218
came to fall overboard and if any life- saving appliances were carried by the launch.
The little incident which occurred recently at the meeting of the Sanitary Board furnishes an excellent illustration of the bureaucratic system under which we live in this Colony. Maybe there are convincing reasons why a lavatory should not be erected at the children's playground on the Peak, but, if so, surely the Board, which had recommend. ed the provision of this convenience, were entitled to be told what they were instead of receiving a flat non possumus from the Government. The opinion of the official Head of the Department out- weighs the views of the Board, and, when it is pointed out to him that his advice to the Government is in conflict, also, with that tendered by the Inspectors of the Board, no attempt at justification is offered. The fiat has gone forth, and to question it is lèse majesté. To cite the reports of subordinates is an affront, and, to guard against a repetition of it such documents will in future be with- held. We'll larn yer.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS &
ed with, and lastly as the intolerable saviours of your country, this is in- deed courage.
21
"The public had no voice in your appointment and so has taken little interest in your conduct; and that you have thus escaped the criticism that electorates level against their leaders cannot afford you even a negative satisfaction; nor that on your retire ment there will be recorded in the minutes of your Council with all the traditional sentimentality of an epitaph an appreciation by the Govern- ment of the valuable services you have rendered."
Mr. Orme has a cheerful way of look ing at the cases which come before him in his magisterial capacity. A week or two ago he rebuked a police officer for saying that he had to obtain medical attention for two men who were injured in fracas
a,
at Cheung-chow. "You didn't have to," declared his worship, who explained that broken heads have a knack of mend ng themselves in China. It is possible that the police-officer was not aware of this racial peculiarity, but even if there was no necessity to summon The Sanitary Board, it may be men- medical aid he may have "had" to do tioned, is the only administrative body it, none the less, in order to satisfy his in the Colony entrusted with an un- ignorant conscience. Possibly it was official majority, but, although its Mr. Orme's comfortable faith in the powers are so restricted that it may be likened to a debating society, yet, to guard against accidents, a part of the majority is nominated and a cadet is appointed to preside over the meet- ings. Two members of the Executive Council are included amongst the official element, but, even so, the Board is not deemed competent to grant an applica- tion for the installation of a modern sanitary system in a dwelling; for that the sanction of the Governor-in-Council | must be sought. In all the circumstances it is amazing that anyone can be found willing to sacrifice his time to the Board's affairs, yet the vacancies are
nearly always contested. In spite of this, there are people who profess to believe that if the non-Chinese unofficial members of the Legislative Council were to be increased from four to six it would be impossible to find candidates!
The Open Letter addressed by "Junius to the unofficial members of the Straits Legislative Council, and re- produced in the columns of this paper a few days ago, is not without appli- cation to Hongkong. The particular set of circumstances which led the writer to frame his indictment are peculiar to the Colony in which he resides, but the following passages might be taken to heart with advantage by the unofficial members of our own Council, especially those who are nominated by H.E. the Governor :-
"Your chiefest function, which you alone are empowered to perform, which if you leave undone makes you a superfluous encumbrance, is continuous- ly to counteract, by such courage and persistence as may well bring you into disfavour, the evils that flow from perhaps the only vice that can seriously be imputed to the Government, a vice inherent in its nature and the nature of all Governments,-procrastination." "Some of you have expressed an em phatic difference of opinion on the principle of bills; but, as that is wel comed, it is not courage. Some of you asked questions difficult to answer, but, as that is traditional and, though unwelcome yet expected, it is great courage; but a merciless attack against this inherent vice of Govern nient. persisted in until you become regarded first, as a nuisance to be humoured, then as a force to be reckon-
not
ability of nature to repair unassisted any damage done to the human body that made him assess the value of a mouthful of ear at $5, though the police were of opinion that the victim's dis- figurement would be permanent. Quite a number of people, however, are puzzled at the lenient treatment of a Chinese youth who made grossly offen- sive overtures to a European lady. Mr. Orme gave the young blackguard the option of paying a fine of $25 or of going to prison for fourteen days, on the ground that this class of case is not common. That is happily true of many other crimes, such as regicide, criminal assault and garotting, but the punish ment prescribed by statute is pretty severe, nevertheless-because we do not want them to become common.
The Committee of the Chamber of Commerce are proposing to treble the membership subscription. The majority of us would be overcome with nervous prostration at the idea of asking for our incomes to be increased three hundred per cent. at one fell swoop in order to meet the high cost of living, but it is natural, I suppose, for these commercial magnates, who are always thinking in millions, to do everything upon the grand scale. No wonder many of their "assistants" are such magnificent fellows. If the present proposal goes through a vote for the Legislative Council in this Colony will be a greater luxury than ever and Constitutional Reform will become a necessary economy.
**
While appreciating the skill and cour- age with which the captain and officers handled the Aki Maru in the typhoon
which she encountered in the East China Sea on her way from Nagasaki to Hong- kong, there are those who would like to know how the vessel came to be in the difficulties against which she fought for forty-eight hours. Is it not the purpose of meteorological observations and wire less communication to save ships from these perils!
The Housing situation in the Colony was thus tersely summed up the other on the day:-"The official majority Council vote themselves all the houses they want and don't care a hang what becomes of the rest of us.'
RODERICK RANDOM.
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[September 3rd, 1921.
HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."
AN APOLOGY AND A FOOTNOTE.
[CANTON INFORMATION BUREAU.]
CANTON, August 26th.
The Canton Information Bureau begs to withdraw, with apologies, the charge made against the Hongkong Daily Press in a statement issued under date of yesterday, alleging the suppression of a statement prepared by Mr. Eugene Chen for the Bureau. The latter statement was published in yesterday's issue of the paper which reached the Bureau this morning. As the statement appeared in another Hongkong morning paper on Wednesday and had been released in time for publication on that day, the Bureau inferred from its non-publication in the Wednesday issue of the Daily Press that the latter had decided to suppress it. Responsible circles here are gratified to learn from this mistaken inference of the Bureau that no British paper in Hong- kong would think of interfering with the legitimate rights of freedom of speech on a matter of public interest.
In publishing the statement prepared by Mr. Eugene Chen, the Daily Press has added the following editorial footnote:- "It is essential to a complete under- standing of this question to add that by- a Treaty made between the Governments of China and Japan, signed at Peking on May 25th, 1915, the Chinese Government engaged to recognise all matters that may be agreed upon between the Japanese Government and the German Government respecting the disposition of the rights, interests and concessions which, in virtue of treaties or otherwise, Germany pos- sesses vis-a-vis China in relation to the Province of Shantung.' We suppose that there are few Treaties with China which Chinese politicians would not say were extorted in circumstances of diplomatic force majeure.”
on the
The
Mv
Mr. Eugene Chen's comment foregoing footnote is appended : reference to the Treaty of May 25th, 1915. is not quite clear in its bearing on the noint I desired to elucidate. The Treaty is one of two. based on the Twenty-One Demands. which Japan compelled the Chinese Government to sign under pres- sure of an ultimatum delivered on May 7th. 1915, threatening hostilities. statement did not deal with the purely formal agreement concluded between the Tapanese Government and the German Government' as embodied in Section VIII. of the Treaty of Versailles relating to Shantung. In the interests of histori- cal truth, I ventured to direct attention to a statement made by Mr. Lloyd George at a memorable meeting of the Council of Four. when it was decided-not by the German Government-but by Mr. Lloyd George, with the acquiescence of M. Cle- menceau and President Wilson, to trans- fer to Japan rights in Shantung which had been leased to Germany but reverted to China on her entry into the war on the side of the Allies. And I desired to nillory Mr. Lloyd George's attempt to dragoon the British Empire into a renewal f the Anglo-Japanese Alliance by exploit- ing the Englishman's sense of fair play now that he realises that the 'goods' can- not be delivered by legitimate means.
war,
"He says to-day that the Anglo-Japan- es: Alliance enabled England to secure Japanese assistance during the whereas he stated at Paris on April 22nd. 1919, at 4.30 p.m. that it was the Secret Agreement relating to Shantung. dated. 16th February, 1917, which enabled Eng- lend to secure the assistance of Japan. There is a short, ugly word in the Sassenach vernacular for that sort of
nexactitude."
[The only comment which it seems neces- sary to make on this statement is that Teran had been assisting in the war more than two years before February, 1917.- ED. H.D.P.]
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