1959-02-04 — Page 1

THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1959.

The Q.C. who wasn't satisfied

| Awards

And

NOW when it comes round to New Year and the Monarch's Birthday, there is a considerable flutter in the Civil Servico dovecot, also in such circles which contain citizens prominent in public life.

The agesylo not alter human nature, and I wish to tell the story of the occasion which followed the circumstances of my last instalment which told of the soldiers being awarded plates, cups, and memorial tablets as a reward for helping to stamp out the plague of 1894.

I wish now to tell the sad story of one John J. Francis, Q.C., some- time leader of the Bar in Hongkong, and Chairman of the Sanitary Board of Hongkong during the terrible plague of 1894.

Unfortunately, wo have for the Colonies no detailed account of Mr Marquess of Ripon). Francis's work, so ably per- formed during this period This much is certain: Be would carry out the instruc- tions of the medical section which published such drastic requirements as the knocking down of vermin- ridden houses, and the de- struction of that thieves kitchen, Taipingsham.

Not of course, that a Q.C. Hike Mr Francis would star! knocking about buildings on his own, but as chairman of that considerable committee, he work pass the can to the Army, and in the end, the P.JL. would do the actual wrecking.

Mr

We have seen a meeting called. No doubt Francis heartily approved the award of gold medals and plate; and doubtless his legally mulated hear, hear panetuate the meet- ing.

Then there was an uneasy perio while such recom. mendations approved by the Governor

were consistered

by the Secretary of State

POCKET CARTOON

by OSBERT LANCASTER

* You

svere quise right,

darling-this is the Guards

11

Club,"

London Express Service.

(The at No doubt he liked

One thing very evident, Dann this period, Joha I. Frases permitted his imagina- tion to dwell upon such lovely things as a bit of ribbon in huis at As such precedence His anticipated honour would obtains hin. And as we shall see later, in rectly toged with the pre- the "Sir," and no doubt played it rund his tongue to see how it starkled.

So the days passed tappily enough, and after many months Sir William the Govenor,

Roisinson, sat down and wrote a letter de John J. Francis QC, This is what he wrote:

To Mr J. J. Francis. q.C.

May 22, 1895.

The

Sir.

direction of the Iky Marquess of Bipon. I have great pleasure in forward- ing to yait the accompally- ing inkstand.

You will

find

engraved

upon it the following in-. scription: "Presented by the Hongkon Government, with the approval of Her Majesty's Government, to Q.C.. J. J. Franels, Esq.. Choleman of the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board, in recognition of scr- the vices rendered during epidemle of Bubonic Plague In Hongkong in 1896,"

For those services, you have been already thanked by me, and also by the Se- cretary of State for the Colonies. In again express- ing my appreciation of your work, which you then per- formed so willingly und so ably, it only remains for me now to ask you to accept this Inkstand from Be Government Hongkong

of

as a slight recognition of daklerested and your valuable lubeurs during the epidemic of 1894.

Now there is nothing wrong with that letter; it is couched in oplite terms.

It foral, as becomes

tritte Governors

of Colenles; it is not very naley, but then at the same time it is the kind of letter you keep and mention casually to people after dinner. As a matter of fact. une en cagine John J. pulling out this letter after dinner, and saying casually: "Did I ever show you the letter II.E. wrote

But John was in no mood to such sentiments 1 hlut express

the Jetter, but he didn't ke the Inkpot. As on inkpot, it was doubtless a fine bit of werk, as inkpots went in those days. No aoubt it had one of those eagles under the rentching itself wings, the whole thing finished off in silver gllt, It probably held about a gallon of ink and weighed a 101. first to acknowledge, a very poor substitute for a Knighthood.

But as I am the

Mr John 3. Francis, Q.C. bring legally trained, did not make the mistake we silly lay- men would make in similar circumstances. We poar fish would have pounced on pen and paper, and written in such terms that we should have been anguishing in Victoria Gaot along with such professional writers as the editors of the Hongkong papers.

No, John allowed it to tur ever in his mind for a few days. and then, expressed in beautiful terms, he told the Hongkong Government just what it could do with its inkwell,

*

Five days he waited, and then on May 27, 1805. Sir William Robinson, Covernor of Hong- kon

leerived the following epistle.

"The Committee considers that to Mr Francis their best his thanks are due for al! exertions and the time he de- voted to the wants of the Colony for so many weeks.

"As Chairman of the Per nument Committee, Mr Fran- cis had a heavy, troublesome, and laborious task to perform, and throughout the duration of the epidemic he was un- Temitting in his devotion to his duty and gave up a great proportion of his time, no doubt to the detriment of his extensive practice, to carry on the work he had volun- tarily undertaken,

"Your Excellency is [on well acquainted with Mr Francis's services for nerd for

OHT any further mention Committee decided that his actions are descrving of the the fullest recognition, that best thanks of the community, with a gold incdal, should be tendered to him, and that his valuable services and useful work should - ໄປ brought through Your Excellency to the special notice of the SeCTE- tary of State."

Well, if you want to speak on your own behalf, write in the third

person. However, atter reviewing the part he had play-

THE FIRST AMERICAN PICTURE MADE IN ITS ENTIRETY IN HONG KONG

ALLIED ARTISTS PRESENT

HONG KONG AFFAIR"

STARRING

JACK KELLY

MAY WYNN

WITH

RICHARD LOO

LOLITA SHEK

AND GUEST ARTISTS

GERALD YOUNG ✯ JAMES HUDSON MICHAEL BULMER ✯ LUCY LOCKE

JOHN LUFF

SOPHIE ODELL

Inkpots

JOHN LUFF

ed In stamping out the plague, John J. Francis continued:—

"These are the simple facts of the case, perfectly well known to every resident in the Colony, perfectly well known to your Execleney from the interviewa and correspondenes with me as Chairman, perfectly well known to your Colonial Secretary who, for the Arst month was present at every meeting of the Com- mittee.

"These are the facts that Me Ackroyd, (Acting Chief Justice) in his letter did not think it necessary to refer to in detail.

"It was left to Your Excel-

the facts sentative, to bring lency, as Her Majesty's repre- prominently to the notice of the of State for the Secretary Colonies.

For the life of me, I have no idea why the Hongkong Government tried to settle with John J. Francis, Q.C. with the gift of an inkestand. Neither, unfortunately, have we any record of what Sir Willam Robinson did with the ink- stand when it was left on his hands,

Mr May, referred to in Mr Francis's letter. to the Governor, received the C.M.G. for his services during the plague.

Mr Francis, following the old Hongkong custom of that time, gave à copy of his letter to the presa. Even the cynles who sat at the editorial desks of yesterday realised they were handling something hot, but Anding it such excellent copy, reproduced it in whole or parl. It caused a profound sensation » Hongkong, and nd repercussions from London to Japan. The press from Bangkok to Tokyo seized upon it, and took sides with the Hongkong Government or with Mr Francis, according to their views of

the situation.

I! always irritating not to know the ways and wherefores of an ancient scandal. It is very evident that John J. Franels was not of that breed which plays, not for the sake of a rib- boned coat, yet at the soufe time you have 10 ask why the Hongkong Govern-. inent thought a silver inkstand adequate recognition. To have given nothing would have been better. But I have an idea it 1.) WOS a carefully schemed plan, ifer and

John certainly

Francis Q.C. was terribly annoyed, and put himself out of court with the above quoted letter.

"These are the facts on which

the Committe felt justled

to me recommending

Majesty's Government for some regnition of or reward for my 5t tecs, of a class and charac- ter higher than they could give, They felt that a medal or a plece of Plavec vowing, was nol ruflicient acknowledgement

for such services,

came in.

THE CLOCK TOWER.

ROUND

The quarrelling about the plague ALL IN A TWO-INCH TUBE do not end there. Government had taken over a lot of properly TWO-INCH tubes each carrying 2.000 tele- and destroyed it. Now the bill The owners asked so much, the Government offered your Excellency about "I am sure

half. A Board of with feet with me that it is im Arbitration raised Government possible for me, under such clt-in almost every cast to figure cumstances, le accept the ink somewhere half way that offer- stand you have sent

anded by Government and claimed which I now be most respect- by owners. I have a list of fully to return.

me

"Will you say to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State, when furwarding to him: this letter, of which I furnishi you Al

for Trans- cupics mission, that I am perfectly

?

claimants and awards made but

they make boring reading.

at

phone channels and two televisten Haks as future means of telecommunications is the dea of Professor H.E.M. Balow, Professor of electrical engineering, University College, Lon- don. Opening a convention on long distance Institution transmission by waveguide" at the of Electrical Engineers, London, he said the tube would carry electro-magnetle waves frequencies of 50 thousand million cycles a second. This compared with present very high frequency radio waves used in brondrusting of 00 to 100 million cycles a second. A possible future system of telecomrounleations would use radio links for frequencies up to 20,000 millio

tubular cycles with the Help of cables, and waveguides above this figure,

MOONLIGHT

| DEST moonlight skating for ten years has been D going on in the Lake District of Camber- Innd na a result of long spells of severe over- night frost. Hundreds of enthusiasts have been

When all was settled, the satisiled with the thanks of the Hengkonst Telegraph stepped in LAKE DISTRICT SKATING BY community conveyed to me by with an article which con their Committee and with the eluded:-"Whether it has cust recorded opinion, as contained too much or not, we congratu= In their minutes of December late the ratepayers on the com- 3rvi, 1094."

pletion of the first rep and the solution of the vexed question wrapped up in the fate of Forbidden City. (In this case mutably fatherheath, Torn Howes, and Rydal meaning the more permanent Water and katinig by moonlight and lights of hovels of Talping-car headlamps. Ice has been forming on 1914 rat-ridden

slian).

miles long Windermere, England's longest lake which has not been frozen aver sirve 1029.

Mr John J. Francia con tinues in this staln for quite a bit, then comes to the point

"These problems have

the

been

UP

"Youthful memories of my town or village," Later they with be read at an exhibition of old people's work to be held in Dury St Edmunds. A spokesman of the Association says, "We try to keep the old folk happily occupied in the winter months with all sorts of handicraft work. The one thing they really love to do is to recall the days of their effldhood--and to tell the youngsters of today just how much they еге missir."

FAMILY'S CORNET PLAYING

TRADITION

FORNET-PLAYER Colin Bath, aged 34, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, fourth of a generation of family bandamen, is making a name for hiruself in brass band clreles. Mr Harry Mor- timer, famous national conductor, is so impress- ed with the bay's ability that he has presented him with his own personal medal which he was awarded 45 years ago when he played his first vornet selo at a bard festival. Colin, his father Tom, and 17-year-old brother Tony, ore all members of the Berwick St John Band. The family has been associated with it for, over century.

travelling nightly to smaller lakes and tarns, SQUIDS FOR EXPORT

Hovering over us for months SHIP WITHOUT FUNNEL

SHIP without a funnel is being launched broadside at Willington Quay, Northumber- land. The craft, a moler tugg to be named Iabab, one of two similar ships being built at the shipyard for fire-fighting and salvage

past, and it is now to be hoped. "I am not ashamed to say that I should have been high that the proper path has been ly gratified if her Majesty choven and that the demolition had though At to honour me will begin as soon as possible,

colleagur, да му frlend and

and, phoenix-like, purified by been

de- 50 Mr May, has

Are it necessary, and certainly servedly

work, noured; but the with carbolic acid, cement floor- and ventilation gift of a silver Inkstand from ing, proper

That is the end of the story of the great plugue of Hong- kong, but the plague made sub- sequent appearances, the year 1899 being particularly bad,

Unusual features include a re-lighting

platform on supports 15 feet above the bridge.

the Gavernment of Hongkong drains, Taipingshon will rise re- SOWING SEED BY AIRCRAFT

will decmed from her ashes, and be is, if your Excellency pardon

expression. so hailed a the

useful adjunct of aIETY aircraft were used by British farmes Iudicrously Inadequate to the

great city."

last year for spraying art fertitising their fields. It is forecast by agricultural experts services rendered, even to the

that in the near future aircraft will be niso used mere time expended by me in working on the Permanent

for sowing seed, At first, it was stated la Press Conference, the alreraft might be used in Committee, that I only

for Britain for reseeding it pastures and ecneluxion and come to one that is, that the Marquesa of

freighting. There was an idea for making pol- lets of clover seed and fertiliser and spreading strange Ripon link, in some

them by air. fashion, been left under the Impression that I was Scere- Com- tary to the Permanent mittee, and not, from force of circumstances and because of посевзату division of

between us, its brain

the

labour

and motive power.”

But much had been learnt from the epidemle of 1894, and Government knew how to set about the matter.

Saturday:

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

THOSE "GOOD OLD DAYS" OLD talk in

are being en- West Suffolk

their own stories of the couraged to tell "good old days." The County; Association for the Old People's Welfare is offering prizes fo three over-sixiles who write the best essays on

д

arc

CIQUIDS, which for years have been thrown back into the sea by British fishermen, are now being exported. Big quontilles being sent regularly to Italy by a Grimsby firm. It started when the arm contacted an Italian Ash inerchant in Savona who asked If 5,000 kilos of quick frozen squids could be sent out. At art i was difficult to persuade the trawler- men not to throw the fish back. Finally they agreed. Now regular supplies are being landed nt the port.

NEW REGIMENTAL

COLOURS

DETAILS of the badge, colours, and other re- gimental emblems which have been agreed for use by the Somerset and Cornwall Light the end of Infantry, following amalgamation

this year, are given in the current issue of "The Light Bob Gazette." journal of the Somerset Light Infantry. The badge, incorporates a bugle, hanging from a crown, with a red back- ing. I will be worn as a collar badge the Light Infantry badge being worn on the cap and will appear on the colours and the regl

mental flag. The new colours will include a

royal blue regimental colour and will bear the battle honours of both the combined regimenta. The bugle calks of the 1st Battalions of both regiments have been combined in a new regi- mental coll which has been submitted to the War Ofice for approval,

British schoolchildren are tending to become too fat, according

do the Chief Medical

Officer of the Ministry of Education.

FANS

COMMENCING TO-MORROW⋅

at

KING'S-PRINCESS

"An hour every day to the speed of Moto Perpetuo will take care of some of those extra pounds.”