1949-11-21 — Page 79

ROYAL

INTEROCEAN

LINES

JAVA PORTS dad MACASSAR

BAILINGS RE

"ARRIVALS

"TITJALENGKA”

“TJBADAK"

28th Dec.

29th Nov. 13th Dec.

MANILA.

“STRAAT· SOENDA”

SAILINGS 30th Nov.

"TEGELBERG”

23th Dec.

"ТЛКАМРЕК"

25th Jan

ARRIVALS

8th Dec. No passenger accommodation available.

SINGAPORE, PENANG and BELAWAN DELI

HITJALENGKA”*

“VAN HEUTS2"

Calling Singapore only.

SAILINGS,

ARRIVALS

3rd Deci

15th Dee.

29th Nov. 10th Dec.

EAST & SOUTH AFRICA & SOUTH AMERICA

"STRAAT SOENDA”

"TEGELBERG"

*THIKAMPETSS

ABRIVALS

SAILUNGS

30th Nov.

28th Dec. 25th Ja

8th Dec.

Calling at Mombasa & L Marques direct. Transhipment cargo accepted on through B's/L to Dar-Es-Salaam and Zanzibar.

No passenger accommodation available,

JAPAN

· SAILINGS.

ARRIVALS

"STRAAT SOENDA"

*TEGELBERG*

“TJIKAMPEK”*

.10th Dec.

24th Nov. 24th Nov. 21st Dec.

TEGELBERG“

13th Dec.

24th Dec.

• No passenger accommodation.available.

Agents: HOLLAND-EAST ASIA LINE EUROPE via MANILA and MALAYA'

“MEERKERK”

RIDDERKERK”

SAILINGS

#

6th Dec.

.End Dec.

ARRIVALS

In Port Early Dec.

Transhipment cargo accepted on through B's/L to India,

Mediterranean and Northern European ports.

"MEERKERK”

"RIDDERKERK"

JAPAN

SAILINGS

ARRIVALS

21st Nov. Early Dec.

Sth Dec. End Dec.

KING'S BUILDING: TELS-28015-= 28017 Chinese Agents: 62. Connaught Ra. C. Tres: 31196-25133

DE LA

RAMA LINES

ABRIVING FROM US. ATLANTIC COAST VIA LOS ANGELES & SAN FRANCISCO

m.v. TONGRAPH

my. “DONA: ANICETA”

SAILING FOR U.S. ATLANTIC COAST

27th Nov, 15th. Dec.

· VIA SAN FRANCISCO÷&-LOS, ANGELES

THE CHINA MATE, MO

HONG KONG WATERFRONT

In My Log

HOME Sweet: Homa!-

Have you ever felt that sudden "pang at the sight or sound of something familiar that takes you back home?

It could be a catchword-"P.' and 0 to the Coloniais. It could be a song “Aloha Oe" to thei Hawaiians. Or it could be edibles

**

BY OUR HARBOUR REPORTIN

"Tanka" Life In Hong Kong

(This is the second of a series of articles on the life, belieĵs amž traditions of Hong-Kong'a-uni- que "Floating Colony" community).

To the shore people, the life of the "Tanka" or "Water Tribe" community in Hong Kong savours of anachronisti salient feature of our "float- ing colony.

Within the aura of antiquity, surrounding a typical

•

Hensiveness which ultimately ag-

as possible.

"Tonka", cluster one generally sees the 20th "rst-time" reaction of appre century vieing with the Ancient for pro-ivates a keen desire to get minence in the social and domestic aspects as a second visits will be

However, of their phenomenal existence.

a very pleasant experience. The tranquility, greatly enhanced by the soft lapping" "al ripples, "which generally is the only disturbance affords superb relaxation" to the

city mán. ere are not so many

off- shoots like the mainland Shanghai

hot dogs" to the Americans.

To us, it is that brown, hard- shelf fruit of the coco palm- the coconut

It is not uncommon, for ex-fat bottoms, weaving their way We saw them they were ample, to hear a repertoire of lazily through the bobbing mass during the week along the Praya modern entertainment from Radio of Junes and ampang, herald with Stentorian -hundreds rolling or being tossed Hong Kong emagating from anti-their approach iam lorries from funks which quated-looking links, hugging

the fiskering tock them ashore from a ship, one another for mutual security Displayed in arriving from the Straits.

at any of the Colony's Tanka illumination of a solitary oil lamp Street. The side tanes easu

not longer than a roosting nests:

every cook and corner on the ing usually narrow deck are nylon tooth junk's length and about five yards brushes, much-publicised modern vide, serve to relief traffic con- beauty

candles gestion considerably. beauty aid paraphernalia. of all description and

taste. mineral waters and clothes.

Clustered in groups as they are,

It

and

is common to see sampans -junks making their way

Wealthier familles have diverg- ed considerably from their tradi- Rarity in Hong Kong

bon-bound mode of living. Many of this "Tanka" class have in- To those in the Colony here, stalled dry-battery generators to where the coco palm is rare, the illuminate

duorescent lights. Cotton prints families conduct evening tete-a- coconut is visually seen at fruit stalls, stripped to the last shred of rainbow hues adorn the bam-tetes across the bows Because

cupola that provides of the varying distance from from all sides by the never-end- of fibre and hung up like a priboratdients with the only shel- one yard to 18 yards friends ing

ed fruit.

their craft with

In markets, it is not so respecter from the elements. tably treated, but nevertheless | carefully stored.

Common but indispensible...

Take the coconut away from the Malayans-be they Chinese, Indian, Portuguese or the Malays themselves. It will be tantamount to depriving them of their live- Lood.

For the cocoput has 101 uses to the people in the torrid South- for the household, the farms, the mantlepieces, distilleries, bakeries and nurseries, only to mention a few main utilities,

Hundred and one uses..

Every bit of the coconut palm has its ow utility-the trunk, the leaf. its stem, the husk shell, kernel and milk.

From the kernel, the julee forma the staple ingrediens of Malayan cuisine and confes tionaries. Surplus rated ker- nel is turned into cooking oll or fodder for the sty Copra-dried kernel-serves as fuel, and is one of Malaya's mam exports.

Boiled with brown sugar, the resultant juice is moulded inta

honeycomb pans to come out as candy blocks, favourite of the Southerners. This also is exported in considerable amount

The shell has" as many varied usages. Coconut, shali orna- menis, button and kitchen utensils have been popular in forrige countries besides being domestic necessities in many Malayan homes.

Scraped to the last shred of fibre, the shell is cut into two to serve as "grating cups" in nurse- ries and orchards. Many a pome has these cups as tower pots

m/v. “DONA, ANICETA” .... ..... (Calls Japan).id Jan hung up elaborately around the

THE DE LA RAMA STEAMSHIP CO., INC.

(lacorporated Ja the Philippines)

CHINESE SHIPPING OFFICKI Tela, 23738-20153

MARINA HOUSS Tels, 23670-22STA

HOLLAND-EAST ASIA LINE

S.S. “MEERKERK??

LOADING 5th DECEMBER

MANILA, SINGAPORE, ADEN, SUEZ, FORT SAID, ALEXANDRIA, GENOA, MARSEILLES, ANTWERP BOTTERDAM, “AMSTERDAM, HAMBURG, COPENHAGEN, GOTHENBUBG and ́OSIO. LIMITED PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE

Agents:

ROYAL INTEROCEAN LINES

King's Building Connaught Road

els. 28015, 28016, 28017-

·

walls

Nightfall eventuates the in- congruity when the Tanka families would normally waive aside tradition to indulge in the Had of entertainment and re- creation familiar to their modern- shore brether

Floating District

The Yaumat Floating Dis- trict "focated "Within the pre- | cincts- of the

OT relatives shout themselves hoarse to exchange it bits or discuss problems of the day.

Silent Zones

Sad out of the lants

It appears to" tis“ mtranger} that everyone and everything) seems to have one common aimi

of proceeding in one course to be hemmed in

flow of traffic. No Sense Of Time

In embodying this "peculiar Chinese "traft of"~"taking "it esty, floating people- per- hapa have the least respect for a sense of time. To the "Tan ka" family, a day la not a matter of seconds, minutes and hour. It la just daylight for work and alghtfall for recrea tion and rest,

be the solsiest. Here and there very mah-joor tiles

notally under the voc

mud-slinging of the Rarely does one find a time-

a ̈*"Tänka”- Typbsen Au- players; while nearby a dilapi keeper abdari a

craft dated-looking chorage typifies the unique!

Wireless * This may probably account for

Bet existence of the floating com.

blares forth latest hit tunes the cocasional As betwech' 'a munity. There are some 2,000

wasted more ofich than not be fare usually a Tandibber

Tanka resident

of craft

types. "atmospherics "clans," Becom clustering in

الم

The

passenger-carrier." and

*modating about 25,000 “Tańka") to wager inevitably beginsjiz a hurry to get ashore after a

Many a share visitas has been

the sampan

wonder how the individual “fing.” people, according to conser manages to define his sense of vative estimates

perception especially that of irritated by the lackadaisical There one still finds life some-bearing and appreciation - amid manner in which what akin to a heap of loose jig- the incoherent mixture of strident weenan usually prepares to get ber saw bits in spile of the impact human voices, jarring music, the craft under way or to, berth of modern civilisation to set them

of wood upon wood. into an orderly pattern.

By dusk, the

But then, changes

this is one of the rapidly from one of inertia to maar "mysteries of the floating bee-hive activity. Sheill whines colony.

of native

-scene

1th of steel upon steel rind the alongside

But paradoxically the Tanka? people have cffen be- trayed their fondness for speed. This, however, is evident only Shanghai Street." main the when they indulge in good-natur- roughfare of the Younati Floated pranks-racing each other for ing District, has its silent their passengers pleasure and zones where the seemingly amin- deriving as much enjoyment from the din, ours silence never fails to shroud the vociferous prompts of their Itinerant vendors in their dim-l the stranger with the inevitable' excited fares.

blend with 5ddles strident modern jazz blaring forth from jarring amplifiers to create an unearthly discord.

As if to augment

Chief Preventive Officer Leaving On Retirement

One of the Colony's most popular officials and the best known along the

waterfront, Mr. Jack William Macintyre Brown, will leave for Aus tralia on November 30 on retirement.

With 27 years service to his credit, the Chief Pre- ventive Officer of Hong Kong plans to settle down in New South Wales at Cronulla. He will be accompanied by his second daughter, Christina Joyce.

As

the Brisbane

sent to Australia and admitted to Later when he was At to be

General Hospital moved, he was allowed to travel

TO HONOLULU & SAN FRANCISCO

Tia LAPA

"President" Cleveland" "President Wilson. General Gordon

Afr. Nov. 29

Art. Dec. 23

Sails Nov. SO Sails: Dec. 18 Salk Dec

TO SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES ris JAPAN

"President McKinley" "President Ta

TO NEW YORK, BALTIMORE & BOSTON vĩa PACIFIC COAST & BANAMA -

Art. Nov. 23: Salls Nov. 24. Dec. 16: ·Sails Dec. 17

“President Wohnza” "President Fillmore"

Att. Nev, 29

· Salls Now, 35

Sails Dec. 23

Arr. Dec. 27 ROUND THE WORLD

VIA MANILA, SINGAPORE, COLOMBO, KARACHII, SIISZ. FORT SAID, ALEXANDRIA, NAPLES, MARSEILLESTM-

GENDA, NEW YORK and BOSTON

"President Monroe"

BuchananTM

Arr., Nov.-29

Sails Dec. 1;

Arr. Dec. 13

Sails Dec. IS

TO JAVA & STRAITS

*President Tyler"

OpposlteTM Star Ferry

Arr. Dee. 16

Sails Dec. 17 Tel. 28172/5.

BEND LINE

-SHIP "BENWYVTS" "BENRINNES". "BENLAWERS" **BENARTS

*BENCRUACHAN"

"BENLOMOND" "BENVORLICH" "BENVRACKIE" *INCLEUCH"

SHIP "BENWYY18"

"BENLAWERS" "BENCRUACHAN HBENLOMONDE” BENGLEUCH"

*BENARTY" "BENVORLICHT

ARRIVALS

FROM Japan

LUK: via Singapore.

SAILINGS

to

25th Nov.

510th Dec.

27th Dec,

3rd Jan,

5th Jan

16th Jan,

LOADING BUOY A

Liverpool Dublin, Heere, & Hull

Glasgow,

30th Nov.

"L'o trdan - Antwerp,

Rotterdam,

18th Dec.

Hamburg

2nd Jan,

& Hull,

20th Jan.

Liverpool,

Glasgow,

20th Dec.

Dublin, Antwerp, Rot- terdam & Hamburg.

8th Jan

Li

Via Malaya, Colombo, Aden, Port Sudan,

and other Way Porte tAccepts Carge for Genos, * Accepts Cargo for Japan.

For Further Particulars, Apply To- W. R. LOXLEY & CO. (CHINA) LTD. Agents

to Sydney where he was further York Building. treated for more than six months. On March 14, 1948, he returned

Indian distillers tap the young stems bearing the nuts to siphon

Chief Preventive Officer, Hong Kong and Wuchow, former to Hong Kong and proceeded on out the juice into bamboo conta- Mr. Brown has under him more treaty port on the West River home leave to Southampton and iners, left among the clusters for than 30 Revenue Inspectors, some He served with HMS. Moorhen Edinburgh. He was accompanied several days. The liquid fer- 200 Revenue Officers and two on her trips further up the West by his family. They returned to mented-with-lime and distilled as Revenue Launches. These men River as far as Posch, in North a strong alcoholle drink, which are responsible for seeing that West Kwangsi. Malayans know as samsu.

In hot days, the milk from the

revenue from dutiable goods is

•

young coconut is a refreshing collected and paid." Hairst-quencher.

The biggest single seizure of The husk is cut into rectangu- gold made by Chief Preventive lar blocks and utilised as brushes. | Öffeer Machtyre “Brown's men The fibres are used as fuel or was HK$880,000 worth of gold braided into rope.

plates and rods, cleverly hidden Rice dumplings are baked or in the frames of leather suitcases. stewed, wrapped in coconut leaves The leaves de split to denude the joints, which are 'tied" together to bundits to serys "ás “broomÉ: Plaitad' Havet feature in decoration at village marriage certmobie

• When bridges are required

over brooks or pitches, the trunk

According to Mr. Brown, the Chinese smuggler is good but could be better.... His biggest fault la that be invariably uses

the same devices agalo, and agale.

...

Joined CMC

In 1920, Mr. Beaven effered a post in the Hong Kong Government but was ungble to accept it as he could not obtain leave from the Navy." When he completed his service "with the

Navy he joined, the Chli -nese Maritime Customs at Can-

ton.

the Colony in August the same year. Mr. Brown was then ap pointed Chief Preventive Officer.

NOTICE TO CONSIGNEES Consignees Per BARBER-WILHELMSEN - LAE

m.s. TITANIA”

There he

served for three are hereby notified that their months as Tidewater and Trans-rargo is being discharged into port Officer. One of his most the. Hongkong & Kowloon Mr. Brown is also an ardent amusing experiences was when Wharf & Godown Co's godown ́amateur. radio transmitting

be was in charge of a Customs where it wilt be at Consignees

of an aged tree is laid across operator. He is the founder of party on board the ss. Kwanasi, risk and subject to the Whart's Mative farmers are well protected the Hong Kong Amateur Radio lying off Canton by formidable stockades of co

terms and conditions of storage, convi

trunks

lagers prop

* Transmitting Society." "He was Early one the morning he and where delivery may be

spotted a long salt-laden sampan obtained.

suburos, Fil-once-president of the Society and

editor of its publication "DX"

with

trunks. It is not uncommon to

See clusters of brown coconuts Keen Sportsman

undera Malay but or even in more modern bungalows of Cal- He was at one time also in-}

pese, Indian end Eurasian re- terested in boxing and repre-

sidents

moving past the Kwangsi He jumped on the sampan, grabbed an our and managed to subdue

the crow.

Damaged packages are to be left in the godowns for exam- ination by Consignees and the Company's Surveyors, blessis, However, a minute Later he Goddard & Douglas at 10 am found himself sinking into the fan November 22, 1949, Cildren have their own use matches at Shameen, Canton, Ee river. One of the sampan's crew for old coconuts. Tarse serve as was also a member of the Kow had crawled overboard to pus To comply with General floats when boys learn to swim loon Cricket Club and played in at the bung. Jack got a duck-Bonded Warehouse Regulations Village boys gather ac nuts and the First Division Levn Bowlsing and the salt, went down the tonsignees must have a Re tie them together into a raft League.

Pacific For East Live Juc

Fast Regular Trans-Pacific Service

HAS PRANCISCO: LOS ANGELES

"HIRAM 8. MAXIN

“INDIAN BEAR”.

OVERLAND MER TORE-CHICAGO-DETROIT-TORI MONTERAL" AND ALL AMERICAN CANADIAN CITIZ

"Ia' port

↑ Pally Entrieszatel Botests Dry Cargo East Bound

-San Francisca

Ben Franciaos & Los Angeles,

& Lee Austin.

„Sea -Fri

For tui particulars call Generai Azzata UNTEED. STATES LINES CO.. Queen's: Bldg- Tel. 31251

sented the Navy in boxing

river. 7

Telephone: 34165.

THE EAST ASIATIC CO., LTD.

M.S. "KOREA"

LOADING ABOUT 14th DECEMBER

for

ADEN, POET SAID GENOA, ANTWERP, ROTTERDAM, HAMETEG SLO, GOTHENBURG & COPENHAGEN Tanks avaliable for the carriage of oil in bulk.

THE EAST ASIATIC CO., LTD.

Bldg. 2nd floor.

Tel. 34111 & 34112

KLAVENESS LINE

SAILING

Direct to Los Angeles,

San Francisca, Yoncouyer

M.S. CASTLEVILLE

Venue Officer in attendance In 1921, Mr. Brown was ap- when damaged dutiable goods Jack Macintyre Brown whose home town is Paisley, Scotland, pointed to the probationary staff are examined. first arrived in Hong Kong in of the Hong Kong Beverne De April 1918. He was educated at partment. His appointment was No claims will be admitted

confirmed three months later. the Broughton High

School, As Revenue Offer he serves after the goods have left the I Edinburgh.

on the waterfront before being steamer's godown, and all goods Patriotism led him into World transferred to the Mainling, remaining undelivered after

ARRIVALS FROM PACIFIC COAST War 1 He served in the Wire-During his 27 years with the Re November 23, 1949, will be

venue Department he served at subject to rent M.S. "BOUGAINVILLE“ less Section of the Royal Navy and was at one time attached to was in charge of Kowloon and different stations. From 1840 he

All claima against the stea, M.S. Undersigned on

INYVILLE”

day Thouca

Portland

Not.

24th Nov

21st Dec.

26th Nov.

Bulk Oil Tanks

Sailing to Singapore, Port Sweltenham, Penang, Belawan & Batavia

the Harwich Flotilla, and the Dozer Patrol

New

War broke out the Pacific mer must be presented to the

before

or they

ba

Chinese Freight Agents.”

He also served in German West He was mobilised in the Hong November 30, 1949, Africa following which he was Kong Volunteer Defence Force will not be recognised. transferred to the China Station Armoured Car Company Exter at Hong Kong. He attributes his emergence from: World War"]

I without scar or wound to the luck of the "Maes.”

he was transferred to the Ma- No fire usturante chine-gun Company and later to effected: Signals. He was with the units which covered the withdrawal of the Royal Scots in the Cheung- shanwan, Districh.

war ended:

Shortly after his arrival here, Mir, Brown was transferred to HMS Moorhen, gunboat maintain

communications between internal, hiem

Ang

"DODWELL & CO. LTD.

Agents.

Mr. Hong Kong, Nov. 17, 1949, from

M.S."BOUGAINVILLE”

Passenger Aggrezimedation.

HOOS FOOK PING

THE BANK LINE (CHINA) LTD.

Tel. 21292 THE BANK LINE (Chrg) Lás