ACTIVITIES OF R.E.O.C.A.
Past Year's Work Reviewed
ANNUAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the REO,CA. was held yesterday evening in the Garrison Sergeants Hall amid u spirit of conviviality and friendship. Lt. Col. L. C. Reid, M.B.E., M.C., in the absence of Col H. E. G. St. Kirke, was in the chair supported by Lieut. C. A. Luckin Hon. Treasurer) and Q. M. S. Staples (Hon. Secretary).
A sudce-stul year was recounted and many were the plans for the coming year which entailed pro- muise of one as successful if not more so thun the last. The Aaso- ciation will be without the services of Q. M. S Staples, who is going on Home leave soon and great wAS the regret that was expressed at the meeting.
After the minutes of the last general meeting were read and confirmed the accounts for the year were approved and passed.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT
The President then presented his report and sald:
The branch was originally form- ed 25 the "China Command Branch" on 29th January, 1917. when Colonel Darling presided at its first meeting, there being 18 members present.
The minute book shews regular meetrigs as having been held until 1922, when there was a lapse until 1928, but in this year there was a revival, Colonel Skinner was then President and there was activity until 1931. After this, little was done although the branch was offl- cially in existence.
Just a year ago the branch was recuscitated. when I was elected your President and Lieut. Colonel H M., Fordham, M.C), was elected Vice-President. A general and an entertainments cammittee was also elected with Major B. E. C. Dixon. M.C. as Chairman.
VOLUNTARY DONATIONS Members heartily responded when" appealed to for voluntary donations, and we were' at once pul in a. position, which relleved the committee of petty financial worries. Some of our members also guaranteed the expense of the first whist drive-which was a suc- cess and the various functions since have continued to shew a prof.
General committee meetings were held during the past
12 months on no less than eight oc- casions. and a large amount of business was dealt with.
"Most of you were present at the Branch Annual Dinner held at The Hong Kong Hotel (Roof Garden), and its outstanding success is it recommendation for this and for future years.
A Branch Founding certificate was obtained from the Association Headquarters in London, and this has been framed and hung in the Sappers Recreation Room.
Ten of our members al civil- lans) attended at the Cenotaph ceremony on Armistice Day, when We combined with Fortress R.E.
for the purchase of a wreath.
Three donations have been made
to the Chelsea In-pensioners' fund
TRAINING AND
SEA TIME
www.
LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT
"One seldom meets with any dis- cussion nowadays upon this once vexed question aS to the most effective term for keeping a ship in full commission. Probably, this means that by general consent the present system is regarded as being as good as can be devised. It can scarcely mean any lack of interest in a subject which is of such direct concern to all serving ranks and ratings. In drawing comparisons between the past and the "present, with a view to show- ing what bygone generations "had to put up with" sufficient regard is not paid to the totally diferent conditions between the 'two ages. In the past era when an officer or seaman returned home after three years in distant seas he found very little change in ships, and weapons, and taetics, and virtual- ly none which he could not over- take in a very few weeks. These times it is scarcely an exaggera- tion to say that there is some- thing fresh to learn every day, and that even the specialist needs constant study to keep abreast of all the developments in his own particular branch. let alone what is happening outside of it,
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, JUNE 16. 1936.
On the occasion of Otto von Guericke's 250 anniversary, the ex- periment which led to the subsequent studies of the vacuum, and which O.V. "Guericke made in Magdeburg 270 years axo, in order to convince his doubtful contemporaries of the vacuum theory dis- royered by him. On the same plane as 270 years ago, two hemis- pheres were vacuated, after being put together, and then 3 horses could not tear the sphere apart, which was only held together by the
external atmospheric pressure.
SERVICE IN INDIA
The Present System. Analysed
London, May 29,
We are not surprised to see that the India Office are taking steps to improve the recruitment for the Indian Civil Service. For some years things have been going from bad to worse, writes a correspondent.
VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS Various considerations, not all of them easily reconciled, have to be taken into account in trying to determine the most effective term for a commission. It always hau been our view that the "Hat rate period for all foreign stations is дов the best system, because obviously the conditions on different stations vary so widely. If a commission is too long I produces a "staleness" among the men which was well expressed in bygone times by the description of the Service as a "monastic life."tary of State has been able to re-
If it is too short, train is apt to te stu'tified
main channel of Indian recruit-
ment.
and the British examination be re- served for British youth. By such means we may hope to restore the flow of the best type of Briton into the Government of India.
THE HOPE
Much, of course, will depend upon the action of the India Office and the Governors in supporting and securing the rights and post- tion of the Service against the en- croachments of the Congress poli- ticians which may be expected under the Government of India Act. We hope that our young men will take that risk and go boldly forward. The career will have its risks. On the other hand, by their courage and their devotion entranta may redress the balance and save Indias for the Empire. It is a risk Now one of the several reasons worth taking: the difficulties and for the lack of good British re-dangers of such a career will make cruits is the present system of a Fuccess the more glorious. Lord mixed examination in England for Linlithgow has set a fine example British and Indian candidates. by himself going out to operate the This is shown by the fact that in new system, which he had a hand- the Police Service examination, in creating. He requires
and the best that the which is confined to British can- should have didates, there is no such trouble. country can give him to help him We suggest, then, that after 1938 in the onerous task. It will not be the Delhi examination should be the first time if the devotion of wholly disappear from one of the made not merely the main but the the man on the spot retrieves the two Services left open to English-only channel of Indian recruits mistakes of Whitehall, men in India, the other being the Polles..."
In 1924 the Lee Commission re- commended that British and In- dian candidates should be re- crulted upon a 50-50 basis; but in the past eleven years, out of a total of 939 British wanted, the Secre-
crult only 256; since 1929 only 98 British candidates have been re-
dislocated. and
Probably, there is a much larger
cruited out of a possible 174, and in 1935 only five British candidates "were accepted. Thus if nothing is British element will
proportion of married officers and than men, in the Navy ever before, and this inevitably done the constitutes a strong, even although
silent, Influence in favour of shorter commissions. The real dicuity nowadays does not lie so much in any question of the actual length of a commission as in attaining a, sufficiency of sea time within a commission. A year spent in a special service squadron making a voyage around
the world would be worth far more in nl-round results than two
years in" a Home Fleet warship
DAVIS CUP PLAY
Hong Kong Dally Press Special
NOT SURPRISING
Nor is this surprising when we consider how our statesmen have worked of recent years to destroy this great career for young men of British descent. One after an- other the plums and prizes of the Service have been abstracted. «
PTO-
which would not do anything ap- proaching the same amount of The Executive Councils, steaming in double the length of viacial and Central, the Legisla- time.
Lures, the High Court, to all these the appointments, which used to be reserved for the Service have been closed. Moreover, the ameni-` tles of life in India have been re- duced by the "Indianisation" of the other Services. In former times the civilian could count on a little society of his own kin in every Indian station. He has pow to face the prospect of loneliness with no more than an even chance that there may be a British In dlan Police Officer to bear him company.
Berlin, June 14. Germany secured another easy victory, this time over Ireland in the third day's play for the Davis Cup, the score being 5-0. Germany lu defeating. Ireland having quall Bed to play in the European Zone final-runsocean News Service
NEW ATHLETIC RECORD
St. Louis, June 15. Helen Stephens established
FALLEN INTO DISFAVOUR
Thus it has come about that what used to be the most popular
a Service has fallen so far into dls-
during the year. Two of these new record for 100 metres with a favour that young men who are were collected and the third was time of 11-3/10 seconds, beating successful in passing the Civil the proceeds from a recent darice. the previous record of 11-8/10
In addition to this the Branch seconds established by Stella Walsh has donated a number of chairs in 1933-Rautes for the Sham Shui Po Matshed Church.
BRANCH STRENGTH
The strength of the branch to- day, according to our lists is 244.
There have been 34 Life Mem berships taken out in this branch in the past twelve months,
Lt. Col. L. C. Reid, M.B.E., M.C.,
Chairman,
Mr. J. Holden, Vice-Chairman, Lt. C. A. Luckin, Hon, Treasurer, R.M.B. Green, Hon. Secretary, and four members to be elected later.
...
May 1, on your behalf, welcome An Entertainment Committe of
Service Examination sometime choose to go without employment rather than accept service in In- dia. Yet even the Joint Select Committe had to admit that--
India for a long time to come will not be able to dispense with a strong British element- in the Services....
At it was, therefore, with the Navy so it is with the rice. Hay- ing broken it down the Govern-
Lt. Colonel L C. Reid, M.B.E., M.C. | eight was then elected. The re- ment are trying to build it up to the activities of the branch as port of the Entertainment Commit-again, and the India Office com- Chairman of the General committee for the past year. was then manique is the first serious at- tee, and to extend our thanks to read "by 8. M. Chapman who, tempt in this reconstruction pro- Major B. F. C. Dixon, M.Q., for the though he stated that a successS ceas. We sincerely hope the ef services be so willingly gave. was made of the last year, appeal-fort will succeed, for we have never ed to members to show more sup- been able to conceal our belief in port to the Association's functions. the necessity of a British frame in A few words of appreciation were the Indian administration; but we then sald by the Hon. Secretary think the India"Office will have to which were followed by a round go a good deal further, before it of applause.
succeeds.
Without the help of our members the task of recussitation would have been very diicult, but every- one rallied round, willing to assist. and we must now have one of the strongest branches in the Asso-
A. Luckin, R.E., Mr. Casey, B. M. Chapman, R.E., C.QMA Bray. RF Bergt: Betts, R.E. and Bapper Woolgar.
At the conclusion of the meeting
י.
ONE EXCELLENT REFOEM One excellent reform is to make
taken a good
ciation. I should particularly like Major Dixon in a few words of to thank the following. Lieut. C.
retiring Hon. Secretary, Q. M. good the shortage by a nomina- praise for the hard work of the Staples, pointed out that it was tion system. Candidates, that is to through the energetic offices of say, who have Staples that the Association was Honours degree at an approved once more on its feet and pro- University may be recommended. gressing as in the earlier days of for appointment by a.Selection the Association.
|Committee, acting with the ́assis- After the meeting, refreshments tance of the Civil Service Com- were served and a concert follow-missionera. Another reform is to ed which was well received.
make the Delhi examination the
OFFICERS ELECTED Th constitution of the committee, was then considered and decided upon. The following gentlemen were then elected to office for the coming year:-
Insist on
Gordon's
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