1950-05-31 — Page 1

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THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1950. .

From the smokeroom of the British seaports--No. 3:

Tivoli Hotel came the strains of the can-can, and there were dancing girls to go with the music-but the dancing girls were tattooed on the arms of the barman and the can-con came from a gramophone on the bar itself.

Down the road at the Rampant Horso a Salvation Army Inss was selling copies of the "War Cry."

At other bars seamen were buy- ing Jittle Easter eggs that con- 82812 tained not chocolate but cognac.

HK$10.00 HK$35.00 HK$72.00

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HOPES OF TRADE

REVIVAL

HULL FINDS A CATCH IN

THE FISHING BUSINESS

scheme is sufflelent to cope with the trade.

Gloomy views

fish shops.

Neither do you find the trawler- men roilling around in jerseys and scabools. Once ashore they change into lounge sults.

-By- Arthur La Bern

So I will call him Skipper Cod- rington-simply because Skipper Codrington feels pretty sore about rod.

"It's frozen cod that's killing the fish trade. That and puiting all our eggs in one banket,”

I asked the Skipper to elucidate.

The big trawler

He explained that the basket into which the fish trade had

volving 18 days solid fishing on a big trawler, can be as much as £4.000

"You've got to bring back 'a heck of a load of fish” to make ∙a prošit on that outlay", says Skipper Codrington. "And, what's more, you've got to get a good price for 1L"..

Today skippers', males and their crews are walking the streets of Hull without work.

Bays Skipper They'll be walking about for Codrington: some time to come. For that they can thank the big trawler policy and the bulk buying of foreign fish,"

Costs of gear and equipment have increased out of all propor- tion. Gutting gloves, used by "deckies," which used to cost 100.

tween 4s. 6d. and 58. Rubber frocks," which cost 148., now cost as much as £4.

I talked to one in the Uulonist/ Sears," he grumbled. They've metaphorically put all its eggs was a pair before the war now cost be-

Though it supplies 78 per cent, of the fried fish shops of the coun- In the market-place at Hulltry, this is not itself a city of fried (real name Kingston-upon-Hull) the statue of the city's first mavor stands with his back to the Hum- ber, and the gilded statue of King William the Third is brightly flu- minated at night. For the people of Bull are very proud of their history.

Children at school are taught "Your city In Great Britain."

And Kingston-upon-Hull in- tends to maintain that position, but it has been felt for some time that the dock facilities are not planned. A £7,000,000 rebuilding

is the third seaport

One cannot place the blume on executives, of course, nor one wish to imply so, though a little more

care and foresight

It was it and proper that the two British enterprises which played the role of night have been shown by those in charge of this particular de- pioneers of British shipping partment of UNRRA for the very un the China coast should lead simple reason that their personnel the way back to Shanghai. composed the first batch of foreig

ners (apart from misionaries) to, The first merchant steamer in

resecupy the port and, conse China, the "Jardine," was quently, what was acceptable to built to order for the firm that their way of working set the bears that name as far back standard for all foreigners, pre-

sent and to arrive. as 1835. It was the forerun-

Unfortunately, not one of them ner of the revolution that was acquainted with this terri- came with steam-a revolutory nor did they trouble to con- tion that ended China's long of mission ranks) that were con- fer with those foreigners (outside isolation and brought her into

versant with both the language direct and ever-growing rela- and customs of the port, but for tions with the rest of the the most part relied upon Inform

ation supplied by their Chinese world.

colleagues.

made

unmindful of the consequences to follow. The almple tradespeople dealing with them were highly delighted to find fools to make: but the reac- tion was sharply felt by every one In the port the moment UNRRA's activities in

the port ccased.

Unfortunately too inasmuch as UNRRA, was a government to it- self, its members were vested with quasi-diplomatic privileges into the bargain.

These conditions collectively as also in themselves set up in the

The difficulties encountered

Thinking in terms of United today differ in many ways States currency, the basis of their from those of a century ago.ditional allowances and benefis in own salaries, and receiving ad- But they are not inconsider this currency based on the cost of able. The re-opening of direct living at Shanghal, the Parls of shipping communication will the Far East, they applied these

terms to every purchase show just how great-or little

In spite of they quite -they are. healthy trade figures, many Chinese merchants and dealers recently fell into a pessimistic mood. It was not wholly warranted, and per- haps the high expectations which followed the evacuation of the Chusan bases by the Nationalists, and the arrival in Shanghai of the "Mausang" represent too sharp a re- bound. Certainly, there is reason to hope that a large part of the goods clogging the godowns in Hong Kong will move out, but the new regime must be expected to exercise a severe selectivity in the im-cerning currency inflation, lack- ports it will take.

Since the Nationalist

eyes of the average native an en- tirely altered type-a post-war type of foreigner from what they had been used to seeing and deal- ing with men and women aohlfers who had now come among them

bootics of quite apart from

spend the

war. matters con-

to

even

adaisical attention on the part of local authority to ward off or alleviate economical pro- blems, and so on, the situation was clearly reflected in the difficulties of endeavouring to run old-es tablished community undertakings in the hope of their ultimate re- habilitation.

blockade began nearly a year ago, large strides have been made in an economic revolu- tion. Private traders will first have to acquaint themselves with the new regulations and Servants' wages new mechanisms which gov- The first of such worries was ern trade. Another factor at the problem of servants wages the moment is the fact that Here again they had been set two the heavy taxation and other years previously without the slightest thought as to the pro- levies, and the acute deflation, babilities of business resuming in have left the private trader a port which for the past 20 and the people without pur-years has shown a marked and steady decline. Leave it to the chasing power. This may not

Committee deal Incoming be a permanent factor, but with appears to have been the though reflation has started, it popular slogan. looks like being a slow and very gradual business. The process would be accelerated if the Government relent in the Imposition of further levies.

|

Club at West Hull. A tall, broad- shouldered trawler skipper. Well- tailored,

watch-chain scross his Immaculate waistcoat, he offered me a cigarette from a gold case and talked gloomily about the fish trade.

But with typical Yorkshire can- niness he said: "Aye, but I don't want my name printing."

"It's been cod, cod, tod now for been stuffing it into the people of the Big Trawler. this country until they're sick, or "Big trawlers

mean bigger the sight of it."

crews and higher expenses all Skipper Codrington told me round. Sure, I know it means a that red on heringtone letne pourr

catch-but that's just 4d, a pound. By the time it where the catch comes in. In reaches the housewife it's is. 6d. order to get a full load the big

■ pound.

trawler has to stay out longer, and by the time it gets back it has missed the market.”

Expenses on one such trip, in-l fish was negligible.

"I wouldn't buy it at that price," said the Skipper. "In fact, I wouldn't buy it at any price,

Fireside Echoes--No. 21:

The dawn of a new era

By Wm. M.S. Brand

one

had

this

Chubb, accompanied by his

St.

While attending to the Theresa's Hospital at the South Gate, City, and engaging a room at the Club, the while posing as a neutral, he was enabled to car-

But the trawling firms in Hau maintain that the slump will con- tinue so long as we continue to Import foreign ash. Imports of foreign fish in 1940 were far- higher than in 1939 or 1038. But the export trade in salt or frozen

port, and the last public function to be held at the British Con- sulate, Foochow, during the re- gime of the Chinese Nationalist Government.

By this time it was clear the community could not possibly

of

expect fresh reinforcements, though how little anyone then This was the case with the five months before returning to would, ever be able find its feet could imagine the events that Foochow Club on my return: the England, and Hawke to relieve again."

were to transpiro 12 months later. services of an old Librarian re- Jacobs.

January 15, 1948, is marked in tained (to look after 2,400 books. On May 10, 1947, Vice-Admiral my diary as among the red-letter During 1948, the Foochow Club 70 per cent of which belonged to Sir Denis Boyd, C-in-C of days of post-war Foochow inas- did endeavour to refurnish with

with much as others though all had been pur- the British. Pacific Fleet,

available through marked the arrival of funds made chased by weight off the muricet) Lady Boyd, paid a two-day rou- the third married family to join the sale of a small parcel of land and one coolte, both receiving tine visit aboard HMS Alert dur- the business community: HPK known as the Childrens Play- monthly wages based on UNRRA's ing the course of which members

("Peter") Van Zuylen and spirit- bers, two of whom had not set foot invited down to Pagoda Anchor- hands liberal basis, to serve five Mem- of the Foreign Comunity were ed

|_Partner Anna, both old China- suites and purchased bedroom "In anticipation of conver- representing the IRO. sion into a hostel for visitors, in the Club after the American

Their arrival was timely for particularly for the pllots of the visitors left. Both old servants

exactly two months later to the several air-lines making the should have been paid-off if they

day the community lost the port their operational baso bo- were not prepared to do odd jobs

Bathursts and with them the last tween Shanghat-Keelung-Amoy; for 11 full-time wage.

foreign administrative head for but these plans did not fructify. As soon as UNRRA left the

the Customs Service at the port. On the morning of December Club was faced with a monthly

February and March witnessed 31, 1948, the Club and the com now the wage-buals took cry for increased wages, But

an unusual number of visitors, munity lost their mainstay in the twist and everyone followed tage to attend a reception aboard E. Faithful, HEM's

new

particularly the latter month: S. departure of the Van Zuylens for

Consul at Europe, leaving behind

them a blindly. On the UNRRA basis quite reminiscent of the old Amoy: Coates, of Yee Troong vacuum which has not been filled. servants received US at the days.

Tobacco Distributors, Ltd., and Easter of 1949 clearly showed Shanghai PCL Index, in local By this time the ranks of the Leo Frost, of Ewo, The same ves- the writing on the wall with ro- currency. This they figured to business community

been set with the latter brought back fugees from the North swarming be the equivalent of 88 cattles of augmented with the return of an

another old Club Member, J. into port by sea and air to stili local rice, so employers were old Foochowite in the person of

further boost an already stra- The faced with a monthly pay-roli

mother. This was as well too for thospherical cost of living. calculated on the price of rice Wilson to re-open Dod- regardless of whether

well & Co., Ltd. concurrently three days previously, on March majority of these visitors were business

possessed representative

24, the port said good-bye to Dr. quasi-official familles being merchant was possible or that the local au- for the Netherlands Consulate.

J. L. Gutierrez-Olives on taking of sufficient means to alight at the thorities would, ir

up an appointment at Manila. port and upset its delicate econo- necessary, obtain commodities from outside Club membership His services to the Foochow Club inical position and then, with the to level any Inflationary trend. The Annual General Meeting during the period of the second fall of Shanghal, to purchase No heed was paid to businesses of the Foochow Club was held on Japanece occupation have not priorities by plane-thereby up- re-opening that

to be May 23, 1947, at a time when the been fully appreciated,

setting many a normal' passen- seemed taken for granted they would, so membership totalled 14 voting

ger's chances of evacuation-to it was left to the incoming com- and

non-voting Honorary

head still further South in their millec. Such deplorable apathy Member,

mad scramble to save their own tho Rev. David M.

akcing. was stunning. Inquiries followed Paton, ho had arrived

to

Thus matters continued and ns to Club stocks: as to how the assume the duties of Chaplain to Club had carried on for the past St. John's (the Stone Church) ry on both hospital and private worsened to the close of July Foochow found itself bo- ar also keep the when two years: had UNARA endea- and to assist the Rt. Rev. Bishop practice voured to assist the restoration Michael Chang, Anglican Bishop Club and rehabilitation of any of the for

going during the whole sieged by guerilla forces on three Fukion Province, in this period of the occupation. He was sides by land, with shipping at a old-established undertakings. manner becoming the first post- not able to be at two places at that with the outside world,

standstiil, and air the only con- No, they had not. Indeed, their war appointes to this Chaplaincy. once during the looting that im-

The fateful of further arrivals

morning much aloof

mediately occurred moment Personel hold very door) und Expectations of test community the Japanese retired, but he has August 18, 1949, broke with the the centre of when they did use it they had during the year were not dulled; tened to the Club and, while Foochow Club brought over their own bottle as but what was of immediate con- losing all his personal effects cross-road fighting and the target the Club refrigerator was working cern was a continuity of appro- therein, did manage to save Club

for mortar-fire from the entering une they were without euch a priate care of those essentially buildings from being completely troops, receiving two direct hits, machine.

British undertakings now that gutted, and also was responsible one magpie, and one inner, In This then was Club life as their initial restoration had been, in retrieving from various shops addition to a heavy sprinkling of whilst the automatic gunâre, many articles of Club property, found it in the Summer of 1948, completed. as truthful a picture of it as I can As the position stood at

He was succeeded by Dr. Luis author was within the building.

Since that date. Club Life has portray, One would have thought period arrivals had merely alled D. Dalton, who arrived tromi

ceased to exist. This chapter bas very differently of men and the vold left by departures: this Manila on May 8, but who re- women with Anglo-Saxon blood in the face of a rapidly sinking turned shortly afterwards with endeavoured to echo the history -

of of the oldest British in- coursing their veins showing a economical altuation,-with-a-dc- his wife and baby-child.

stitutions on the China-coast, On April 12, JG.P. Wilson left trifle more exprit out of their preciating currency and an ever

mounting high cost of living, tre- the port on retirement. On April briefly at that,...coupling the hames of a few who have contrl- work-hours.

The first representative to turn bled the responsibilities of those 20, S.W. Harris arrived, followed buted toward the part it has up of any of the major arms few in charge. In the world of | by C.C. King on August 17, bath

politics established in Foochow in pre- Chinese

were for Harrisons, King & Irwin, Ltd, played in the life of the Foreign Community prior to the clammy hond of Death closing over the war days happened to be Ian D. darkening over the three Eastern and both old Feochowites. Bruce on behalf of Jardine, Provinces comprising Manchuria,

port in general. Perhaps the time By the end of June, 1947, Matheson & Co., Ltd., at the com

will come when the Foochow mencement of September, 1946. UNRRA's activities had ceased A month later he was relieved by with their personnel withdrawn His Majesty's Birthday, June, Club will roar its head afresh A. G. Jacobs, the first occupant of and CNRRA continuing the dis- 1948, presided over by 5. E. and perhaps not, Quira sabe? The Princely Hong's new resid- tribution of what relief stocks Faithful, who arrived from Amoy not make a summer, and the ence of bungalow-type raised, were being held or due to arrive specially for the occasion, marked

THE END Nationalists are talking of an- phoenix-like, on the ashes of the under the UNRRA programme both his last. appearance in the other blockade base. Never- old palatial mansion. theless the general feeling is

More arrive

During the next two months the personnel of UNRRA's Foo- that direct shipping and trade

With Arthur Jacob's appear-chow-Amoy highway adminis

from port But it is likely that for some with Shanghai will now con-ance, old China hand as he is, the tration arrived in

work time to come private traders tinue, and that before long leaves on the Hull began to stir. various out-stations, their

A month Inter they were having been

handed-over will have to combine enter- shipping between this port rustling with the appearance of CNRRA's charge. October and prise with caution, and first and both Canton and Hainan Edgar Bathurst as Commissioner November witnessed the arrival of Customs, accompanied by his of several visitors from Hong. to make sure of their ground. will be revived. ·

vivacious wile, known to all as Deals. with State trading or- If so, there are good grounds Peggy, who immediately set in te Kong and Amoy connected with IRO, who were about to open ganisations, however, promise for the hope of a favourable brush off the rapidly forming offices in Foochow taking quicker results. The pur- turn in the general trade and cobwebs gumming the small and the British Consulate properly

terribly isolated foreign com-recently vacated by UNRRA. chasing power of these bodies shipping situation. Reports munity she found in the part, December 18 1947, witnessed has increased both by reason have even been published in

Then J. B. Stewart returned to the long-awailed: visit of a Brle of the internal financial situa- one of the local Chinese reopen the Hong Kong & Shanghai tish Consular representative from Bank, bringing with him news Amoy in the person of Allen tion and because of the im- papers of certain reciprocal from Hong Kong of other repre- Price, Acting H.B.M's Consul- petus. given to the export trade and economic polleles sentatives preparing to return, General. During the year passed trade. Indeed, Chinese pro- on the part of the People's and for a while it looked as under this brief review so many duce and other goods have Government in return for co- though the port, would be fairly intricate problems had arisen is been pouring into Hong Kong operation in regard to well rehabilitated by the coming regard to property holdings and spring, despite lack of accomod- their covering litle deeds vis-a- at a rate some holders of Peking's admission to the ation and a marked shortage of is a spate of new, government stocks have found embarras United Nations, and other de shipping.

regulations in general covering In the latter part of December, foreigners, and their holdings. sing.

siderata. Whether in the long 1946, there were five British that a resident representative Certainly, there is no indica- run it is possible to operate Members of the Foochow Club would have proven justified, tion that the People's Govern- a foreign trade policy pivoted with full voting powers out of a

of provincial ment wishes to sever the tradi- almost wholly on the West, total membership of 11, so it was affairs at Foochow and the Ame- decided to hold a meeting, sofrican and British governments tional trade connections with and a diplomatic policy based British Resident Members to re- choosing to establish Amoy as the West, or to give to almost as exclusively on a view British interests in the port their Consular bass and continu

This meeting was ing to do so a year after re- China's foreign trade the same common front with the Krem generally. orientation given to its foreign lin, remains to be seen. There held at the Club on December occupation, definitely had caused 20. Up to then these interests, criticism, în Chinesq'circles apart diplomatic policy and its in- is something typically Chin- comprising the Foochow Club from any sound alion голов ternal economic organisation. ese about such a concept. No with the Assembly Hall proper- for, the choice.

Timely visit With the exception of the doubt one would react on the Manchurian trade, and barter other in due course. So far deals in bristles and certain as Hong Kong is concern- other commodities, most of ed the economic alignment what trade there is at present is much more important just seems to be directed into the now than the ideological or suide channels as before, in diplomatic alignment. In that spite of all the difficulties in respect the prospects are cer the way: 2 Some fat least of tainly better than the pessim- these will be removed if the ists believed. The long view Nationalist blockade of Shang” indicates that Asia Tacoman hal and other parts has actual- era of immenso trade and In- Fly ended. Two swallows do dustrial expansion.

to

ties; the International Cemetery Masonic Hall, and Stone Church

for North Fulden.

With the scat

clouds

over

properties, with the Club House The visit, therefore, of tho and equipment of the defunct British Crown representative was Recreation Club as amalgamated timely and allayed many fears. with the present: International in regard to property holdings, Club ware being cared for by a large number of covering docu- one lidlyldunia dalla gran mental had been lost through The result of the meeting was enemy action, a point, which the a more equitable distribution of Chinese authorities were fully the burden" of responsibility and aware of and were not slow to curtainly the amprared a desire take advantage of in the new that none be dissolved, it at all gumiions, promulgated, NESKARA possible Baring at 1944 witnessed many Berhenźollowing? April winesand | arrivala, and departures); combin« :

the arrival GE DITAC

Bryson "ing to calise feeling of utter das- THEY OF DURA that the poor old port

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