1930-01-16 — Page 6

Sleeping Suits

or present wear

The extremely soft finish of the fine Ceylon Flannel makes them feel warm when you put them on

1.

and keeps you warm.

Fancy stripes in new designs.

$8.50 per Suit. 3 for $24.00

Less 10% discount for cash

WARM BATH ROBES, DRESSING GOWNS, SLIPPERS

Mackintosh's

CABIN SHIPS

THE ONLY CABIN SHIPS

ON THE PACIFIC

The Nippon Yusen Kaisba, in furthering its new of whip service, by which Atlantic

programme

standards are brought to the Pacific, announces SPECIAL CABIN SERVICE

8

290.00

From. HONG KONG

to...

SEATTLE VICTORIA

ونة

$

290.00

From

SIBERIA MARU" HONG KONG

MARU"

" KOREA

To be followed by THREE NEW MOTOR-SHIPS Expeily constructed as cabia skipa.

N. Y. K. LINE

Railway Refreshment Rooms in

FLOWTM

Great

Britain. are.

..serving Horlick's Malted Milk than Coffee. Can you wonder P

In America the demand for "Horlicks Chocolate Egg Malted Milk" is still growing.

.

You can buy Horlicks, favoured with Chocolate, now all ready for use. The demand for this is growing.

LANE CRAWFORD'S CAFE ALWAYS SERVE HORLICK'S-NO OTHER' KIND.

HOUSEHOLD COAL

We have now made arrangementa to deliver HOUSEHOLD COAL en the following Terms, and would emphasise that Full Weight at Destination is guarsuteod.

Selected Grade Lump Coal

UPPER LEVELS MID-LEVEL CENTRAL DISTRICT

**

+

مة

$21.00 F. TON

20.00 do. 19.00 Best Household Nuts. (FOR KITCHEN USE).

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1930.

THE BRITISH AND CHINESE CORPORATION.

MR. SIDNEY F. MAYERS ON THE SITUATION.

BAD POSITION OF THE RAILWAYS.

The thirty-first annual crdinary general meeting of the British and Chinese Corporation, Ltd., was held

ou December 11 at the offices of the Company, 3, Lombard-street, E.C., when Mr. S. F. Mayers (the chair man) addressed the meeting as follows:--

|

to the date of the recent interrup. tion of traffic, carnings have ex- ceeded considerably those of the corresponding period of 1028.

Shanghai-Hangchow-Ningpo

.Railway.

The adjoining line to Hangchow and Ningpo, which is under the same administration and staff as

the

Shanghai-Nanking Railway, has also done, fairly well, and loan service has been duly met.

Canton-Kowloon Railway, Control over the Canton Kowloon

CORRESPONDENCE.

"ENGLISH UNDEFILED."

[TO THE EDITOR OF THR "HONG KONG 'DAILY PRESS."]

Six-With reference to Prof.

"Kelt's"

Simpson's instructive lecture on English difficulties and interesting letter on the Junior Local debacle (English being, I presume, in the majority of cases the failing" subject), it seems to me that the method of teaching English to Chinese in Hong Kong is utterly at fault.

To all non-English speakers the dificulties of English are admitted. ly great, but to the Chinese, who are diametrically opposed to"us in

Gre

Was re-established by the many points of thought, habit Ministry of Railways early this year, and this short railway has and custom, they must be super- done as well as can be expected latively so. Why then in the name after its long period of disruption. of all that is educational, Its physical condition has been im Hong Kong Chinese taught Eng proved with the assistance of funda lish through the archaisms and contributed by the Provincial obsolescences of Shakespeare and Government for sleeper renewals, Lamb, or the incomprehensibilities and through traffic with the British of certain "selected" Essays, 50 section has been maintained by that, most of the teachers' time is means of additional engine power wasted in showing that certain ex- provided by the Hong Kong Gov-pressions are now ungrammatical, ernment The earnings, however, or altogether changed in meaning, are still barely sufficient to cover or in trying to explain thought na working and maintenance expenses, obscure and language da involved with no balance for loan service. as those in an Einsteia treatise, to The defaults on the sterling loan students, who, unless continually of 1907 remain, therefore, without watched, will write such "English" any provision for paymeat.

as Until the men was died bis friends were bury him!"

Tientsin-Pukow Railway.

I now wish to say something on the subject of the Tientsin Pukow Railway..

Though this Corporation is not titularly a party to the loan agree mente in terms of which the Tien- tsin-Pukow Railway was construct ed, we are, as you know, closely associated with Chinese Central Railways, Limited, and the duties of our representative in China in clude attention to the affairs of this important railway.

Gentlemen.The report and ac- counts presented to this meeting deal with the financial year which ended on Jung 30 last. As compar- ed with the previous year, the pro- fit and loss account shows a slight improvement in our position. Com-line mission, interest and other profits are £2,430 138. more than in 1929, and after deducting expenses, which are some £780 less than in 1928, there is a credit balance of £1,907 43, Bd., which has been added to the credit of profit and loss account ia the balance-sheet. As regards the balance-sheet, our liabilities to ereditors are reduced by £10,362 108. 10d., and our investment account is increased by £5,634 12s. 7d. On the other hand, interest payments which should have been met by the Chinese Governmen; during the year under review are in arrear tu the extent of £34,509 108, 4d., which brings the total under this heading of interest in default up to £101,879 es. 2d. The continued inability of the Chinese Government, to devise means of meeting these payments has the effect not merely of depriv- ing us of funds which are due to members of this Corporation, but of impeding us most seriously in the fulfilment of the object for which our company was formed thirty years ago. This object, as you are well aware, is to afford incans in association with the Houg Kong and Shanghai Banking Cor- poration and Mesers. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., for the in- of British capital in Chinese Government railway enter prises. In pursuit of this object, during periods when the issue of loans has for one reason or another Leen impracticable, we have made advances to the Chinese Govern ment for railway purposes. The repayment of these advances with accrued interest has fallen gravely into default, and the result is that our power of rendering assistance to the Chinese Government in the task of rehabilitating its railways after years of interual strife, is reduced. It is with a sense of deep disappointment that I have again to allude to these defaults, which could have been wiped off rapidly if the Chinese Government had gained more effective control of the railways, in which we are interest rd. At our last annual meeting the National Government had been established at Nanking for harely six months. It was confidently hoped at that time that prompt steps would be, taken to deal with railway debts, but twelve more months have elapsed with but little progress in that direction. At the

vestment

same time we recognise that some

progress has been made, though it has consisted for the most part in academic study of the subject rather than in efforts to make pay

ments.

Of all the railways in which we have interests, the Tientsin-Pukow Railway has perhaps suffered most in recent years from mismanage rent coupled with military inter ference. Other lines, even when disorganised by the effects of civil war, hare maintained to some degree their character as public utilities, but for several years as through traffe on the Tientsin- Pukow Railway has been suspended and such sectional traffic as has been carried on, has shown, no balance over operating expenses, The Ministry of Railways has not get succeeded in assuming direct control of this line, which is still subject to political and military influences. its dehts for salarica and wages in arrear, for equipment and stores and for defaults on loan servies present a fermidable pro- blem.

Negotiations With Ministry of Railways."

Surely to Chinese who study English"because it is spoken in America" a thorough grinding in plain, matter-of-fact English prose such, for instance, as that found in well-written newspaper leaders. would be of infinitely greater ser- vice than the teaching of obsoler cences and profundities

Given a good grounding in the element is, the Chinese can wery well be trusted to add sufficient embellishment and embroidery; for, in English composition, is not one of their greatest faults a tendency to symbolic, metaphoric and poetic exaggeration? but deliberately to tench brush-and-palette English to those who have not a hammer-and- chisel (or, is it sickle?) knowledge of it can give results only as lamen.. table as they are ludicrous-fit them merely for the comic papers. interesting to know why it is (as While on this subject, it would be

alleged that in the cast of an exact subject like Mathematics the University prescribes K definite text-book, whereas in the case of a vague and wide subject like Euro- venn History no guidance is given, so that a student may toil a whole year to no purpose, the subject of the examination questions being of nature totally different from that studied. Yours faithfully,

H. WILSON. Hong Kong, January 15

THE TUNG ON AND TIEN HOI COLLISION.

1.

REPRESENTATIVES OF

OWNERS CONFERRING.-

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for the hours between 12 and 8 A.M.

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THANK

GOODNESS I AM INSURED

This might be your Car and with you in it! Insure against Accidents

with

an assecament of the value of the THE GENERAL ACCIDENT FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE CORP., LTD. Tien Hai. They are expected back in Wuchow in a few days.

For information apply

AGENTS:

Indeed, gentlemen, this whole ques- tion of what is to be done what can be done about Chinese Railways, in which British capital has so large An opportunity for its discussion i stake is a formidable problem. here in London has been recently. accorded to us by the Chinese Ministry of Railways

The Naval Intelligence Depart. A special ment informe us that the repre- representative of that Ministry, eentatives of the owners of the Peping-Mukdex Railway. Mr. J. K. Cho, has been in Lon- Tung On and Tien. Hoi have met The crux of the railway position, don for the past two months, and in an endeavour to effect a settle so far. as our financial interests are

we have had the benefit of the pre- I'ment of the ease. The Coxswain concerned, "is to be found in the sence here also of Mr. B. T. B. and pilot of the Tung On admit Peking-Mukden Railway, for the Boothby, our representative in they were at fault with regard to reason that this line is pre-eminent China. In conferences with Mr..

the collision. The representatives 1. its capacity to provide the sur. Choy, we have examined a nuser have proceeded to Canton to get plus carnings which should be made of great difficulties awaiting solu- Available to us. in liquidation of tion, and I wish to pay tribute to obligations secured on those surplus the energy which has been shown earnings. The usurpation of con- by Mr. Choy, in his contribution trol of this railway by the Proving to our discussions and to his cial Authorities of Mukden, has, I sympathetic recognition of the am glad to inform you, been relin-point of view of disappoint which are defined by the Lean quished to Home extent since e creditors. Whether anything Agreement and subsidiary agree- September last. I say advisedly can eventuate from our discussions runts, have not been observed by "to some extent," as we have no in the shape of a remedy for the the Provincial Authorities in con- evidence yet to show that control unfortunate position of Chinese trol of the line. The possibility of of this railway has been effectively railways and their creditors, I do providing further financial assis assumed by the Ministry of Rail-not yet know. The nature of the tance in the great task of restoring waya at Nanking. That evidence remedy which is needed is perfect prosperity to railways in which our will not be complete until we learn ly plain. It is, to put it briefly, interests are already so deeply in that the surplus earnings, of the the resumption of complete control volved, must depend, therefore, railway are applied by the Minis- of railway revenues by the Ministry upon effective steps being taken by try of Railways to the purposes for of Railways, and their exclusive the Chinese Government to restore which they are hypothecated. In application to railway purposei, of confidence. This, clearly, can only the meanwhile, we have learnt re-which provision for the payment of be done by scrupulous respect for cently with satisfaction that the debts is an indispensable prelimin-existing obligations, and by carry- rolling stock and engines of the ary to the restoration of railwaying out suitable measures for the railway removed to, the Manchurian credit. Concurrently, the remedy protection and efficient administra section of the line outside the Great | must also include the restoration of tion of their railways. Wall of Chinn, are at length being surrendered. When they have pass ed through the workshops for re- pairs it is to be hoped that earnings wijl soon be restored to normal figures.

Shanghai-Ranking Raliway.

Unfortunately the news from China during the past few days

J. H. BACKHOUSE, LTD.

TEL No.. 1788.

1A, CHATEL ROAD.

An Announcement

We have pleasure in announcing

that we

have been appointed Sole Agents in China for

dispels the viow entertained by Messrs. Shanks & Co., Ltd.

the railways themselves to good physical condition, which involved further capital expenditure. That we still have confidence in the many observers of the situation in ability of Chinese Railways to meet that country that the National their obligations when reasonably Government

WLE firmly enough managed is shown by the only new established to undertake the work business contracted by us during of setting its domestic affairs in The railway which connects the the year. By an agreement con order without further upheavals, present seat of Government included last June we have under- In the circumstances of the moment Chine, Nanking, with the commer-taken to provide the Shanghai-Nan- we can only hope that a reorganised cial capital of the country, Shang-king Railway with 8 additional authority, capable of exercising the hai, the Shanghai-Nanking line, engines, 100 steel goods waggons, functions of government through.... affords proof of what can be done and 24 passenger coach underframes out the country may soon emerge by the Ministry of Railways when on a system of hire purchase. We from the struggle which is its control is not interfered with have been able to do this for the going on. by Provincial Authorities. The Shanghai-Napking Railway because. The chairman concluded by pro- earnings of 1928 exceeded all re the terms of the Loan Agreement posing the adoption of the report corda and were sufficient to meet regarding the disposition of the and accounts. This was seconded loan service, as well as to pay earnings have been duly observed dividends due to net proft certi- by the Ministry of Railways. We ficate holders for the years 1920, ought to be in a similar position 1927 and 1928., During the current with respect to the Peking-Mukden calendar year loan service has been line, but in the case of that railway pivic Dia Tap BowTfully be including the first in the conditions regarding cerminze them to appointed, the rec

(Continued on neat Column) stalment of amortisation, and up 1-

UPPER LEVELS

MID-LEVEL

$19.50 PLE. TON,

do. 18,50

do. 17.60

One Ton.

CENTRAL DISTRICT Terms:-Caah with Order, Minimum Quantity

ARNHOLD & CO., LTD.,

FRESCO BARK BUILDING,

now

BARRHEAD, SCOTLAND.

Manufacturers of high grade

by Sir Charles Addin, K.C.M.G., and carried unanimously.

The retiring director, Sir Ed THE mund Wyldbore Smith, was re- elected, and the auditors having

terminated.

SANITARY WARE & FITTINGS

JARDINE ENGINEERING CORPORATION, LTD. (Incorporated under the Companies Ordinances of Hong Kong)

TONG KONG TRUN