1937-01-18 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1987.

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The

W

A Little Bit of

CHINA IN THE HEART OF HONGKONG

C.

By Van Leo

HEN Old, Kowloon ing when every detail in it in

ruled down a minute scale. But

City, or to be pre- I missed the moat that used to girt its Lilliputian walls round cise, the walled part about; also the floating pond-

of it, broke into the news the weed which, clustering thickly on its still waters, had given other day as

something the City its charmingly rustic

which it has been worth aspect. The spell is broken by

a modern constructional pro- while to make a pother gress hustling it from every about, some people had side, and even now insistently knocking at its four still pie- Stubbs Rd. thought that this old place, turesque gates,

so lost in a maze of slums as to be almost forgotten, had not been appreciated at its just value.

Hongkong Telegraph.

MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1937.

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

LESSONS

They used to leave a high- way, &sort of "corridor" connecting the East Gate with the sen at Kowloon Bay, upon which many a hardened pirate, was hurried to his doom.

One of the gateways in the Old Kowloon City Wall.

These people were both right It would be difficult ziow to and wrong. As a little bit of say where that highway exactly the Old China picturesque yet was; and as for the gaol where these wretches were confined. 1 in the accumulating dirt hem could accopt only the word of med in by its four walls, it has an old inhabitant that it still the same value that the anti- exists, but as an alms house where old folk are being given. quarian bestows on a pre- Christian succour! The East The point has often been historic skeleton, however, ad, Gate, too, is shorn of much of its former grandiosity; nothing mude in connection with the vanced the detay. But as an

like what I should imagine it to civil war in Spain that, due to integral part of a fast develop, bel banners fluttering from. the presence of so many foreign ing community, it has become parapet and drums beating from watch-tower As some grand "volunteers", it has developed a canker, a sore in an other-

procession of long-gowned, of- Surely they could with ad- the curious Rock which seemed into an international war in wise healthy, growing body, ficials came sweeping in with vantage accept the offer by always on the point of hurling miniature. It has been left to whose proposed removal by the the spoils of war.

Government of transplanting to itself on the panorama spread a French publicist and Deputy, surgeon's knife is raising this Within the decaying walls the other area prepared for below. From this vantage point, are just as decaying buildings, them, where, in surroundings one has a good view of the M. Henri de Kerillis, to suggest spectre of an old Treaty,

in which people are to be found more ample and better suited to other hills on the one side, and on the other. that Russia, Germany and Italy

As I understand it, the Treaty who still live in the atmosphere these pastoral pursuits, they the harbour

could continue the even, un- Those ancient Chinese officials have been using the Spanish which has made this walled of yesterday.

eventful tenor of their way, knew their fungahui well, as no conflict as a practical test

of arca

a special reservation for They are the older folk who The Yips and Leungs, though better spot could have been their men and materials as well the use of Chinese officialdom could talk of the time when it they be original settlers on the chosen for that constant watch was possible to pay one's house soil, had shown the way ere against freebooters on land and as their method of war organ-(then procceding · about the tax with strings of cash, and long this and had prospered, sea. isation. M. de Kerillis, who business of chasing Bias Bay that only after counting what What they could do. It is sup-

They say the Rock had lent has been on a visit to Spain aspirates and lopping off their number of beams

one's roof. So many beams posed the others of the remain itself to the scheme of defence by emitting a resounding noise one of the delegation of French heads) also gives the pre- so many strings of cash,and ing 300 inhabitants could well

when an alarm was pounded But old minds, wise in an "on "it in a particular spot of Right Deputies, is an ex-soldier, eminent British authority the not a farthing more! Se utterly having fought as a pilot in the right to reclaim it if and when simple, I should like our present-

day tax assessors to know of it. accumulation of lore and cus- which the secret had since been toms, are not to be so easily lost. What I imagine had hap Air Force during the Great War. thought fit and upon the pay-

+ *

placated. They resist a change pened was a big drum being According to information, whichment of adequate compensation he gleaned, from 10,000 to to house-owners. Why it should ACROSS the narrow, crooked from the narrow environment beaten from this point, to give streets are cast the ail to which they have been ac- its warning to the City below. 15,000 Russians belonging to the be so made a special reserva- houettes of flying machines go- customed, even though the in- The alarm was then re-ochood from the four different watch- ing about on their business to ducements are all to their ad-

one has to

follow.

LANE, CRAWFORD'S regular army have been serving tion when the, whole surround- and from the aerodrome, but vantage. So it is this complex towers over the Gates, after.

GREAT JANUARY

SALE

NOW PROCEEDING

MANY

BARGAINS

in

MEN'S WEAR

DEPARTMENT

Come Early!

was

*

being blocked, the inhabitants

could remain comfortably re-

cannon.

in Spain, together with from Ing area was brought under the men and women in this little which has to be first understood, which, with all means of ingress 12,000 to 15,000 Frenchmen, British lease, is w puzzle, to be walled City still live in the most from 2,000 to 3,000 Belgians, understood only by the diplo primitive state, jostling with pigs and poultry for room and

a relief to have left assured, in the knowledge of and as

many Czechs, Poles,matic needs of the time, but the cultivating little vegetable gar

the City with its dirt and the security of its walls and its Germans and Italians, fighting legacy left after a lapse of den patches which do not seem

of the Hill behind, where poised for the Spanish Government. many years is a misunderstand to accord well with our ideas of odour and reached the summit In addition to these, it is estim-ing, which I hope, however, to health and sanitation, ated that there are some 5,000 see speedily removed by the usual good understanding exist- German "specialists" and be- tween 20,000 and 25,000 men of German nationality with the

ing between the parties.

-ộ

❖

*

So

*

་་

AN old inhabitant, in showing me two of these old pieces now mounted as ornaments at

Why We Read Thrillers the East Gate, would have me

believe there were more than a thousand in the City when he walked in it as a boy! That was as it might be, and it would not have been amiss in a City chosen as the Headquarters for

rebels the equivalent of two I find the Old City somewhat divisions. Other foreign forces disappointing on this second with the insurgents, according visit after an intermission of WONDER if Edgar Wallace start-read about swindles and murders me ed it? Or was it the films? sudden deaths because it makes me 15 years. It could be to M. de Kerillis, were 2,000

captivating, in the same way There must be some good reason for feel that. I'm a very lucky man to

that it has lasted for several years. lucky. Business is full of worries, twice the size of Kowloon and 1,500 others of various nation-

People who read thrillers don't seem and often my conscience is bad. But the New Territories, and of alities, including a number of

to grow tired of them, us a peep into if I can go home at night and com- which these latter had been a What must be readily pare my lot to the poor fellow who Italian airmen. Not only are bombing plane is said to have any twopenny library will tell you, is wrongfully accused of murder and Part

almost convicted-well, I feel twice admitted, was the effect which this impressive array of au- vulnerable But why? proved extremely

the man I really am." Russia, Germany and Italy seek-

or course, the modern type of under active service conditions,

A girl who was unemployed and thority would have had on the ing to test their men and

detective story is eory to read. Usually you can finlsts ie in an oven- spent days on end hunting for a job cut-throuts of those days. That material, says this commentator,

ing and go to bed, sleepy but con- said almost the same thing. I get some of these weapons tented that the villain has been so engrossed in a thriller that I can more of a danger to the people. forget about myself, and that's a

than to those

hard fact, too, with no fancy writing

Irishmen, 600 Frenchmen, and that a thing could be captivaf. the boom in the thriller and the fact have none of them. Actually I'm nota. Magistrate ruling a county

Italian machines having broug..t them down in batches, whilst an-

+

were

but they are also checking up other type of French plane has brought to book. It is full of good. reller. A detective story is like dope using them information regarding the

been easily disposed of in acrial to tease the brain and set up tangent to me, and like all dope-addicts against whom they were direct- and more. They don'ted, is, of course, beside the methods and effectives of their combat. French anti-tank guns with the idea of solving the mystery

lines of thought. You settle down want more

ncod to be well written-usually

point. possible future enemies. Al

The passing away of. Old rendy, it is stated, valuable in-are said to have been somewhat before the chief clinracter does, and they are frankly bad literature-but

it's a pleasurable feeling to find that they serve their purpose."

Kowloon City will remove one inefficient, but their anti-aircraft you do. "I knew it long ago" is the

And a professor of literature at al formation has been gleaned from

guns are described as marvel- triumph of the thriller fan, and a University:"If you spent the day of the few links remaining to

fine sensation It gives too.

reading what is supposed to be fine this Colony with the olden days, the fighting. In this connection,

lous. Whether there is any But there must be more in it than writing and looking for beauty in The event is to be regretted, as truth in the story that certain this a million people don't read every sentense, yo book he doesn't is the necessity for it in the

you'd be thankful detective storics on the Government side have

Just because they pretend to be beautiful. It's simply general interests of of the Powers are deliberately make them feel clever and trium-story, and it's like a breath of cold much larger community. In the revealed a defect in that they making use of the civil war to phant, almost quick-witted detects fresh air after a day in a green-last analysis, no hardship for

to have cavities which

themselves. Do they prefer them

anybody is involved, as ample gain valuable military informa-less exciting action because of the excitement or because they are taken

it is said that many of the tanks

enable

house."

And what about you and me? We

a very

rebel soldiers to use flaming tion, it is beyond question that into a thrilling world of crime that read them too, of course, every time Provision is made both as re-

materials or gronades against thom with effect. Gerinan tanke

it in sald, have not this. defect-One type of

the occasion does provide such an opportunity-and one which Could have no counter-part in.

ordinary military manoeuvres.

the average ciltzen Imows not? Do they really like unreality? And if they do, why?

we get a chance. Shall we be honest gards new and sanitary ac and say candidly that we like thrill-commodation for the inhabitants Jers because they are thrilling? And who wish to transfer, and the because we, children under our alternative adequate compensa I naked a quiet little tradesman grown-up skins, dearly love to be tion for those others who prefer that question once, and he gave me thrilled?": -

A.B.C

it.: a remarkable answer. "I like to