1922-11-29 — Page 3

Page

REFLECTIONS OF A PASSER-BY.

2-THE FAR EASTERN PRESS.

I

confess that I find it singularly din pult to deal adequately with the above subject. I am torn between a natural and inborn desire to write the truth, and an equally natural and cultivated instinct that when writing for the purpose of proft as well as pleasure it is inadvisable to bite the band that signs the cheques, Nevertheless, at the risk of losing a mode- rate number of dollars I will be frank..

In the course of my pawings by it has fallen to my lot to rely for daily saten- ance upon the papers of Singapore, Hong. kong, Shanghai, Peking and Japan With two axceptions, I find them most unintereating. One exception is the Kobe -Chronicle, the other is the Hongkong Daily Press; but, I feel bound to add that I only find the latter really interest ing on certain days. Modesty forbids me to emphazize which those are.

Taking the Press of the Far East as a whole, what does the daily paper consist of? It consists in the main of a page upon which the attenuated and meagre "meal provided by Reuter's is spread as widely na decency permits. There mainder of the paper is composed of local news," re-hash," and shipping advertise ments, in the proportion of one part local to three of each of the other ingredients..

Now local news is by its nature inher ently dull. Its dullness can only be dis guised by the most skilful and artistic writing. It needs a genius to write a interesting account of a dance" at the Town Hall, but to start as follows:-

THE

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 日本

THE REV. DR. T. W. PEARCE ON DICKENS.

THE NOVELISTS INFLUENCE ON HIS COUNTRYMEN.

A small and fact audience of Dickens lovers nsembled at the Cathedral Hall last evening to hear the Bay, Dr, A. W Pearce, Warden of Morrison Hall, lecture an the great novelist,"

Dr. Pearce disclaimed any intention of appearing as a critic of Dickens; he came as a Dickens lover to testify what Dickens had done for him during the long years he had spent in the Far East And Dr. Pearce went back to his early days in Canton, 43 years ago, for his first illustra. tion of the quotability" (if one may so call it) of Dickens. Using a modern phrase, Dr. Pearce asked, "Is Dickens

This com

wash-out-whatever, that may mean?" A critic had said that, while Dickens would always be a great Influence wherever English people foregathered, his books, as integers, were doomed, they were sort of hotch-patch and must fall to pieces. Another criticism was that Dickens nukes an indecent appeal to the feelings and emotions."

Nell and Paul Doboy. He did not go plaint, he thought was based on Little

to the Old Curiosity Shop" "Dombey and Son only for those two characters, however, but for a wealth of other interesting character-drawing and observation of life. Some one had said that Little Nell was

a monster of filial piety." This book had been translated into the Chinese and they did not so regard the character of Little Nell

and

It was said that Dickens's' work lacked

"A most successful social function was held last night at the Town Hall, which was tastefully decorated with doral hangings- interspersed with technique. Our Mutual Friend" and coloured Rags and electric lights, the "Great Expectations." he thought, show. whole effect being pleasing in the ed the contrary. Those two books extreme and adding greatly to the plea-

Bures of an enjoyable evening. Amongst almost smelt of the river and of the Essex the company present were noticed..."marshes. One heard it said that Dickens's f is, from the journalistic point of view characters were farcially unreal," but which should be the reader's point of they seem to touch my life," said Dr. view) an abominable crime. Something on the following lines would probably be Pearce, in a way that many real people more accurate and certainly more inter-do not." cating-

A dance took place last night at the Town Hall Flowers, Alags and electric lights were all employed in an attempt to distract attention from the fact that insufficient space had been provided for dancing purposes. The following were ∙not present..

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

REPORT FOR THE YEAR. 1922.

In view of the approach of the 30th Annual Al Fresco Fete, which is held each year in December, in aid of the funds of the Society, the Council has published a preliminary report for the year 1999

The reoipts and expenditure have been as follows:-

RECEIPTS.

Nett Proceeds of Bazaar, Dec.,

1021 ~ *

Sale of roses

Al Fresco Fete 20,475.68

Callections Subscriptions

Received from Oficial Adminis

trator, ASME,

Account late Mr. Joanna

Assumpono Government Grant Government Educational Grunt:

Accourt Kailap School

Interest Concert in Prince of Wales Pavilion given by the Hong- kong Amusements, Etd. Donations:

Bishop of Macao

Anonymous.....

NEW SOLICITOR ADMITTED,

Mr. Duncan McCallum, who has come out to the Colony to join the firm of Meer d'Almada and Mason, was ad mitted to practise as a solicitor of the Supreme Court by the Chief Justice (Siy William Bees Davice) yesterday morning. The Attorney-General (the Hon," Mri

H. Kemp, K.O), in making the ap plication for admission "sald – that Mr. McCallum was admitted to practise na a solicitor in England in October this year. The Attorney-General mentioned that] Mr. McCullum went to France on active service In August, 1915. He was wound, ed in the Sommo attack in July, 1918, He went into hospital, where he remain ed eighteen months after which he was $22,945.25 invalided from the Services

129,35

-The Chief- Justies" (Sir William Ross, 50.00 Davies) said that be had much pleasure in admitting Mr. McCallum, - His wor service was a distinguished one. One of the gentlemen to whom Mr. McCallum 233.10 was articled spóka most highly of him 100.00 is a hard and conscientious worker. The Chief Justice hoped that Mr. McCallum's 510.00 war service would be a good omen of hig 343.98 professional work.

81.05

30.00 250.00

Board of Advisers of the Home for Aged Poor, Kors loon Tong

500.00

EXPENDITURE. Deficit on December 31st, -- 1921

Relief in raoney and provisions,

January-October Rent, January-October Clothing, January-October Education, January-October:

Tuition, books, sta..

tionery & shoes, 83,006. 10 Granieto Verna-

etilar Schools: Kailey School, Wan

chai

St. Vincert de Paul

Society's School, Mongkok

700.00

Medical Aid, January October... Passages for distressed persons,

January-October

780.00

$95,205,73

FIRE AT THE HONGKONG OLUB.

SLIGHT DAMAGE DONE.

During the early hours of yesterday morning a fire broke out in the Hongkong Club annexe, but, owing to the prompt action of a Chinese boy and a watchman in calling the Fire Brigade, it was extinguished before any serious damage

was done,

VL

The Chinese, whose quarters.

'1

sitasted on the ground floor of the ..$2,840.50. annexe sensed an unusual smell of smoke in the office on the ground floor occupied 3,807.50 by Messrs. Stewart Bros exchange He immediately informed the 9,065.80 brokers

watchman, who, after 104.80

investigation, decided to call the -Brigade. On jarrival the seat of the fire was discovered b tween the ceiling of the ground floor and the floor boards of the first floor. These boards were taken up and a quantity of smouldering wood removed. The cause of the fire is said to be the Fusing of the electric wires which run between the ceiling and the floor.

564.88

4,271.03

143.35

335.00

205.07 20.00

Special cas09. of temporary

destitution

Home for the Aged Poor, Kow- Sundries, January-October

loon Tong, Jası. -Oct- Food

..82,$50.00 500,00 5.00

Rent Water

-

Telephons

Electric Light

„125/15 34.15

Dr. Pearce made a comparison, espe cially topical this week, between the in fluence of Burns and Dickens upon their respective countrymen. "Burns," be said, gave the Scottish a new conceit of themselves; they are realising them- selves to-day, because of what Burns diú. I have said that local news is usually He uplifted the whole Scottish nation

matle

· dull; it is dell 'because so often everyone and

them realise themselves Burial Expanses has heard about it before they read of it-Dickens had that power of getting to the in print. It is much more entertaining heart and feelings and mind of the averSpecial Grant to listen to a best man's account of a ago "Englishman. He had a marvellona wedding fold in the club at six pm, on power of sympathy and interpreted the the day of the event than it is to read a average Englishman through his sym reporter's impressions of the ceremony.pathy, especially with what used to be But in the Far East it seems to me that called the lower classes. That appeal to there is a ta of local news quite un- his countrymen is not going to be less tapped and unknown to European read- but more insistent as time goes on, i ers. I refer to Chinese local news Surely agree that many of Dickens's books lack plot and technique but they have some. something interesting must be happening

Swatow typhoos fund Estimated Expenditure for

November and December: Under heads £ to 9..$3,350.00 "Home for Aged

Poor Christmas Grante to

the Poor

600.00

1,200.00

thing more quality which goes right Estimated Balance, on December

31st, 1022

asistance should be directed. The Society, will be most pleased to co operate with the scheme, which it is hoped will soon be in proper, working order

Education of the Children of the Poor The question of education (bas, greatly exercised the attention of the Society during the year. Out of 210 children whose parents are, the Society's bene- ficiaries, 91 are receiving an English education at the expense of the Society or are attending one of the Society'e 3,514.30 Vernacular schools the Kailap School at 25.00 Wanchai or the St. Vincent de Paul

Society's School at Mangkok 600.00

It is gratifying to report that Kailap School has continued to maintain its excellent reputation and to be success. fully conducted to the entire satisfaction of the ́children's "parents" and 'of the Inspector of Vernacular Schools. Al educational grant of- $180 per quarter is now received, and is hereby gratefully 5,350.00 acknowledged. The daily average attend

ance is about

NADO With the nequisition of a new teacher the Society's school at Mongkok has con- siderably improved since the last report. |Daily average attendance is now 27. 16 Schools will soon feel justified in recom in hoped that the Inspector of Vernacular mending an educational grant to this school as well.

23.38.

$25,205.73

in the huge Chinese communities of, say: home to the heart and feeling of the Shanghai and Hongkong. I do not mean average Englishman. The way to put the events which directly affect European Englishman in the right is to laugh at such as the knocking down of a Chicaman him. Look at the influence of "lunch. by a motor-cyclist, for these events are The Englishman will be laughed out of ful thanks for the generous response reported. I mean purely Chinese affairs his follies when you cannot sermonis What, for example, do various grades of Chiness opinion think about the Sus An him out of them." piracy case i

The Council wishes to express its grate ention given by the public of Hongkong to the Dr. Pearce concluded by reading a Society's appeal on the occasion of last number of favourite extracts from the Year's Bazaar, the net proceeds of which against approval to the works of two writers 814,956.5% in 1920 works of Dickens and referred with amounted to $22,845.9%,

Thanks to this one modern and one somewhat older splendid result the Society has been able who were apparently ready to quote to further extend the sphere of its Dickens whenever, like Sairey Gamp, they activities during the year

so dispoged"

Ware

A very cordial expression of thanks was accorded to Dr. Pearce at the conclu- on, on the motion of the Rev. H. Copley Moyle, who presided.

What is being discussed at the meeting of the Chinese Guilds What, in short, are all these hundreds of thousands with whom we live in such close contact doing, and what are they thinking abou: from day to day? Something must be happen ing amongst them, they have emotiona; they love and bate; they have heroes and rogues. The doings of such people are often interesting, but on these matters the Press of the Far East with the exception. of the Kobe Chronicle-is almost dumb. I hold no particular brief for the Chroni. cle, which in at least one trapect about THE WRONG CHARGE. which I have expert knowledge "is nearly always at fault, but it does give its read- A man who was arrested in Hunghom ers Japanese news-well-written matter, for obstruction, was, by a misunder sauced with shrewd comment. Nor does standing, charged before Mr. Lindsell,

The Society is also maintaining destitute orphan girls at the Italian Convent, Caine Road, and 3 boys at the St. Joseph's College, and pays the school fees of 6 Dockyard, apprentices attending English Night School

--it neglect foreign affairs, and its leaders yesterday waththawking without & the Society pays house roata. The hous stitution which is deserving of support

on general subjects are excellent reading licence.

Relief in Money and Provisions-The

St. Joseph's Home for the Aged Poor- number of visits paid to the poor in their Kowloon Tong This Home has certainly homes had been calculated at 2.341 and justified its existence in filling a long-felt 195 cases have been regularly relieved as want in Hongkong scheme for the relief against 173 last year. Relief in money of the Colony a poor. During the period and provisions amounted to $5,807,50 at under review (31st October, 1921, to is against 85,248.40 in 1921.

November, 1992), 48 old people were re- Housing Accommodation. Many of ceived 30 women and 18 men of whom those receiving relief from the Society aze 7 came from the Kwong Wah-Hospital aged poor who are unable to undertake Thirty two die25 were buried by the even light home work, such as sewing Kwong Wah Hospital, free of charge, and For these and others whose special cir7 by friends and relatives of the deceased! cumstances justify auch an expenditure The Blind and Crippled —Another in- ing of our poor has given us no little and to the needs of which the Society Ia there Eastern communities, where Smiling gleefully the street vendor anxiety during the period under review. intends to direct it tention in the only very few Europeaus can speak the produced his authority to sell, which was A number of door families who were coming year, should the respits of the languages of the people, it does seem examined by the Magistrate and Police living at Medy's Godown Flat-18%, forthcoming fete warrant, is the Home extraordinary to a passer-by to find the who agreed that it was quite in order. Queen's Road East were turned out for the Bing and Crippled in Hunghom. "Press" so_backward in the role of inter- Anked why he did not produce the wing to the enle and demolition of the

Preter. Perhaps if the Prees turned its icence at the Station the defendant building. This has forced them to be has already received some help at Christmnat but much more can be done attention to the performance of this duty, glihly replied that the interpreter did not scattered about in Wanchai district and for it The Home gives at present such action would sensibly fill up the ask him to.

the Society in coming to their assistance abysmal gulf of ignorance which exista in

big fool to stay see; you

The Magistrate: Oh I see; you are a has had to pay enhanced vents, which shelter to 35 girls of the poorest class, mostly blind and the remainder crippled. explains the expenditure of 82,085.80 and their affaire

The Indian Constable who took the against 31,542.00. In 1931,200.00 Help Hongkong's Foor-It is tradi- tronof the Society not to accumulate Finally, we come to the question of man to the Station then explained to the Passages for Distressed Persons and large balances but to freely spend whas ** He hash? Let us be fair. A news Cour that he did not detala the man for Special Cases of Temporary Destitution in receives. The members are but the paper in embryo consists of a number of hawking without a licence, but for In consequence of general trade depresstowards of the poor and have no right sheets of moderately white paper: "By fair batrinio on the Soxis had during the sent to to withhold what belongs to those in need. means or foul that area has to be covered The Magistrate (to the Police Ser deal with a large number of applica The expenditure of the Society in the With renouumbly legible type in a very geant) : 11 the interpreter at Haughom under the above heading. The expon past three years and specially during the limated Hime: Talented passersby are Police Station can construe obstruction ture 30.07 again is $140.65 last current year now rapidly coming to a few and far between, they are a led pen to mean hawking without a licence then rear. It is the polis of the Society to close has accordingly increased alves whilst close to the Editorial de sorry for you. Jamáss of temptation in the shape or English andAmérican wipa përs

The Timer, The Obter The Daily of printing several slab-like columns, the passage ticket. On this matter idence to the generosity of the Hongkong Telegraph; The New York Timel

why not devote a page under the heading Society wishes to express its grateful there they lie, replete with Tat articles. "What the World Thinks to-précis of thanks to some shipping companies for

How easy it is to lift a couple of the opinions of the Press in Europe, the generous eduction in theirfares of the Street sale of Rosen on Our Poor columns; it only calls for two dabs with America and Asia. One day a week Among the apparently destitute

blue negcil and the insertion of the might be devoted to the Prees of each cats there were some who won entre words" says the Observer,” and the thing Continent. Leuggest that a paper em- strangers, and it has been very difficult bodying some of the foregoing suggestions for the Society to investigate by itself But how dull the result

would carry with greater esse, the ship the merits of such cases The Society, Now the reproduction of the beat of ping and cargo, matter which, nerary therefore, welcomes the scheme pater what is in the Home papers is an entirely though it is, loaves an impression on the ward by the Government in August last worthy deed, for few people in the East mind as one lays down our's daily paper to the charitable bodies of the Colony for have time to read more than one daily in the Far East, that one has paid ten the establishment of a Charitable Con- edition of an English paper, but, instead cents-for- a mmercial supplement and ference to which all such persons needing (Dentinued at foot of next column) carelessly left the newspaper behind. (Dontinued at foot of neet celuma.)

is done

enquire into all applications as closely a possible before granting any relief. Should passage be required by a desert ing case, the Society half arranges for

with the above brief record of the work performed during the rear among the suffering poor of the Colony the Council feels that it can again appeal with.com public for support both on the occasion

Day-Tuesday, 5th December and at the 29th Annual Fete which will be help on 10th December The Society depends almost entirely on these two annual Public appeal for funds with which to ontinue its good work and is possible to extend it for the benefit of the poor of this Colony!

The report is signed by President General; T. W.

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