1938-03-10 — Page 1

Page

MASON'S

DELICIOUS

TODAY'S WEATHER FORECAST:-East Winds, Moderate; Cloudy, Showery, Local Fog, Warmer,

Labrury, Supreme Court

Hurrow

Hongkong Daily Press.

Registered as a Newspaper at the General

ESTABLISHED 1857

15-19 Marina House, Queen's Road Central.

G.P.O. Box No. 1.

O.K.

SAUCE.

i

No. 24818. 號捌拾壹佰捌仟肆萬弍第日玖月弍年寅戊

HONG KONG, THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1938.

肆拜禮 日拾月叁捌玖仟登英 Price

Post Once in the United Kingdom.

General MassagW.

AT

LAZARUS

OPTICIAN

Single Copy, 10 cts.

Per Month. $3.

COMMISSION NAMED FOR RENT INQUIRY

GOVERNMENT MOVE FOLLOWS CLOSE ON PUBLIC AGITATION

Rent Control Depends On

Commission's Report

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir Geoffry Northcote. utade a statement in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon regarding the rents question, in which he disclosed that the Gover- nor-in-Council has appointed a Commission of inquiry.

AN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE was issued last night by the Colonial Secretariat giving the personnel and terms of reference of the Commission, as follows:-

PERSONNEL

WALTER SCHOFIELD. ESQ. (CHAIRMAN), WILLIAM JAMES LOCKHART-SMITH, ESQ. ROBERT JOHN MINNITT, ESQ.

SECRETARY

ROBERT JOHN MINNITT, ESQ.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

A-To inquire into and report upon

(1) the prevalent charges for rent in the towns of Victoria and Kowloon, having regard to their rise and fall during the last ten years, and

(2) the extent to which and the manners in which tenants and landlords have been and are being affected by the sudden growth of the population of Hong Kong since the beginning of Sino-Japanese hostilities last year: B-To receive oral and written evidence upon the foregoing.

issues:

C. To make such relevant recommendations as may commend

themselves to members.

Individual Representations Made

"As you are aware, there has recently been considerable publie discussion in local newspapers and elsewhere of charges for rent which are sald to be generally rising, with inequitable results in certain cases." remarked His Excellency the Governor, addressing members of the Legislative Counell yesterday afternoon. “More- over, individual representations have been made to me and, as I am cognisant, to certain members of this and the Executive Council, bearing upon the same points. During this week I have conferred upon this subject with persons interested therein and, this morn.. ine, with my Executive Council."

"Several suggestions have been received from verious quarters that legislation should be passed at once which would give greater protection to the holders of existing tenancies than that which common law and local statutes now provide and. conversely, would restrict le existing rights and powers of landlords," continued Sir Geoffry.

"On the other hand, recog- nition is generally given to the fact that any such legislation would be unusual and drastic in lis effect and might easily have repercussions" which would inflet more harm than benefit in the end," he said.

"These isques have been carefully considered by Gov- emment, that is to say the Governor in Executive Council," he added, "and the conclusion reached unanimously there is that, while there is evidence that rents have risen and are rising and that tenants in cer-

tain cases are put into diff- culty, not to say hardship, on that account, closer and more systematic investigation of the facts in relation to all relevant circumstances is necessary be- fore such a far-reaching mea- sure can properly be presented to this Council.

"I have, therefore, decided to appoint, at once, a small. Commission empowered to re- ceive and to analyse com- plaints by either of the parties to a tenancy agreement who considers himself aggrieved or Injured by steps taken by the the other party," His 'Excel- lency declared.

18

"Should the report of that Commission-and I hope that It will be able to reach Its conclusions rapidly--convince Government that action necessary along the lines which I have mentioned, a bill will be put before you with all possible expedition," concluded His Excellency.

(See Leading Article. Pare 8)

TURNING THE PAGES

ISLINGTONS SCORE BIG VICTORY

Manila, March 9. Playing in the first of their series of eight football matches during their visit here. the Islington Corinthians scored an overwhelming victory against the All-Chinese team.

The Islingtonians won by nine goals to all.

"The Chinese were unable to get into stride against their more experienced opponents."

The score at half-time was 5-0.

Johnny Sherwood, the Corin- thians' versatile centre-for- .ward, bagged six goals.

(Reuter).

THE DOLLAR

T.T. ON LONDON: 1s. 2.7/8d. T.T. ON NEW YORK: 31-1/16.

London Silver Market

Our Own Correspondent). London, March 9. London silver prices today were up 1/19 for

"Spot " and unchanged for. "For- word. FLS

follows:-

Mar. 8.

Spot..... .20-1/16

Forward......19-13/16

Mar. 9. 20-1/8 19-13/16

Delphinus Crashes

MISHAP IN RAIN AT FORT BAYARDTM Over-running the landing ground at Fort Bayard On Lui-Chau Peninsula on Tuesday afternoon. the Imperial Airways' plane. Delphinus, crashed into a ditch, smashing her three propellors and damaging the tip of one wing.

The two passengers and crow escaped injury.

This information was received from a private source by the Daily Press yesterday and official- ly confrmed later.

Heavy rain which obscured the pilot's vision is thought to have been the cause of the accident.

"At the time of the smash the her way to Delphinus was on Bangkok from Hong Kong, having 'eft here at 11 am, on Tuesday with 621 lbs. of maii,

STATEMENT WITHHELD To prevent confusion, a state- ment about the mishap had been withheld pending confirmation from London as to the steps being taken to fly the mall through ac- cording to schedule, explained an official of the Hong Kong branch of Imperial Airways yesterday.

It is understood that a relief plane is being sent from Bangkok. It is hoped that this will arrive back at Bangkok in time to link up with the regular service.

RAIN, HAIL, MIST GREET

GIANT CRUISE SHIP

New Scenes

Await Them

Stepping briskly down the gang-plank of the Empress of Britain, these visitors were ashore soon after the arrival of the luxury liner yesterday.

(A.C.F. Photo).

K. R. A. Seeking Information

LABOUR HEADS SEE AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR

QUESTIONNAIRE' FOR KOWLOON RESIDENTS

MAY BE GRANTED Increase Of Rents

NAZI CONCESSIONS

аге

·

In connection with the question

of 'Increase of rents the following. letter has been forwarded by Mr.

The Man Behind The Voice

Travel Talker

Rupert Baldwin. Honorary Secre- Drops In On HK.

Residents' Association:----

Vienna, March 3. Important announcements expected to be made by Herr tary, on behalf of the Kowloon Schuschalgg, Austrian Chancel- Jor, in a speech at Innsbruck tonight, where he proceeded today to meet officials of the Father- land Front.

(To the Editor. "The Hong Kong Daily Press".]

Sir,

The man behind the voice, the voice that tells the world about the world, about its wonders, its mysteries, its beauties, arrived "In Hong Kong yesterday,

He was Mr. James A. Fitzpat-

Britain.

Herr Schuschnigg is expected to In September last, the Kowloon proclaim the same concessions to Residents Association in publish-rick, known in every country for his famous Fitzpatrick Traveltalks. the Fatherland Front and Labouring the account of a meeting of He is travelling on the Empress of as those granted to the Nazis. the General Committee, invited all Labour leaders who have been Kowloon residents who felt that in Vienna to Interview the Aus- they had been unjustly treated by trian Chancellor, said

their landlords to communicate ing scenes and facts for his pic- their claims for freedom

with the Hon. Secretary. In reply tures, this is Mr. Fitzpatrick's the Association received one latter fourth visit to Hong Kong. granted they would heartily sup- port the Austrian Government-anly, and this complained of an (Reuter Bulletin).

increase of rent from 380 to $90 per month.

that 11

were

TREASON TRIAL CONTINUES

Doctors Tell Of

|

In view of the recent letters on

Empress Of Britain

Is Majestic Sight

LUXURY LINER HERE

FOR FIVE DAYS

First glimpse of Hong Kong yesterday morning for the round- the-world tourist's on the Empress of Britain was indeed a dis- mal one.

As the cruise ship proceeded up the harbour hall pelted on her decks, rain poured down in sheets and mist hung low over the water,

Nearing her berth, the glant vessel, pride of the Canadian Pacific fleet, presented a truly majestic sight with her tall white sides and buff funnels standing out sharply against the murky. background.

Thousands of people watched from sheltered, places the ar- Hval of the luxury liner but only a handful of officials and press- men were waiting at No. 5 pier. Kowloon, to see her dock-half an hour before schedule.

Passengers also were deterred by the cold and most of them 'sought the warmth of cabins, and lounge rooms until the wea-

ther cleared.

Fortunately the rain soon ceased and most of the visitors were ashore before, noon.

Inauspicious was Hong Kong's welcome to the Empress of Britain, but she is here for five days and in this time her passen- gers will have full opportunity of seeing the beauty and glamour of the Colony.

(SEE ALSO PÅGES 3. 3 AND 10)

Attractions Of Cruising

WHO WOULDN'T BE A PHOTOGRAPHER when, charming young things like these are willing to pose? Snapped in snappy cruise. costumes aboard the Empress of Britain, they are (from left): Miss Jeanette Edris, of Seattle: Miss Fanny Goodyear, of Buffalo,

"N.Y.; and Miss Polly Brown, of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania,

Globe-trotting since 1928 gather- REMARKABLE INCREASE

IN MEMBERSHIP OF H.K. RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Yesterday he confessed rather wistfully that he was tiring a it- tle of travel. "

"Ten years, you know, is a long this subject which have appeared while to keep moving and 'my, how in your columns, and of the dis-New York keeps calling

cussion

some

which occurred at the

said times."

Mr. Fitzpatrick. Annual General Meeting of the "How I envy those young people Association Jast Friday, the who have the world before and General Committee have decided not after them. to make a further effort to obtain specifle information regarding no-

"Greatest thrills of travel lie in

Over 1,100 Individual Members Enrolled Since Formation

Sufficient time has now clapsed for the losses in Individual

"Nightmare Crimes" Just raising of rent and eviction anticipation the anticipation of full membership which were incurred since the beginning of the

Cannes.

Page 9 Latest cables. Rifle shoot-told Page 4-Duke and Duchess of

ing resulta,

Moscow, March B.

of

leaving and then of returning year. (due, in the majority of cases, to the move of personnel of tenants.

home," he claimed. "For weeks of the Regular Fighting. Services to other stations), to be assessed May 1, therefore, draw the at-ahead I visualise my return to with some degree of accuracy, Doctors held the witness stand tention of your readers to the New York but, after a month or The most pessimistic view possible has been taken, in that it when the sixth day of the treason" questionnaire" advertised an two there. I hear 2 boat to has been assumed that those members whose subscriptions expired trial begun. They described their another page, and invite all who whoo-o-o' down in the Hudson on December 31 last, and who have not renewed them, are unlikely Paro 2-Alien tells why he came, Page A-Leading article: House part in the "nightmare crimes." are interested in this matter to and I'm counting the days before to do so.

to Colony. Partnership dispute. rents: Government acts. Tall, slim. bespectacled Professor complete and forward the same to

1, can be off again."

This is certainly a false premise (chiefy for the reason given Indians to face trial at Sessions. gossip we must.

Pletnev.". famous heart specialist.me at their earliest convenience?

In the case of all those members above), during January and how unsuitable treatment

..Mr. Fitzpatrick is engaged on Medico leaves huge estate.

The Committee' would also be was applied to Kulbishev after

Association,bers were given the opportunity Yagoda told him that a "political rateful if persons, having de- the cruise with preparing a new of the China Fleet, who have February, in which period mem

finite knowledge cases of series of 10 subjects for his travel already joined the change was expected."

by and who are serving in "ships to renew their subscriptions, and 越 accompanied

of course, must be Yagoda wanted to get rid of unscrupulous eviction of tenants talks. He Kuiblahey, and his chief. Menz-(who perhaps are anable them three experts, Mr. Robert Carney, which have been away from the such loss,

write), will be good of Hollywood, Mr. Hone Glendin- Colony for some time; so that antedated to January 1 on which selves to hinsky, threatened Pletnes with enough to bring them to the ning of London and Mr. Faul each such renewal will mean an date membership, thus dropped to.

addition to the figures of member- 388. · Well, of Paris. unpleasant consequences if he had

ship standing today, and which Between "January 1 and Febru- not co-operated.

This may be Mr. Fitzpatrick's are given below, fourth visit to Hong Kong and he On the last day of 1937, in-Joined, and in less than one week Kowloon Residents may be longing for New York, but dividual full membership stood at from the latter date, no less. than

true Fitzpatricklan style we the largest Agure yet attained by 239 applications for Individual full

him, "Welcome to Hong the Association, Le. 670. Kong, Hub of the Orient.”

Windsor to leave for Pacific Isles issue clear. Ribben-Page 10,-Sport news and notes. trop in London, Anglo-Irish Page 11-Hong Kong Telephone

Company meeting: agreement in sight.

local events.. Fage

Page 5.-Cinema notices. Diary of Page 12-New York Quotations. Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 6.--The Services. London Gazette appointments.. Aero Page 13-Radio programmes.

Pages 14 and 15-Shipping news. Arrivals and Clearances. Direc- tory.

nautical research.

1..

Page 7--Colony's need for museum, Junk enquiry report. Hospitality Coronation. Fanling at King's golf. Table tennis.

+1-

Page 16.-Yachting. Badminton.

..

Doctor Kazakov testified that Yugoda told him he must act in such manner that Menzhinsky Would die soon. and threatened, "It you reelst 1 ten hon tơ điện pose of you."—(Reuter).

notice of the Association.

+

R. BALDWIN, Hon. Secretary,"

Association.

Kowloon, 8th March, 1938.

In

wish

had figure

decreased

This

by, 282,

ary 28, 58 - new members had

(Continued on Back Page)