1937-03-05 — Page 22

10

THE

HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH.

FRIDAY,

MARCH

5,

1937.

LEADER ON LEGAL TENDER

"WHAT is legal tender?""" Il is the

sort of question which arouses a

amile of easy self-assurance.

"Legal lender?" says the mind to itself. "Of course I know what legal fender is!"

But when the time comes to express the knowledge there is name stumbling and fumbling in the task of producing o conelse definition, and further at- tempts to remove obscurity by claboration of detail often result the commission of actual errors.

an in

such

con-

Our own erudite examiner was not, on this occasiott, exempt from human frailties. He gave the Adent and correct general reply that legal tender is "currency or money authorized by law to be used in pay- ment," and then, swept ulong upon the wave of his authority, declared that "In Great Britain, Treasury notes

any are legal tender "Eheu fugaces, Posturne, ("Alas for the notes that are lost to inc, lost to

notes me!") Treasury were replaced by Bank of England nales in 1928, and, though a former possessor may feel tender about them, he cannot now tender them at all.

to

amount." Postume."

At the risk of further "howlers" it may be interesting to delve a little more deeply into this recondite ques- lon, even in a world where no force the is generally required to secure acceptance of anything of value.

Several unpleasant shocks await the inquirer. The first is that the Bank of England Hole for £5 or any higher denomination is only legal tender in England or Wales. If it is proffered with In Scotland it can be refused contumely and a mutter of "Bannock- burn"; but if the debtor in Scotland ever becomes a creditor he can score

to. 17 unworthy revenge by refusing accept a £1'Scottish note. He can also compel his creditor to accept Bank of England E1 and 103, notes, which are legal tender throughout

Britain and Northern Ireland,

Great

In all these transactions, however, the greatest care must be

observed.

In the first place, the reader is not advised to test the general knowledge of the law by proffering £5 notes in Scotland in the expectation that they will be refused. An adventurous race is far more likely to accep!

them.

In the second place, if a creditor re- fuses to accept a, tender held to be legal, then he loses all rights to In- terest after the date of the tender and also to the costs of recovery, He must also be extremely careful how he seeks to make his debtor pay; for an Act of 1910, with prophetic fore- sight of the reparations muddle, makes it larceny to resort to threats. These facts will, no doubt, confirm the com- mon impression that it is better to be debtor. On the other hand the debtor, if he wishes to tender payment; musi actually produce the cash; and silver is good enough for a debt up in £2. and pence or halfpence for a debt up to one shilling.

But here a second shock awaits the investigator of this matter. It appears that a copper is not a copper (unless of course it is a policeman), but a bronze, because It contains traces of tin and of zine. The well-informed beggar therefore who asks the passer- by to spare a bronze is not expecting one of the works of Epstein to be pro- duced from his benefactor's pocket; and the ignorant rascal who begs for a copper and be told with perfect truth that it is impossible to grant his request Olymplan personages who are in the habit of lending larger amounts than £2 must be satisfied in notes which have statutory thority, as already explained, or in gold coln. There seems to be no speel- the authority for the charming fantasy gold that they can be tossed a bar of weighing 200 ounces, or 10 ounces if they happen to live in Shang- Jani, though these are the weights in which bars are made up, for some unknown reason, outside and inside the Far East respectively. The law merely provides that gold, if of or. above the least current weight, legal tender to any amount. The low also encourages the breaking, culting.

ས

21-

is

or defacing of any gold coin which is

SPARE MOMENT PAGE

Chapter One

“TELEGRAPH'S" NEW FILM SERIAL

LOYDS OF LONDON

by

PETER B. KYNE

The story of the 2014 Contolyufur, picture #bes Janctoteipe: Coiroll nod Freudta, beribolomew wi

Tyrone Power, Si Guy Standing und C, Aubrey Si

Jonathan nodded, arved the of the saliora' heavy boots on the burst into tears. Horallo, a pale. drinks and resumed his erat. But cobblestones, trailed soundleasty on rather delicata înd drowed in shorts his interent la Widow Blake was his bare feet some am fost behind and a long tailed coat that mado gone: be young oats were cocked of the men when one of them to catch more of the conversation lighted his pipe; in the momentary at the table, for the pair were auf them, Dohind him Widow Blake contry far gone in liquor and log was screaming and cursing. de- contemptuous of the befuddled manding his immediate return to widow and a more child to be at the groggery, there to be beaten all callous,"

him look not unlike a dressed-up Na late afternoon in the year

sparrow, twlated nervously on his 1770, in the fishing village of

eat and glanced around the room Burnham-Thorpe, in the county of

for inspiration, for experients had told him that each of his sistors Norfolk, England, two men-sail

would, in turn, fall to decline agri- within an inch of his o

cola, that his father would thon' nrs, if one might judge by their

"Drk up, shipmate," the older The alt tang of the English demand that Horatio decline it- costumes-felt their way through man urged scornfully, an' maybe Channel and the not unpleasant and Horatio realized that he also.

this rotten rum') put some brasa inodor of decaying seaweed, tor and would fall and be penalized accord the fog along a narrow greasy ye're backbone." They drank and wet canvas apprized him presently ingly.

Ilia glance rested on a pate little street. A pale beam of light shone the voice continued, "They're gold that he was approaching the water- from a small window; a lantern to do the job tonight, while this front. He followed the two men out faco framed in a shock of black above the door outside feebly flu thick fog holds, Young Scroggins, onto a rickety dock and watched hair, close to the wiadow; then

minated a sign that hung out over the sidewalk and proclaimed to the world that here was: WIDOW BLAKE'S ALE HOUSE SNUG AND COŻY

"We'll drop anchor hare, matey." bald the older of the two men, and pushed through the door Into the tap room. They rented themselve and stared belligerently at the Widow Blake, an ancient einftern, who peered at them auspiciously from behind the bar.

"Well,

shrilled,

wot'll yer have?" sho

"Two hot rums, love e ma life," one of the sailors answered.

"Jonathan Mother Blake rereamed. "Blorat yer lazy nou, where are ye?"

A rear door opened and a bare- footed, ragged lad of about thirteen entered the tap room. "Here!" he cried In a_ringing voice.

TELA

Mother Blake, who was rather far tone in drink, alaggered to him and atruck him a olinging blow on the jaw. "Two 'ol ruma," she croaked. The bay nodded cheerfully. ignoring the blow, prepared the two noggins of rum and hot water and carried them to the customers' table, after which he retired, to n azat in the angle formed by the fireplace and the wall. Here, ni- though not visible to the customers, ho was not more than six feet from them and could hear every word of their convernalion. It was not at all his Intention to cavendrap; he has soch, at a glance, that both men were more than half tipay and a. Jong and apprenticeship at Widow Blake's groggery, had taught him that half drunken men never in. dulge in conversation remotely worth latening to. Indeed, Widow Blake claimed all of his attention this evening, for, early as it was, the had already, arrived at that atale of inebriety where who would the skipper's bey heard 'om a dis-1 them descend a stairway to a float finger beckoned to blm-violently. he dangerotin to him. Later in the evasin' of it an' told mo, on my beelde which a skin lay thed. Jona- A signal that spelled the necessity evening she would begin to distrust promise to see to it that he gets than was standing within four feet for haste, regardless of consequen her legs and then Jonathan would ils fair share of the loot, name as lumination the boy saw across the ces. So, whlin, his father was busy

the help her off to bed and looit after the able neamen. Fere's the steep, ntern of the dot lived in into the slipped sliently, so if greased, name, terrorizing Susannah, Master Hora- the grorgery until closing Ume, in from Spain with a whackin' Meggio-O.

out of the room. A moment later he Fo heal in the corner, eyeing consignment o' gold Ingote for din neling village two years not to her speculatively, yet strangely charge in Londen. She's 'eld up 'ers resize that this skin belonged to appeared beside Jonathan. without hatred, nibell he was die by the fog for a wrok. The plan is a vowel of the name name.

"Well, my good fellow," he sa "Maggie-O has the gold aboard," Iuted iho Urchin patronizingly, gusted enough. He was wondering to lay her alongside our brig an how much longer he must enduro tranfer the ingots to our hold; he reflected, with that mental lucid-"and what's la the wind now?" the horribis.old harridan.before he then she's hauled off an' scuttled ity so often found in very young "Gold! Crime. Murder on the would have the courage to seek n' ve sayves ourselves un best we children who have known the worst high scan," Jonathan whispered. elsewhere for shelter from the ele can. The gold's supposed to "ave that life has to give. "And the gold ments and food for his lank litle one down with 'or, but all the time is going to be changed to the Sen- stomach Jonathan, orphaned, it's syto aboard the Sen-'orse, an' horse. Nice work, I calls it, Horatio would have been a work-house Lloyd's of London mykes good on must hear of this, aoein as 'ow he's brat, but Widow Blake, hls aunt the insurance. Sweet. I calls me partner?

Ile returned to the street as tho by marriage, seeking a slave, had But ur bloody foremast 'ande, wot had him handed aver to her on her moves the gold, 'ave to ave our fair two men pulled off into the fog and specious promise to give him a good whnok: if we don't get it we blow ran for half a mile until be found home. He was intrigued by the sight the garin to Lloyd's, for which two lampposta glowing faintly and of her gin-colored nose; the bright we're richly rewarded, an on the about six fest apart. He know where Tosy and of her proboscis always frat bright day we walk out to he was now, for these lamp-posts fascinated him; he wandered if the ace thern connivin' skippers 'ung in flanked the carriage entrance to the mother he had never seen was re- chains.”

rectory of the Reverend Mr. Nelson, motely like Widow Bike and tho "They should listen to reason," whose only aon, a ind of Jonathan's sluts who frequented the neighbor the other man agreed, but even ago and much too democratic in hood and frequently Importuned Jonathan could see that he was his choice of associates to please him to extend them credit for gin mid, as becomes one who has lived his father, was, by some strange en he nights when the widow auc- A life of intimidation and upon freak of boyish tolerance and ad- cumbed to har potations earlier hono pernon had boon visited all miration, Jonathan's sole friend and than usual. He had never seen a too frequently the appalling brutal playmato. Upon the two acesalonsepeak up. What do you suggest? Jady,

itles so prevalent in the English when Reverend Mr. Nelson had Tell me and I shall give your sug His attention was caught by a

"It seems to me," Jonathan re- navy and mercantile marine in found the disreputable Jonathan on gestion due consideration. fragment of conversation from the those days. "But," he added on a the promises, he had ordered him 1wo customers. The elder of the two whining note, "wot If they refuse to be off and promised him a birch piled judicially, "that we must be fellows was speaking:

ing if he should show his nose there sure of our ground before we tell "Listen to me, matey, and do They can be chucked overboard, again. Bo Jonathan was gratefuloyd's of London about this win wot I say, an' yo'n lle drunk for a m'lad: they'll drown on quick as now for the fog that hid him, ar do

"Ah, yes. Lloyd's munt, of course, year on the gold, it'll get ye. We'll you an' me. Come on, Let's go bacit he crossed the lawn and poor be informed at the earliest possible

to the ship.”

into the lighted window of the moment to prevent the payment of all be rich."

They rose and Jonathan heard ing room of the rectory. "Aye," his companion muttored thickly, "but if anythin' allps we're the clink of coins thrown on the His heart filed with pity for the insurance."

"So you and I Horatio, must gibbel fruit***

table. The men had reached the Horatio as he surveyed the scene The older man banged the table door and Jonathan was about to within. Mr. Nelson was tutor to his steal a small boat and go out to the scene of the crime, obnorve it with his mug. "Two more ruma, pick up the coine, when Widow own children-four in number, the lang," he called to Widow Blake. Blako screeched at his elbow. "Por other three boing, girls, and Jon-and-or-ah-" and Jonathan sprang to all the tugee coppera: Didn't I tell yer?" than realized, by the unhappines Horalie Nelson and in ble childish

Jonathan looped for the door, but, evident in each tittle face. that order, necopting another smart alap from the proprietress as be lid murprisingly, the old indy followed their father was striving to teach treble there was something of the post her. As he passed her again, swiftly, in time to give him a chove them something very dificult to tone that was to lend England's with n

mug in each hand she and send him flying through the learn. As a matter of fact the un-nary to glorious victory thirty-five blosed:

open portal out into the middle of imaginative martinet was demand-years later at Trafalgar. "Mind, Jonathan, ya don't let that the mirant, where the for imme-ing that his ten your old daughter, scum pay yo with them worthless diately swallowed him. He pleked Susannah, decline the Latin noun, himself up and, following the moand agricola. She failed miserably and Portugee coppers."

Jonathan's attention was caught by a fragment of conversation from the two customers' tablo. young mars were cooked to catch more, for the pair wero «ufficiently gone in liquor, and too contemplu ms of the befuddled widow and a mere child to be at all cautious.

below the least current weight by Office seemned to pride itself upon any person to whom it is tendered: being a surly bureaucracy. That is not so. It is the business of every but is is a risky business, 'because,

to provide

If such a person defaces by stamping purchaser

the correct

a coln under suspicion and It turns amount in legal tender. Change can

תר

to?"

out not to be a "wrong 'un," he is nowhere be demanded except from the T.T. guilty of an indictable misdemeanour the form of change for a note of £3 T. Shanghat

Bank of England, and then only In Demand In any case these provisions concern- Ing gold coins are rather sardonie In or more into £1 or 103. notes; and T.T. Singapore

T.T. Japan an age when there are none in cur- the fact that complications do not more rent circulation, and the fortunate pos-often arise is a great tribute to the TT. India sessor of a few odd sovereigns is for kindliness of mankind in voluntarily T.T. U.S.A. more tempted to sell them to a gold-giving change when it is humanly TT. Manlia smith than to pay debts with them. Possible. Strictly speaking, however, T.T. Batavia As for coins which, come under sus the proelice of tendering a £5 note TT. Bangkok picion, not as light in weight but as for a penny bus fare should not be TT. Saigon bad in quality, the simplest thing to Jadulged in except at the doors of the TT. France do is not to accept them, or, if they Banks of England, when the intending T.T. Germany

obtain T.T. Switzerland have been accepted inadvertently, to passenger can bolt in and tender, them with a caveat at some change if it is refused on the bus. TT, Australia booking office where there is a test-Even so, he cannot count upon oblain- ing machine which will break theming anything smaller than a 10s. note, while you wait, and

any and the wise breadwinner will there- remove

4 m/s. L/C London fore make a habit of borrowing a few temptation, to pass the torch to someone else in a handful of change. bronzes from his family before leav 4 m/s D/P do

Ing home. Otherwise he will have 4 m/s. L/C USA. The mention of change leads straight elther to-descend-or-lo-travel-in-the 4 m/s. France.....

money's 39 d/s. India to the greatest shock of all those latest bus until he has had his

THE

"Explain," Horatio commanded. Bo Jonathan explained while his pal Hatened gravely and without in- termiption.

"You did. weil, my man," he as- nounced gravely at the conclusion of the tale, "to bring this matter to my attention, I will consider what mensures to take to unhorse these scoundrels." And he advanced one foot and scratched the end of his mal pale chin as if employed la most profound thought on a most perplexing problem. Falling in this as miserably as he would have falled to decline the Latin noun,

Bricol, he said peremptorily

well, my good Jonathan,

"Follow me,” commanded littlo

✡TA CROAT - VOX FILM DOREDRATION

(To be continued)

SWEDISH EAST ASIATIC

SERVICE OF FAST MOTOR VESSELS

1

2

(with limited, but exceptionally good, paasonger eccommodation). TO PORT SUDAN, PORT SAID, ALGIERS, ORAN, ANTWERP, ROTTERDAM, (AMSTERDAM), HAMBURG, OSLO, GOTHENBURG and other SCANDINAVIAN PORTS.

HOMEWARDS

PRESIDENT LINER TRAVEL SERVICE

is Yours to Command

President Libers' frequent sailings and their unique stopover privileges allow you to travel just exactly no you chose. And Dollar Steamship Lines and American Mall Line worldwide 'officĉe and agents are maintained to serve you ashore in whatever place you chance to be. Make your next trip more enjoyable, travelling "The President Line way."

TO SAN FRANCISCO. NEW YORK AND BOSTON

Via Shanghal, Kobe, Yokohama.. Honolulu, San Francisco, Panama Canal and Havana. Pres. Hoover 10.08 .m. Mar. Pres. Cleveland 1.00 a.m. Mar. Pres. Coolidge 10.00 a.m. Apr. Prcs. Taft

0,00 a.m. Apr. Pres. Hoover Noon May Pres. Lincoln 8.00 am. May

EUROPE, NEW YORK AND BOSTON

Via Manila. Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Bombay, Suez Canal. Naples, Genoa and Marseilles. Pros, Wilson 6.00 p.m. Mar. Pres. Monroe Pres. Adomė Pres. Harrison Pres. Polk

Pres. Pierce

8.00 am. Mar. 8.00 am. Mar. 8.00 am. Apr. 8.00 a.m. Apr. 8.00 a.m. May

TO SEATTLE, VICTORIA THE EXPRESS ROUTE”.

Via Shanghal, Kobe and Yoko- 1830..

7Pres. McKinley 26 Pres. Grant

3 Pres. Jackson 21 Pres. Jeferson

1Pres. McKinley 19 Pres. Grant

Midnight Mar. 12 Midnight Mar, 20 Midalght Apr. Midnight Apr. 23 Midnight May Midnight May MANILA

THE MOST FREQUENT SERVICE

Next Sallings,

Pres. McKinley 17 Pres. Wilson 20 Pres. Monroe 11Pres. Cleveland 25 Pres. Grant

Pres. Coolidge

Midnight Mar.

21

น

6.00 p.m. Mar, 8.00 am. Mar. 17 Noon Mar. 18 6.00 p.m. Mar, 20 9.00 pm. Mar. 26

MOST FREQUENT SERVICE ON THE PACIFIC

DOLLAR STEAMSHIP LINES

AMERICAN MAIL

TEDDER BUILDING HONG KONG.

CANTON BRANCH1-21, FRENCH CONCESSION.

To BHANGHAI

#

LINE

TO EUROPE

AT REDUCED RATES

BY FAST MODERN and COMFORTABLE SHIPS

FRENCH MAIL

STEAMERS

Bailings from Hong Kong: - КОВЕ

Bernardin de St. Plerre

8th Mar., 1937. Pres. Doumer 19th Mar, 1037, Andre Lebon 3rd Apr., 1937. Jean Laborde .16th Apr. 1937. Porthos

2nd May 1937.

To MARSEILLES via Saigon, Singapore, Colombo, Djibouti (Aden), Suez, Pori-Bald Felix Roussel 0th Mar., 1937. Bernardin de St. Pierre

23rd Mar, 1937. Pres. Doumer 6th Apr., 1937, Andre Lebon 20th Apr. 1937. Jean Laborde ..4th May, 1037.

M CieDes MESSAGERIES MARITIMES

3 QUEEN'S BLDO.

TEL: 200SI

Our British crosswORDS

прода

233

ACROSS

1 All these clues are.

4 Speech that may find you out,

0 Has this

shelves?

library

11 Vile upheaval:

12 Letters of attorney.

revolving

13 When a bookmaker admits a

mistake.

15 You'd need

one to climb

iceberg (two words, 3 and 3).

16 Haphazard.

17 Bereaved season.

19 Hard to find.

20 Might occur even to you.

22 Roll of American notes,

25 Lend a hand.

in

27 A number of rows with faddist. 28 Wrote You are old, Father William," a long time before Carroll ever thought of it,

20 Sounds a merry composition. 31 Against

32 This fixture has nothing to do with the League of Nations (two words, 4 and 7).

EXCHANGE

Selling

101

329

.100

.81%

130

60% .54% 149%

.044

.0.40 76

132

Buying

M.S. “NAGARA”

6th March

M.S. "DELII"

.2nd April

1/3.1/32 1/3

M.S. "SHANTUNG"

.28th April

.304

.8.74

82

,4.88

M.S. "CANTON"

.14th April

Passenger Rates:

Hong Kong to Alglers

£40

about 'way

0

Hong Kong to Antwerp

£54

Agents:

GILMAN & CO., LTD.

Hongkong.

́G. E. HUYGEN

Canton.

An exhibition of all paintings by

In the question of legal tender. It is worth, and the picture of changeless U.S. Cross rate in London not generally recognized that tax-passengers grimly working off their drivers and the like are within their notes is amusing without being allur-* rights in talling to possess change, ing to habitues of rush hours. Finally, Most people are familar with the fact | It may be hoped that these revelations Mr.-S. B.-Wong, will be held at thel that Postmasters are not bound to give of potential embarrassments will not change when receiving a payment nor undermine the general affection for Hotel Ceell from March-8 to March authorized to do so when making a legal tender nor impair the benevo- 10, under the auspices of the Hong- payment; but think that this is only a lence of the wish that all may have kong Working Artlate Guild. It will be open from 10 am, to p.m. daily, relle from the past when the Post more of it, whatever it la..

OUTWARDS.

Ballia about

To SHANGHAI, YOKOHAMA, KOBE and OSAKA.

33 Our coasts frequently suffer

from it

34 I'd rather have them than

Overs!

DOWN

1 Are the more usual.

2 There is nothing about a note

to hang anything by.

3 Asking for more.

5. You'll discover this in a round-

Price, of Decupation.

7 E.g., Stephens,

9. The start of many a request,

Nicer secret hidden here.

10 Form of salutation (two words,

4 and 7).

110

13 Train put into words.

roundings.

14 Sway, like a lower in my suṛ-

17 Reduce rents possibly,

18 Between two miles, it's very

much further.

21

It

la not playful to apply this

term to a porteress

23 The man composes a composi-

tion.

34 The donkey conceals its dimen-

alons for the trials. 20 This city might be looted at any

time..

27 Indicates the party of moderate

opinions,

30 If you are all this, nothing has

distracted your attention:

31 You are left to guess the name

of the author.

Yesterday's Solution

BOW LILLIPUTTAN

AMAROMARENGI CARAVAN] HALIFAX

K_BE_C_E_Y_UI SALE KEYED OSLO LEE GET D CEL IDARTS SCANDAL

EMBASSY PAGES P ROBAIE PO S.TAB TRUNK LAND SBD_T_B__ NB OUTLAWBIASHANE. I FESTED ONE D “FURTHERMORE THA