1935-05-17 — Page 3

Conscience Conquers

FIFTY-YEAR-OLD DEBTS PAID

SOME OFFER INTEREST

con-

After fighting an uneasy science for over half a century, an unknown person has at last given in and sent £20 to the Leeds Trans- port Department. A note anclosed stated that this sum was taken from horse tram fare boxes more thon 50 years ago,

This is only one of scores of people who have waged a losing fight with their consciences during the past. financial year. Although no reference may have been made to it in his Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been busier than over during the past twelvo months acknowledging payments of "conscience money" through "Agony" columas. nowspapor Most of the money has been "on account of Income-tax," though there was one payment of £15 "on account of unemployment boneft."

If it be true that "conscience doth make cowards of us all," then it is equally true that Lent tickles up the conscience, for payments aro Invariably brisk during the six weeks before Enater.

The financial crisis of 1931 was also responalble for many extra twinges of remorse, and it was at this time that the Chancellor of the Exchequer received what was believed to be the largest amount of "conscience money" ever paid to the Treasury of one time- £8,675. It was sent to the Chan- cellor in respect of unpaid Income- tax and Sur-tax. The largest item in the total was £7.100, and two other payments of £700 and one of £75 made up the full amount. Until then the highest. sum re- celved by the Chancellor was £5,000 sont to him during the war,

Nine of every n payments are signed with a nom-dic-plume, and the Chancellor has had to address his replies to names such as “Saved- by Grace," "Sorry Forget," "Wor- ried," "Anxious," "Doubtful," and "Late"

FREE RIDES

Although the Treasury receives the largest number of payments of "conscience money," railway and other transport companies receive numturous contributions from people who have managed to "get away" with free rides.

Large stores all over the country. receive conscience money from wo men who have taken goods without payment. Explanations accom- panying the money are invariably typed, or written in disguised hand- writing.

Among the more unusual pay- ments of conscience money made in recent years was one of 12 half- penny stamps, received by a Lon- don cinema a short while ago from Homeone who had sat too long at the pletures.

Four halfpenny stamps were sent to the Bournemouth beach inspec- tor's office by someone who had evidently rested in one of the Cor- poration's beach chairs without paying.

A more recent payment was that of 5s. 3d. received by the treasurer of Kensington as conscience money- for the breakage of a Belislin ben- con at a pedestrian crossing.

A guilty conscience, it would seem, can remain alive and prick-

ing for a very long time. It is no

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1935.

Four 700-hp. air-cooled super.. charged motors each with con- trollablo-plich propellor.

Radio direction-finding mast and Antenna.

||Bridge ầnd.navi-

gation haÍXHI ikour omcers on

duty.

Wing, with 130-topt spanj

Outboard pontoon.

Aft storage compar

[Contral fuel com- partments.

looping quarters.

|Anchor compart- †ment, forward

hold,

Galley, store- room and en- trance hatches.

Navigation ofcer commander in char

room.

and

Cutaway sketch of the Pan American Clipper, pioneer plane of the trans-Pacific air route, which may soon be seen in Hongkong.

The German community in Shanghai kelebrated Labour Day as their national day with a fing-raising ceremony at the German Consulate General in the morning, and sports and folk dancing at the German school in the afternoon. Mr. Kreibel, the German Con sul-General in Shanghai, is shown above presenting a cross to former German soldier." gift from the late President Hinden- burg," while to his right are a number of members of the local Nazi organization photographed during the ceremony. In the lower right corner is Dr. O. P. Trautman, the German Minister to China, addressing the assembly following the Flag-raising ceremony, and on his

left, a group of students at the German school' during a drill display.

REFORMS IN PRISONS

CANADIAN

iconimon thing after 20, 30, and CONVICTS WILL BE

even 50 years to lind that a victim

of such a conscience can stand it no

lenger and pays up.

ed

THE LOST COIN

Such a case was recently record. at Southampton, where an elderly woman walked into. a; grocer's shop and handed over 23., reminding the grocer, of an in- eldont 50 years ago. As a child

PAID

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Ottawa.

Without any particular publi-Į

she bought some treacle at the city, reform in the Canadian pent-- shop and lost her sixpence.change. The grocer replaced it on the | tentiaries is being brought about. understanding that If the lost coin In recent months, the privileges ex-| was found she was to return it to tended the convicts include com- him. Later she discovered the mon association at certain hours sixpence sticking to the bottom of in the big halls with radio and the treacle container, but Instead other entertainment; pay at the -of taking it back, kept it. The

28. recently paid was for the six-rate of 30 cents a week, which is pence, plus 1s. 6d. interest.

allowed to accumulate. for payment

So far only one case of con on release;_moro-frequent visits- scienes money by instalments has of. relatives and a widening best recorded. The offer was re-opportunity for vocational tral- ceived from a Britlab workman

who stole a ride in a closed waggon

ing...

of a Canadian National Railways Furthermore, following some in- train bound for the prairies. He wrote offering to pay the £3. 10s. Vestigation.to be made in England, saved by the ride, plus interest, It la intended to install the "bor- on the instalment plan, and on-stal" system. This gives to your closed in his letter the first pay-offendors, between 10 and 21, tho ment."

chance of improving their educa- tion and better equlping them, selves for a life, apart from criminal associations.

·STOLEN GOODS

A parole, board may be set up, Charles Káble, of Oxford in place of having all párolo Avenue-Merton-Park-went-into-

secondhand shop at Tooting and authority centred in one officer at

The Shanghai Japanese community celebrated the Emperor Hirohito's 34th birthday with great alat and the beautiful, weather' added greatly to the enjoyment of the occasĵon. In addition to the gatharing in Hongkow Park there were various other 'celebrations. In the picture are: seun -(Töp laft) the Iwato, flagship of the Japanese Third Flest, decorated for the decuilon, (bottom left) anilora in a wrestling match, (top right)' ceremony at the Japanese School in Range Road, (bottom right) drinking. „fonst at the Japarisse Consulate-General wiift Mr. Jahil, Mr. T. V. Soong. Mr. E s. Cunningham, and General Wü’To chan’prominent in the pleture.

was offered his father's bicyclo, | Ottawa, with little opportunity of reform-from without-la the substitution of the electric, chair district whore the crime was com- which had been stolen two days personally interviewing applicants centralisation of all hangings in for the scaffold, As it is, these mitted and bungling is not un-

for release. Another projected penitentiaries and possibly the executiana now take place in the known.—United Press.

before.

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