prevalence of Malaria amongst His Majesty's troops quartered a Lyemun was startling enough to elici immediate public sympathy which is the necessary prelude to public action with a view to modifying the existing state of affairs. Colonel BEDFORD informed the Board that whereas the admissions to hospital for malarial fever from the whole garrison for the first four months of the year gave a ratio of 25 per thousand, that for the small garrison at Lyemun gave a ratio of 445 per thousand. To further establish the fact that malaria is abnormally prevalent in the neighbourhood of Lyemun, Colonel BFD FORD referred to the latest published returns (1907) showing the distribution of the disease amongst the police. While the admissions to hospital for malaria were in the ratio of 94 per thousand among the men quartered at the central police stition, the admissions from the Shaukiwao police station gave the enormous ratio of 888 per thousand. That is fairly conclusive evidence of the existence of disease-breeding condi. tions in that neighbourbood which stand in urgent need of improvement.
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With four
The
What a time the ladies had on Wednesday at the garden fetq! Not for a long time have they had such an opportunity of playing at work and, incidentally, showing themselves to advantage. I think the dear things are most fascinating when dispensing tea and showering little atten- tions on the men folks, and I am sure the ladies themselves are not devoid of that know- ledge. One could not help noticing that the married ladies simply carried all before them, metaphorically speaking at the fète. They knew how to tackle the gentlemen, and while the single ladies stood by overcome by maidenly modesty and wondering what to do, the married ladies had rushed in and done it.
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I heard it said that on this occasion some mere men who sat down to tea found the force
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Of course
Where the ladies are, there the men will be. also," is not a bad description of the princ.pal attraction at most bazaars. I say principal attraction deliberately, because whether we are married or not, most of us I think can say with Robert Burns:
Now that Colonel BEDFORD has called public attention to the serious character of of habit too strong for them, as they yelled out
'boy when they wanted more. the medical statistics of the small Garrison
explanations followed. at Lreman attention will doubtless be given by the Public Works Department to this district earlier than might otherwise perhaps have been the case. When we look at the police return to which Colonel Bedford in his speech referred, We observe that there is one district in the Colony with an even worse showing than Shaukiwan. That is Tsat-Tse-Mui where the percentage of Malarial cases from the police station worked put at 114-2 against Shankiwan's 88.8.
The value of the statistical information on the subject prepared annually by the medical department is plainly apparent,
and while it is satisfactory to note that not. withstanding the exigencies of the financial position no reduction in the appropriation for anti-malarial measures was made this
year, the plea made by Colonel BEDFORD will, perhaps, suggest to the Government the desirability of making every effort to enlarge this vote until the improvement which has been effected in the central districts of the Colony has been extended to all the outlying places where considerable populations reside.
The writer of "Bits of China in the Westminister Gazette notes the curious provision on the occasion of the conveyance of the late Emperor's coffin to the temporary resting place of "two foreign pumps of the best quality," for the use of the troops charged with keeping the
roads clear of crowds.
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The happiest oors that eer I spent Were spent amang the lasses, oh!"
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Humour sits in high places nowadays. Here's the Chief Justice joking in court when admitting. a barrister to practise and expressing the hope that there would be "no moaning at the bar No doubt some decisions are bound to give pain to the gentlemen interested, but whether they will express themselves by "moaning at the bar is
me to say. not for Probably his Lordship knows there is another bar where the moaning is less frequent, and where the argument is usually of a more interesting nature. t that bar crystal, not golden, bridges are used.
"A
Competition flourishes in Hongkong.
is our motto, to which fair field and no favour we add "let the best man win." These thoughts are suggested by a nice little local war. It is not the ice war, though this one is suggestive of coolth, but it is a struggle over the sale of fans. It will be remembered that during the Ward Company's occupancy of the City Hall fans were sold to patrons at ten cents each. Then a keen-eyed rival came on the scene with fans at five cents each. He held undisputed sway for some little time until he saw at the theatre the other night boys selling fans other than his, and his ire was roused. The rival competitors were
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