1923-04-20 — Page 5

Page

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE "EUROPEAN RESER. VATION"

(TO THE EDITOR "OF "THE HONGKONG

DAILY PRESS,!')

ན:

TH

THE" FIGHTING AT CANTON

SHOULD BE OVER WITHIN TWO

WEEKS.

The Canton Daily News" announces that the Constitutionalist forces under

HON SKONG DAILY PRESS. FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1933.

WORSHIPPING THE DEAD. [countless joss sticks are burning in front STRANGE RITES AT SOOKUNPOO. of them, and, before these, women are on their knees praying. All the stalls are CHINESE RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL. To alike, with the exception that in each the gods are different, Behind the high VICTIMS OF RACE COURSE FIRE

priests in each case there is always a For eight days and right nights the god of some description, though each has Sm-I would like to know if the the central comminand, of Generalissimo,} Valley of Sookunyoo has been, the scene of a different significance. One may be the of which the Eurogat of sons," another the "god of Following Ordinance is still in forer. Dr. Sun Yat Sen, comprising Yunnanese, weird cermonies

Cantonese, and others friendly to Canton, pean "population of the Colony, ex daughters" Men and women worship at yiz. :-

finally succeeded in recapturing the cepting the police, have barns in almost these. If they wish for a son, then they "Ordinance 1. of 1903 as amended up 10.

Kwanglung Arsenal sat Shekcheng, from entire ignorance, For my part I stumbled pray to the "god of sons,” and burn joss 31st December, 1913," European Reservation" means that the Kwangsi-ites about four o'clock on the scene quite by accident. Au sticks before him. If they wish for a portion of the City of Victoria, which afternoon of April 1sth, This Kwangs evening stroll, nothing to do, a crowd of daughter, they pray to the "god of is situated on the southern and south-ites had been driven northward more than Chinese hurrying in ons direction,-Idaughters," and so on. The decorations eastern side of a dividing line beginning ten miles, according to latest report followed. The way led past the prosaic of the stalls themselves are elaboršto and from a point on the Pokfulum Road At received from the fighting zone. walls of the Victoria School, and`on costly. There is

Our Canton contemporary says, it is through a muddy fick. In the distanco scheme. The jumble of paper and wax Ladder Street, thence along Ladder stated to be the desira of the General there were myriads of electric lights,-in that one sees on a Chinese funeral chair Street to the north-western corner of issime that the present fighting should be the foreground two kilns with red finmesis, reproduced here, but far more lavishly. Inland Lot 304, thenes along the north over within two weeks. Constitutionalist and sparks shooting from them high up Yet, on closer investigation, it is seen that matern boundary, of the said lot and forces throughout Kwangtung, especially into the sky. All round were figures, there are two main colours, yellow and the northern boundary of Inland Lot $74 and bisecting Inland Lots 321, 42% along the West and the North River dis feeding the dames with landles of paper. red. Rod in the lucky colour, yellow 157 and 24, thence along the northernftricts, have been ordered to attack the Burning joss sticks encircled the fires, stands for mourning. White, the funeral boundaries of Toland Lots 100, 1086, 122 Kwangsi troops everywhere.

and Chinese women were on their knees, jedlour, is conspicuous by its almost entire and 1, thence along Shelley Street and

praying. the northern boundary of Inland Lot

absence. My guide told me that after tho actual funeral, that colour, is never, ngaiz

No.

Road, and Chine Houd 14 Едела

Bridge and passing along Pokfulum Road, High Street, Bonham

The Kung Yee Hospital outside the 195 thence along Chancery Lane, East Gato had received more than 350 Arbuthnot Steps, Wyndham Street,

Lover Albert Rond, and fe House "ounded men by Wednesday afternoon, Lane, thence along Queen's Road Cen apart from the fighting just outside the tral and Queen's Head East to the city.

fand, thence along the western boundary

AN OFFICIAL REPORT.

We received yesterday afternoon. the

eastern boundary of War Department Fighting,, according to reports in the of Inland Lats fra de and, 1211 until Canton papers, is in progress is four or it meets the southern boundary off five other parts of the province. Inland Lot 1919, thence in a straight line to the north west corner of Inland Lot 1500, and thence along Warchai Gap Road and Kennedy Road, terminat- 4ing the junction of Kennedy Road with Queen's Road East. The lateral boundaries to be formed by lines draw south-ward from the beginning and temination of the aforesaid riding fine until they meet the southern boundary of the City of Victoria. It also includes any such other area na the Governor-in-Council may define and notify in the Gazelte."

following telegram from Mr. Eugene Chen Secretary to Dr. Sun Yat Sen :-

CASTON, April 17th, 4 p.m. White Cloud Mountain has been captur. ed by the Yunnanese, who, together with Dr. Sun Yat Son's other loyal troops, aro rounding up the only.

The sight amazed me, and, eurious, I pushed on. I came to dozens of huge mat sheds, and found myself in the midst of

fied..

по

definits colour

associated with the deceased.

TIM. PRINCE OF DEVILS.

י

33

ja crowd of people, some hundreds of A small shed stands isolated from the them, obviously out en fete. My eye was line of matsheds Inside is a weird eaught by one white face, that of an in-coloured image. The head is huge, paint- spector of police who was known to me.ed vividly, and the mouth satin I hailed him, and he took me into a mat-ludicrous scowl. It is joined to the trunk shad, and introduced ipe, to a Chinese in the same way na children sometimes join Friend.. At the invitation of the latter we¦ patators with a match,, The trunk also is went in. Hore my curiosity was satis painted. I am told that this was "the

prince of all the devils" I resist the: Mauy there are who have personal reimpulse to laugh, rather nobly I think," collections of the great Race Course dis. Before this figure a bunch of joss sticks The smell and smoke, ster of 2016, and few people in the stands burning. Colony do not know of it by hearsay. At choking and nauseous, is blowing around thay time some six or seven hundred the face of a kneeling woman. Taking I will be very glad if any one can The enemy revolt has been definitely people met their deaths by fire. Nearly bat little heed she continues to chant' her prayer. Meanwhile she is shaking a Chinese superstition. inform me if this Ordinance is still in crushed. The general view is strikingly all were Chinese. fore. If it is, it is quite time for the expressed by a local newspaper which and religion has it that all who are small rounded box. Inside this are num die a violent crous strips of wood. On each piece of Government to enforen it; it has been says:-" Wu Pei Fu's great coup against unfortunate enough to

..Sho! plainly shown that it was the intention to Dr. Sun Yat Set has taken place. And death, especially if it be by Fire,wood is painted a Chinese letter.

shakes the box till one falls out. jafe fated to resolve themselves intoj have a European Reservation in Hong-it has failed.”

She takes this up, and Inter will pay kong, and I think it is very wrong that it A Washington cable to-day states that evil spirits who will find their way is not strictly observed. Yours faithfully, the United States is considering withdraw back from the regions of Hades, and someone, whom I cannot say, the sum al of recognition from the Peking Govern-visit the houses of their friends and roof fifteen cents, Later, at Canton, there April 8th, 1921, '

ment, as a reprisal in the Coltman case. Iatives. And with these spirits there will will be a draw, lottery fashion, and if come bad luck. All i fortune is attri- she is lucky, or, rather, if she is buted to them, and in order to placate favoured by the "prince of devil," she then, offerings must be made, and the will win a big money prize. graves must be worshipped. Hence the In yet another tail the wall is full of There is no news as 15, the prospects of | Fu-laa-chu,—as the ceremony is styled,names. There must be some hundreds. the re-opening of the through service on Also, the period co-incides with the festival Each name is that of one who perished the Kowloon-Canten line, which was sus of Ching Ming, and so at the same time, in the fire. Year by year the re and joss to his or her pended Monday night towing "to the prayers are made to the various gods, and latives come commandering of rolling stock by the blessings are asked for. It is as well terena At the same time they pray

it wishing good luck in military at Sheklung and Canton. There to state that these beliefs are not now held to

RESERVATION.

THE RENTS ORDINANCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."]

&

Be-

SIR-In a letter in a recent issue of Jour paper" One of 'Em" "enys:-

will quota typical case, A certain flat was, on December 31st, 1920. let at $100 per month. tibeen that date and December, 1029, several tenants occupied the flat, and each now tenant was charged additional rent, until today the present, tepant is paying $150 per month. Now the ques tions in the mind of the present tenant

are:

Question --Should he be charged only the rental value at December 31, 10207

Question 2-If he has been overcharged, can he recover the amount illegally charged?

Question Has he any access to Governinent recorda.. which would show the exact rent at December 31st, 10201"

4

RAILWAY

SERVICE STILL SUSPENDED.

the

is one hopeful sign, however, and this is by educated Chinese, or indeed Chinese present abode, and imploring the deceas that yesterday telegraph communication men generally, they are confined almost ed not to leave it tu Visit them. Here between the Kowloon and Canton stations, entirely to the lower classes, and parti-again most of the worshippers are which had been cut off since Tuesday, has cularly to women. Indeed, during my women, and many of them are in tears. wanderings, not once did lace a man in Some, I fancy, riust be mothers, for in the course of prayer, with the exception, addition to joss sticks, they burn little of course, of the monks.

paper models of children's shoes.

been resumed.

CANTON PASSENGER JUNK WRECKED

100 LIVES LOST.

In a squall on the morning, of the 17th: To the above questions of "One of 'Em"inst the Canton-Shiuling passenger junk, the answer is as follows; -

Assuming that the flat is a furnished flat there is no redress, because furnished Hats are not within the protective provi sions of the Rants Ordinance

Luen Wu, at Kau Hou. West River, and it is reported that nearly 100 passengers were drowned. At the time she had about 200 passengers on board..

Year by year the Tung Wah Hospital Committee organizes a collection among

THE BRAND OFFERING. Between eleven o'clock and midnight the the general Chinese public, and with the grand offering takes place. Huge crowds funds thus obtained this festival is held,flock round the burning kilns. There is

a certain amount of wailing.

THE SCENE DESCRIBED.

Long matsheds are erected at an angle:

i/pimen

More

aro kneeling down and worship-

at the joas sticks than has been the to each other. Other sheds are erected casa before. Lying all around are paper ang parallel to the longer armi of the mode's of chairs, complete with hearers, angle. The erections are split up inte and snodels of servant girls, concubines. The steamers Sainan and Fanning of monks, or of nuns.

stalls, and ench stall is occupied by a band and boys There are model rickshaa, They come from the with pullerscaud servants, in some cases Assuming that the flat is not a furnished while anchored, the Satnam receiving trict of Cantou. The nuns are all com- model tennis balls. On each model there collided at Samshur daring the squall Mainland, principally from round the dis-motor ears, even a tennis racket and Hat, the answers are as follows:

some damage. The Kong Fuon broke Answer to Question 1-Yes.

In the stalls they form is a name, and at the appointed time, all away from her anchorage and only just Answer to Question 2.-Yes, this matter

is dealt with by section 1 of the avoided a collision with the Saiam and themselves into three sides of a square these, many of them elaborate and costly, flames, to bu The top in taken by three leaders, who are are thrown into the Rente Ordinance, 1929, which reads] Nanning. The wind was so strong that as follows:

serious damage was done to buildings at most lavishly robed whilst on their heads speedily devoured The people who send For hours them believe that the chairs, or what- Where any sum shall, before or after Samshui, and wreckage was all over the are borne elaborate crowds. the commencement of this Ordinance, harbour. have been paid on account of any rent, being a sum which is by virtue of this

..."

Orduane or by virtue of the Renta

Ordinances, 1921, irrecoverable by the

pletely shaven,

at a time they chant their prayers, the over the offering may be, go down to mooks or nuns (as the case may be) | Hades, and are delivered to the dead ones joining in the chorus. The leaders keep addressed. Thus they are not left there their eyes half closed, and manipulate without servants and chairs, and those

lestar, the sum su paid shall be recover-schedule became public, and have carefully their hands to make certain sigas. Ex- that, play, tennis, or indulge in motoring able from the lesser who received the scrutinised the embankment both sides of pressions of fervency are on their faces, are still able to enjoy their favourite payment or his legal personal repre sentative by the lessee, by whom it was the May Road station in the hope of find and they sway their bodies as they pastime down briew.

as

may catch one in the wall of the hack,

pushing one past the required station.

Ho

paid, and any such sum may, without ing some soft landing spot on to which chant. The prayers are real from books, This being over, and the whole festival prejudien to any other method of reone might safely jump from a non-step but are unintellig ble to the congre- thus at an end, I tried to persuade my covery, be deducted by the lessee from any rent payable by him to the lessor." car. There is nothing nearer than the gation. The voices, of the priests some-companion to accompany me to the grave- In some instances, but not in all, he steps at the switch hat, where the inspec times rise to a wail. At intervals thers side. He would not. Later I tried another would be able to obtain the required in-tors alight, but defcent can be effected at are loud bursts of Chinese music, supplied Chinese and he looked at me, a little formation from the Government Assessor that point which case and dignity In by a band which makes the fourth side frightened. "Devils are rampant to from information supplied to the Assessor the event of my suggestion being adopted of the square.. Cymbala clash, the to-night," he said. Surely you would not for rating purposca. In other cases be at any time, 1 must advice the short walk tom throbs, Chinese flutes and out, their adventure amongst them at this hour." It was close on midnight, and I tried to would have to conduct private inquiries downwards ring carried out quickly, piercing cry and cerie tunes are provided persuade him, but without success.

:" told me stories of ghosts and devils that his own account. Yours faithfully, otherwise the oncoming car from above by fiddlers.

H. E POLLOCK.

The priests are dressed in long flowing issued dreadful warnings against my had been seen during the festival, and robus, draped in two colours. Each going to the graves. However, he finally MAY ROAD RESIDENTS AND

Personally, I am a Penkite but I view monastry is represented by a different directed me to the spot, and I went alone. THE PEAK TRAM,

with great disappointment the approach colour, but the design in them all is My journey was untroubled by ghosts or

evil spirits. simple and effective. Kany of the

THE MEMORIAL. ing end of the comfort I can now securo

The victims of the fire are interred?, by choosing a place in one of the first une are young girls, some quite hand-

some. One cannot help fooling the pity about sixty feet above the valley All 813-My sympathics are all with "y three rows of the car, when going up fot of the thing that they should be soʻshut are buried together, and the spot in marked by a gtana memorial. On either and his letter of the 16th inst. truly statin, next to a "Mayrondite, which forth the disadvantages under which he allows my spreading for the latter baly Away from the World for the rest of their side of, the open space are kilas, built to Behind them stand other girls, receive and hum offerings of the worship- of the upward journey. I have, at the and his co-Mayrondites must exist au moment, an attachment for two slim friends of those who died in the great pors. Above. ale two pavilions, separated sequent to the 1st prox. in the matter of non-stop cars. I have given the points gentlemen of the middle. Jeycle of which are, who fan them as a ralief from the by stone wall, and on this stone wall

| beát, which in oppressive, för in addition ho raises much thought, ever since the new they wat dot-Yours truly,

to the crowding of the people and the hamidity of the atmosphere,

[TO THE LOTTON OF "TIN HOKɑzona

J DAILY FRESS."]

d

(Continued at foot of nezt column.) Hongkong, April 19th,

0. E

are engraved the names of those interred there. In English je the inscription, "In memory of those who perished in the Race Course fire on February 26th, 1918.",

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