1933-11-08 — Page 7

SENSIBLE APPAREL FOR

- HONG KONG

Dr. Li Shu Fan's Interesting Talk To Rotarians

MODERN FASHIONS ANALYSED

That those who wanted to du so can dress for com- fort and adopt the most hygienic clothing without clash. ing with Dame Fashion was one of the several interesting statements made by Dr. Li Shu Fan, M.B., Ch.B.; F.R.C.S., D.T:M.&H. nt the Rotary Club yesterday.

Dr. Li's address was on "Sensible Apparel” and it contained many practical hints for people living in the tropics.

VISITOR FROM FASCIST PAPER

of the

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1933.

THE WATER

SUPPLY

Dry Season Starts With Full Reservoirs

The water supply, as measured by the P.W.D. on November 1st is in a very satisfactory position. The Island reservoir storage total- led 2,068 million gallons compared with 2.040 m.g. at the same time last year, and a maximum of about

THE WORKS OF ROBERT SMITH SURTEES

Mr. H. C. Macnamara's Interesting Paper To

The English Association

2,300 Tytam Tuk was only 10 PICTURESQUE WRITER OF

feet below overflow, and the small Wong Nel Chung Reservoir 12 feet below overflow.

The heavy rains of the last three days must have substantially re- duced this small deficit. Pokfulam is 6 feet below overflow and the others practically full

The storage la 714 million gallons, and all reservoirs are full.

Thus despite the vagaries of this year's rainfall, which is still about 25 inches below normal the Colony starts the dry season, thanks to an musually late "refresher." with & full supply.

Mr. T. B. Wilson was

During last month the Leland In the This material is chiefly cotton, million gallons, compared with 375 Chair and many guests were wel-without a glossy finish, and is cool, mg. last year.

consumption of water totalled 262- comed, in particular Mr. Sandro light and correct. Sandri, a special envoy

Consumption per "Popolo d'italia," the official news-lieve the nearest approach to an gallons. An 8 hours supply (6-10 If I may risk an opinion. I be-faller from 31.3 gallons to 21.6 head of population per day has 'paper of the Fascist Party, and the ideal all-round European day dress personal organ of Signor Mussolini, for a man in the tropical Summer districts during the whole month. The Chairman

a.m. and 4-8. p.m.) was given on all announced that is as follows:-A white and light and on the Peak 6-10 a.m. and 5-9 Mr. Sandri went through the War, topee, a cotton net singlet without p.m. with the rank of Captain in the sleeves a white or straw-yellow Italian Army. He was now with sleeveless silk shirt with low collar the special mission engaged in the or with the collar worn open at work of studying the Chinese the neck, a white linen jacket, light people. Mr. Wilson extended the cellutax cotton drawers, white silk invitation of the Rotary Club to shorts or trousers and perforated Mr. Sandri and hoped he would leather shoes. The loosely woven visit the Club very often.

singlet and drawers would absorb moisture as well as preventing the shirt and breeches from sticking to the skin, while the silk would en- of heat and evaporation of mols- sure against too rapid conduction ture.

Dr. Li Shu Fan said:-

The outcome of this paper is really the result of a casual con- versation one day with a fellow rotarian on the topic of sensible clothing. It was mainly upon his suggestion that I am addressing "your to-day.

The topic of clothing has always been a debatable one because of the want of fixed standards out

despite the fact that Dame Fashion will always reign supreme, one may still dress health-fully without un- due sacrice of fashion.

11

On this topic of sensible apparui. I propose to deal with the aspects of hygiene and comfort only..

I propose to confine my topic to European dress mainly and if my criticism should be unduly severe, Et is only directed from the scientific point of view. We in China always maintained that the Chinese people dress much more sensibly than the Europeans or the Americans. topic of dress there used to be a In reference to this saying that the foreign women are frozen to death and the for- elgn men are heated to death:"

Best Colours for Clothing.

The colours of outside clothing is of paramount importance. Black absorb more heat from the sun's rays than any other colour, and white the least of all, The order

in which ths different colours are capable of absorbing heat is as fol- lows: Black, blue, green, red, yellow and white. "

Materials

In order to grasp the principles of dressing for health, it is essen- tial that we should have an inkling of the merits and demerits of cer- tain dress materials in every-day wear.

Wool-Wool is a most valuable material because it contains oil and ly dry air, is a bad conductor of air in its substance. Air, especial-

heat.

retaing moisture, hence its unique Wool is very absorbent and value as a material for undercloth- ing. Therefore, after exercise, the best garment to wear is a warm woollen one because it helps to prevent the rapid chilling of the body due to the lowering of tem- Derature by evaporation, which is so dangerous.

Perhaps it is within the memory "of old residents, that not so many years ago, it used to be quite com- mon to meet Europeans in Hong Kong, dressed in heavy winter clothing at the height of the sweltering Summer, perhaps with laced boots and double or triple brimmed felt hats. And how they ing property which had to continually mop them-possesses, does not depend on the selves! Their theory was that the the material alone but also, upon perspiration kept thein cool and the manner in which the fabric is the woollen clothing prevented the woven. For instance, when cotton outside heat from penetrating to is woven into cloth, the texture of

Cotton-But the heat conduct

garment

The Mainland

lon gallons compared with 182 Mainland consumption, was 214 & year ago. The consumption per head per day went up from 192 gallons to 21.7 gallons.

There was a constant supply in all districts.

The head-gear should be light and well ventilated and with no tight rim to press upon the scale blood which may ultimately lead to so as to restrict the circulation of baldness. For Summer wear, the hat should protect the temples and the nape of the neck; for this sea- son topee is desirable."

The collar must never be so tight as to constrict the neck and its neck-tle which is used to the the vital structures, nor should the

collar.

Buttons, Studs and Links. are awful conventional impedi- The sleeve. buttons and the links.

sheer object of interfering with ments. They seem to have been perniciously invented with the

movements, including that of writ- "Ing.

ly sewed on the front of the sleeve-buttons which were velge Even if the army did invent the

using his sleeve to wipe his nose, sleeve to prevent the soldier from civilians should be spared.

the

button should be sufficient.

As for the cuff links, a sewed-on

invented the studs must have also -It was said that the man who invented languages. If this is so, then we unparlamentary

inventor to eliminate the stud from are urgently in need of a super- whose escape we are in absolute

despair.

VICTORIAN ENGLAND

EARLY

Mr. H. C. Macnamara delivered a very interesting lecture on R. S. Surtees last evening at the meeting of the English Association held at the Helena May Institute, over which His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Peel, presided.

The lecturer said that although Surtees' work were mainly on hunting, he managed to give a very complete account of contemporary life in England and it was thanks to his books that one got a good glimpse of what life was like for the middle class Englishmen of Surtees' days.

This author was the creator of the immortal "Jorrocks", and it was urged that literary honours might reasonably be accorded to Surtees as one of the outstanding early Victorian novelists.

- An interesting discussion followed the address.

address said that Surtees wrote chiefly about hunting but it was his intention to draw attention to the fact that Surtees was a great delineator of character and that his books might be read with pleasure and profit by per sons who were not considered "horsey," A North country squire, Surtees waa born in 1803 and for a time he was a solicitor in London but his ventures in law were not successful so he took up sporting journalism instead. His was his first important book appeared. It a genius that developed rather late in life for he was forty years of age when was called "Handley Cross or the Spa Hunt" and all his creations, the immortal Mr. contained the greatest of

and was fortunate enough to secure an Jorrocks. Surtees wrote over 20 books incomparable illustrator in the great ed might well be called "Surtees and John Leech. The novela they produc; Leech novela" just as people spoke of Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Mr. Macnamara in the course of his

The Humours of Hunting Surtees was remarkable as being the first person to treat bunting with a flood of humour on what formerly had been treated as a serious puranit by other authors. He was himself & good his undoubted ability with the pen horseman and continued to exercise

until 1864 when he died.

"

aders. In 1854, "Handley Cross or Mr. frst place in the affection of his re- Of his book, two have established a

the previous year "Mr. Sponge's Sport- Jorrocks's Hunt" was published and in

mainly depended. ing Tour" had already appeared. There were the two works on which his fame

cription of the gradual transformation "Handley Cross" began with a dee

The hunt after being practically of a farmers hunt into a regular one. "Committee of Management had to wrecked by a highly incompetent look for a master of hounds. What followed was the author's great stroke idea of making a grocer a master of of genius. He hit upon the brilliant hounds. In the book the two outstand- James Pigg, the latter being a hunts- man whom Jorrocks employed. There

there were wonderful descriptions of were plenty of other characters with

hanting which would appeal to hunt ing people. At the same time it con- tamed much valuable description of Kife among the middle class of that period.

Garters and Socks. the body. They little knew that which is compact and not porous, is to suspend the socks or stocking characters were John Jorrocks and

The best plan, in discarding the the atmospheric temperature in it becomes a rapid conductor of

use of the circular elastic garter, Hong Kong was never more than heat." 94 degrees in the shade, while rapidly given off, causing a chill

The heat of the body is ings from the underclothing. the body temperature is at least to the body surface. But when or excessive perspiration should whom these two came in contact; and

People with Hong Kong foot 98 degrees; under the circum cotton is specially manufactured change socks daily. The socks and stances. I should think the body capable of holding a considerable toes may be advantageously dusted heat was really prevented from amount of air in its meshes, this with a powder of salicylic acid and escaping to the outside air. How-defect will be obviated, and conse- starch in the proportion of 1 to 4 ever, their contention was admir- quently it will feel much warmer. ably contradicted by their women- folk who very sensibly donned the .lightest possible apparel.

Merits of Chinese Dress.

For these reasons cotton is the most suitable material for the tropics.

Silk and Linen.-Silk is a bad moisture than wool and cotton,

Shoes.

I may say at once that there is, hardly an article of personal wear upon which our comfort depends

Mr. Sponges Sporting Tour "Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour" was so much as our footwear. It seems constructed upon an entirely different

towards sports in general and fox- Whatever one's personal attitude mating in particular one could join in admiring Surtees who had made a contribution to English letters, the value of which would, be appreciated more and more as the years pass by.

Mr. Macnamara concluded by say. ing: "A state of affairs in which literary honours are freely accorded to many novelists of the early Victorian age, are denied to Surtees, cannot endure much longer. He will soon be. really great and highly entertaining regarded, I think, not as hitherto, as a mere writer of sporting tales, but as a English novelist."

The Discussion.

lecture, it was pointed out that Thao- In the discussion which followed the keray had said that he envied-Surtees's power of characterisation. A question ity was asked as to why he remained in such obscur

by Father Byrne. Major Mackayden observed that Burtees belonged to a band of writers who had a small public, but they were extremely devoted supporters.

Professor Simpson told the audience that it was because Mr. Macnamara had a pony in Fealing nanied James Pigg that he felt that perhaps be was was why he approached him to give a great admirer of Surtees and that

the address.

cast at about 7.30 p.m. so that the addresses of the Association be broad- Mr. G. W. Sewell suggested that the

little more intellectual stimulus. wireless programmes might contain a

were mainly men's books and that was A lady suggested that Surtees' book*

Another reason was that these books the reason perhaps why he was not so well known as Thackeray or Dickens.

languages. could not be translated into foreign

Macnamara on behalf of the Associa His Excellency, in thanking Mr. tion for his address, said: "I always maintain that Jorrocks is immortal, 'And long may he remain so””, and were I an Irishman, I would add

The Annual Meeting

the year were adopted, and H.E. Sir lish Association which preceded the At the annual meeting of the Eng-

William Peel, who presided over the address, the report and accounts for

meeting was re-elected President Presidents:Sir William Hornell, the The following were elected Vice- Hon. Sir Thomas Southern, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock, the Hon. Mr. H. H. Katewall, the Hon. Dr. S. W. Teo, the Hon. Mr. A. E. Wood, His Honour Mr. Martin, Professor R. K. M. Simpebo, Justice J. R. Wood, Mr. G. P. de

Personally, I believe the ChineseLinen, like cotton, is a good con- ridiculous to point out that more i plan. There was no hero in the book Mr. N. L. Smith and Lady Southern.

go in much more for personal com-

ductor of heat but a bad retainer of moisture hence it is an unsult able material for underclothing,

fort than most nationalities. Even

shoes are bought for elegance than and what theaters to Sponge and of the Committee: Mrz. P. E. Barker, the lowest coole will not miss his

for comfort and common sense, go for a tour, stopping at as many Sister Beatrice, Father G. Byrne, Mrs. The following were elected members towel and fan in the Bummer, and

himself and most Chinese would insist at least

but people usually obtain their upon a change into slippers when

Principles in Designing.

footwear from mass production

houses in the country as Sponge could. Davidson, Airs. N. Evans, Professor home from business. This does not

factories, where the shoes are gen-long sa Sponge was able to resist the L. Handyside, Mr. M. K. Lo, Mr. H. C. manage to enter and stay in them as La Forster, Mr. N. H. France, Mr. W mean that the cloth shoes are to meet a least the following two re- not in accordance with the prin- him from their houses. The result of H. F.Skinner, Mr. H. K. Woo.

Clothing should be designed to erally designed for elegance and efforts of unwilling hosts to dislodge Macnamara, Miss H. D. Sawyer, Miss be despised: they are really both quirements:- hygienic and comfortable:

ciples, of hygiene. It may Firstly, it should preserve the be interesting to learn that, now whole of the body at a uniform elegant, but no one can dispute

The narrow shoe may be very portrait gallery.

this method was not a portrait, but a Honorary Secretary and Treasurer.

Professor Simpson was re-elected that the evil practice of foot-bind- temperature. In this respect wolts part in the production of such

The lecturer said that in addition to

"It was announced that fatare speak- Ing is obsolete malformations and men and children are the chief disabilities as hammer-toe, rigid-Plain or Ringlets" "Ash Mamma Wood, Sir Henry Pollock, Sir William these two novels, Surtees produced ers would be Miss Sawyer. Mr. Justice other deformities of the foot are offenders. In fact women's dress fall, nebunions, in-growing toe-Hillingdon Ball", "Hawbuck Grange Miss Sawyer's lecture, which will be very rare amongst the Chinese, entails a very unequal distribution nails, etc.

"Mr. Facey Rumford's Hounds Hornell and Father Gallagher. Besides being comfortable the of body's temperature, because the The height of the heel is sup and Jorrocks Jsants and Jollities." Chinese dress is so loosely designed upper, part of the chest and lower posed to be the height of elegance Most of these were illustrated by John the subject of "the Teaching of Eng on Tuesday, December 5, will be on that it does not impede the van- part of the legs are unduly, ex- but it is only equal to the height Leech, except the last named book, lish in Schools". tilation and circulation of the skin. posed, while the trunk below the of folly, because the higher the It is well-known that the Chinese chest is comparatively warmly clad. heel, the greater is the proportion hunting but that did not blind him to which was illustrated by Henry Alken. silk or linen gown is the coolest

Surtees was a keen follower of fox The second requirement 18, that of body-weight transmitted to the in the Summer and the fur gown clothing must not interfere with front of the, foot. the warmest of any

the fact that a great number of un dress in the function of the skin and the strain may lead to the development the hunting fields. He knew a great Buch constant desirable people were to be found in Winter. One can therefore under- movement of the body. Excessive of fat-foot. stand the reasons why so many clothing is enervating and harm-

deal about the contemporary, turf but foreign residents in North China ful. Loose and light garments on points in procuring sensible foot-opted a very cool independent attitude Finally, here are some practical he had no admiration for it. He ad- have taken to Chinese apparel: the other hand. are invigorating wear-

Useful Suggestions.***

and healthful

1-Preferably,

about most things combined with an Returning to the orthodox Euro-free circulation of blood through Tight Atting clothes restrict the

foot-wear extraordinary wealth of detail in his should be made to order by descriptions of people and his views pean dress, I may say that the the skin; consequently the heat re-

a cobbler. white flannel trousers usually, worn gulating function of the skin is

When the tracing is made on modern matters were surprisingly He preferred railways here in the Summer are much too interferred with Tight bands and

paper stand in the socks with which were then novelty, to the joys heavy and too warm. Those who corsets are notoriously detrimental

the body-weight born on the of travelling by chache d have tried Chinese white all of to health, because of the impedi

fpot MI

Surtees was an acentely intelligent A good weight, especially Honam ment they cause to free respiration

The shoe when finished should observer, of the life of his time. A Bulk, will probably never return to of the lungs, and the inevitable]

bet Inch longer than the manners, personal appearance, cloth Hhover yesterday and is at present

huge amount of detail as to customs Colony aboard

An unwelcome guest, arrived in the flannel except on rainy days.

bare foot. T

the President the intern organs,¦¦ compression and displacement of! 4-The heel should be broad and of Englishmen of the early Victorian reposing in the local gol. He is

ing

habits, vices, virtues and language not higher than inch period is packed, without stint, in his RA. Palfaez, a Filipino, who 5 The so-called "point" of the books. There were many matters con- was discovered stowed away on shoe should not be at the noted with English le between the the ship one day after the vessel had middle-toe but at the great yours 1840 and 1850 that could only be left. Manila. He will appear before understood by reference to Surtees's the court to-day and it it expected: books.

will be deported.

Articles of Personal Wear.

As for Bunimer evening wear, particularly for those who dance, there is nothing more delightful than a pair of black hopsack trou- This discourse will not be com sers made with the conventional plete without some reference to military banda' down the sides. certain articles of personal wear,

the

toeping me (Continued on page 11.)

on"

PONIES "CLASS" Latest Changes Announced Classification, announced by the The following are the changes in Jockey Club

Jungle Jim to C Class Royal Flustr to C Class. Wonderful Stag to C. Class Widnes to D Class White Butterfly to D Class

Timely Christmas Suggestion —

Handbags

One of the choicest selections in the colony at extremely Reasonable Prices

Ranging from $ 15.00 up

The Ideal Gift to Send Home. Because

They are all British made which means

= Duty Free

A Beautiful Selection

in Coloured Leathers and Skins.

For the Finer Choice: The New Ostrich Skin Handbags are really Select.

The Ladler Salon.

LANE, CRAWFORD, LTD.

ORGAN NOVELTIE

Columbia Records

QUENTIN MACLEAN

DB 1128-YOU'VE GOT ME CRYING AGAIN

DB 1083-LIEBESTRAUM

DB 1099-MOON SONG DB 940-HAPPI-GO-LUCKY-YOU DE 909-A STORM FANTASIA.

The Anderson Music Co., Ltd.

Ice House Street

JN.

THE

Rose

Tel: 21822.

ARMISTICE

EVE

ANNIVERSARY

Room

PENINSULA HOTEL

ENTERTAINERS

GRAND GALA NIGHT FRIDAY NOVEMBER

10th

9PM 2AM.

ESCANDEL AND ROSITA

&

ANDREW AND URSULA

For Table

one 5808

88.00 per

HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD