1938-01-26 — Page 19

THE HONGKONG

JANUARY TELEGRAPH. WEDNESDAY,

26, 1938.

Personalities of Old Hongkong

PENURY FORCED HIM TO MIGRATE: H. K. GAINED WHEN HE MADE GOOD

FUNG PING-SHAN WAS GENEROUS DONOR TO . EDUCATION IN H. K.

By T. Paul Gregory

S IN OTHER PLACES WHERE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF T'ANG HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES, THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE PERCENTAGE OF THE OUTSTANDING MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN HONGKONG WHO HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WITH EDUCA- TION.

The Chinese have realised, more than any other nationality, that hok-man-chi-to (“the way of learning") is the principal one which leads to the development of good citizenship.'

4

One of the most noteworthy sons of our Colony who has played a conspicuous part in this field was Mr. Fung P'ing-shun.

Mr. Fung Ping-shan was born ditionally, he was a life member of in the year 1860 in little the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and was proprietor of the Yick On village of Taai-lung-lei near Bank and Siu. Fung Hong-two of Sunwui city, Sunwui District, Hongkong's flourishing Chinese fin- Kwangtung Province, und died anelul enterprises. His cominercial

interesta, too, had many ramifica in Hongkong at his residence, in

tions, extending as far Siam, An- Park Road, on August 2, 1931.

num and India.

well-rounded

Mr. Fung's record of public service was, as the Hon. Mr. North once fald, "one of which any man might have been proud." Education, however, was his pet hobby, and he devoted much of his time in his latter years to the promotion of cultural learn- ing in longkong. Perhaps the reil- so for his solicitude was the fuct that he himself was a self made man.

Like many of those indoillable Chinese who hail from the Sze-yap, he did not have the same opportuni- iles for nequiring education as his contemporaries Sir Kai Ho Kai und Dr. Wu Ting-fang. Indeed, the penury of his native vil lage early forced him to emigrate. so that at the age of 15 he went to Slarn, where he joined his paternal uncle, a merchant in Bangkok.

Here he remained until he was 20,Dented, by the exigencies of fate, the when his relative sent him back to

to the homeland in order

marry, The marriage, of course, was con- ducted after the manner of those ilmes, his bride being chosen for him by his father. She come of a spectable family, although one not blessed with an abundance of thix world's goods,

1

rc-

There is an incident which revenis the character of the man. It is said that whilst with his uncle in Bungkuk certain wealthy merchant and leader of the Chinese community in the Siamese capital took an especial interest in the promising youth, so much so that he offered the hand of his own daughter as a concubine, with the additional stipulation that her dowry would be a generous one. Mr. Fung, however, declined the well meant offer, quoting as a reason for his refusal the common anying: "Chuk-moon tui chuk-moon, muk- moon tut muk-muan." ("A bambou door should face a bamboo door, and a wooden door should face a wooden

door").

VISIT TO SZECHUAN

In 1882 the death of his father occurred and Mr. Fung, like a dutiful son, returned to his natal hamlet to oficiale in the funeral rites.

opportunity to acquire anything be- yond the most cleineniary education, he felt the most fitting purpose lo which his wealth might be devoted would be the erection of a public brary for the use of nspiring Chi- There- nese students of the Colony. fore he donated sufficient funds to Library, which stands on the Univer- memorial to his ally campus as philanthropy and altruism, Mr. Funst was also founder of the University's School of Chinese Studies, and took a prominent part in the establish- inent of the Aberdeen Industrial School, together with Sir Robert Ho Tung, donating $200,000 for this pur-

MR. FUNG F'ING-SILAN

FOOD COSTS

build the Fung Ping-shan Chinese H. K. MORE

THAN EVER

posc.

Some Prices Up

By Nearly 100 Per Cent.

ROOSEVELT STUDIES DEFENCES

Conference With Congress Chiefs

AID FOR KWANGTUNG

Washington, Jan. 25. President Franklin Roosevelt this His native district of Sunwul also

ufternoon conferred with members of benefited greatly from his benevo-

the House of Representatives' naval lence, and throughout that section

and military appropriations com of Kwangtung may be found free

Investigations by the Telegraph mittees, which has given rise to re- schools established through bis generosity. Amongst these may be disclose that the wholesale and ports that the President is consider- the naval building ing broadening mentioned the Fung Ping-shan retail prices of foodstuffs in programme as well as expansion of Higher Primary School, which has Hongkong increased in the last the army. been recognised by the Department three months of 1937 by over 60

Mr. Andrew J. May, a member of of Education as the model of its

the Military Committee. carller kind in the province of Kwang-per cent, compared with prices stated that the "whole defence lay tung. The district of his birth also for the same period in 1936,

out" would be under discussion.

bas

E RADIO BROADCAST

Talks on Australia's 150th. Anniversary Celebrations

LONDON RELAYS

Radio Programme

Broadcast by

Z.B.W. on Frequencies of 845 k.c's.

0.52 m.c's per second.

0 to 7 pm. Chinese Programme. 7.00 p.m. Dance Music.

Foxtrot The Night is Young, and You're so Beautiful; Waltz-Seul It and his Or- with a Kiss....Roy Fox chestra: Foxtrol-Angel of the Great Foxtrot Where White Way: Tango

the Cafe Lights are Gleaming--New Mayfair Dance Orchestra; Foxtrot- You Gotta know how to Dance- Harry Roy and His Orchestra.

7.16 London Belay-Take Your Choice."

A Weekly Entertainment Feature presented by William MacLurg.

7.16 London Relay A Theme and a Song.

Songs about Boots and Shoes-The Boy, The Girl, and the Trio with

Joe Marals and His Band.

8.00 Local Time Signal and Wea- ther Report. --

8.03 Studio. Harry Talbot (Darl tone) and A. T. Lay (Plano),

1. Early Morning: The Little Waves of Drekny (Graham Peel)... H. Talbot: 2. The Holy Boy (Ire

T. Lay: 3. Fill n Glass (Ind)....A. T..

With Golden Wine; Love's Philosophy (Guilter). H. Talbot: 4. Composl- tion by Balfour Gardiner...A. T. Lay: 5. "Hills" (La Furge)....H. Talbot.

8.25 New Mayfair Orchestra and Frances Langford.

"Happy Memories"-Selection ... Orchestra; It's Like Reaching for the Moon; Long Ago and For Away.... Frances Langford; Globe Trotting with the TigerNew Mayfair Cr- chestra; "Going Greek"-Selection.. ...New Maylair Orchestra,

8,50 Talks on Austraila's 150th Anniversary Celebration by The t. Hon. William Morris Hughes and the Rt. Hon. B. S. B. Stevens,

9.00 London Relay-Stars of An*- (ralia.

Australian artists who have be- come famous in the theatre intro- duced by Dudley Glass. The Artists include Florence Austral, Peter Daw- son, Madge Elliot and Cyril Prit- son, Madge Elliot and Cyril Rit- fard.

9.30 London Relay-The News.

Beethoven-Kroutzer 9.50 p.m. Sonata in A Major.

Played by Albert Summons and William Murdoch.

10.23 Conchita Supervia (50-

prano).

La Zingarella (Paisiello); Pastora magnificent collection of Index figures issutid by the Statisti- Mr. Carl Vinson, Chairman of the (Mirando); Un Barberille Allegro After the expiration of the pre- Chinese books housed in a building cat Office of the Imports and Exports Naval Commitice, said he expected (Prado): Sentir Gitano (Arenlitat). scribed period of forty-nine days, of dedicated to the memory of his fatlier: Department show that the current that the President's message to Con- 10.33 Organ and Choral Music. religious ceremonial, Mr. Fund and called the King-t'ong Memorial

would embrace the entire Traumeroi (Schumann); Andan- undertook 11 business venture into Chinese Library. This monument of prices for foodstuffs are the highest press

recorded in the Colony.

national defence system. the heart of little known Szechuan | the cultural heritage of China's sages

ilno in D Flat (Lemore)....Edwin An article that cost 85 cents in 1035 After the conference, the lenders 11. Lemare (Organ); Mystic Woods Province. In this mountainous` BCC= and learned scholars is acclaimed the tion of the Chinese Republie a wealth only private library in the whole of cost $1.51 in October last year, $1.45 stated that President Roosevelt was Based on "Raymand" Overture).... of Chinese herbs and medicinal sub- the Sze-yap..

In November and $1.43 in December. I sending special message to Con-The B. B. C. Wireless Chorus with These figures for wholesale prices gress in a few days, dealing in broad Orchestra: The Question; The An- stances are to be found; consequent-

swer (Wolstenholme) are indisputable. They are officially phrases with national defence.

....Reginald ly, Mr. Fung, who hnd incidentally learned the herbalist's art in Siam,

recorded by the Government statis Mr. May declared that the con- Goss-Custard; Fantasie-The_Storm ference considered all, scetions of de-| (Lemmens) ..Harry Goss-Custard. became forthwith a buyer and ex-

tician.

I p.m. Equally indisputable are the retalt fence, including aircraft. Router.

Close Down. porter of Chinese medicines.

nected with this institution of learn-gures compiled by the Telegraph. They are taken from the cash in- ing.

The most fitting summary of the voices of one of the largest com

pradore

establishments in Kowloon, life of Mr Fung may be gathered from some of his own aphorisms, one and have been painstakingly checked. They disclose that, in some cases,

were

His"

business acumen was such that after ten years of concerted effort he was able to amasa a comfortable for- tune and returned to Cunton.

In the latter city he soon became one of the most prominent merchants

Sun Yat-sen University al Canton also benefited from his munificence, as he was the donor of the building of the Higher Primary School con-

of the metropolis and, as a leader in of which was as follows; "When you the prices of foodstuffs in the last

the Medicine Dealers'

Guild,

was

are thinking of your parents' fortune, you must suppose your parents to

three ths of last year

months of

chosen to act as director of a number have more children than they really m most 100 per cent. higher than the the of Chaton charitable insiitutions, one

have; but when you are asked to prices ruling in the same period of of which was the well-known Fong contribute to the family you, must 1935. Filty and sixty per cent, in- Pin Hospital,

only creates in retail prices of foodstuffs In 1904 there was a very severe regard yourself as being the

child." Another was: "In denting are by no means uncommon when famine in Kwangtung Province and with the world in general, the first dockets for the last three months of Mr. Fung was chosen to head a com- thing to bear always in mind is not 1030 are compared with millee sent to Hongkong lo purchase to deceive others, the second is not the same period in 1937,

for rice and other food stuffs alleviation of suffering in the Pro- to allow others to deceive oneself."

the

vince. Although large quantities of rice were bought, the funds in hand were insuficient. Ready money wns not available at the moment, but co esteemed was Mr. Fung's integrity that the Rice Merchants' Guild offered him credit without question. He was able to arrange for the immediate despatch of the rice to Conlon, and many lives were saved.

CAME TO HONGKONG Early in the Arst decade of the present century Mr. Fung removed

to our Colony, which he thereafter

made his residence until the time

Two Extremes!

Argue Cases

As Diet Sits

those for

Here are some of the items chosen at random during the Telegraph in- vestigations:

CASH

PRICES

RETAIL IN KOWLOON

Flour, per the Sugor, per lb.

Sugar Cubes Rolled Oals Macaroni Prunes

Tokyo, Jun, 20. Jam (average price) Elective steps to control capital Currant

of his death. Here, on account of was demanded in the Diet by re- Sultanas

his benevolence, he became one of presentatives of the ultra-Rightist Raisins

the most prominent members of the Tohokai Party during last night's de- Eres (per dozen)

bate. Chinese community.

The Tung Wah Hospital became

}

Bell-raising Hour

1030 193 Jan. Dec.

7 11

11

28

23

35

28

S.S. Federal's Crew Joins Another Ship

Britons Plan Adventurous Trip South

Former H.K. Officer One Of Pair On Drive To Colony

San Francisco, Jan. 25, The Hongkong Chinese crew of the steamer Federal, which allegedly went on strike, is going to New York to join apather ship. A new non- Chinese crew is manning the Federal, A member of the original crew told Reuter:

"We left Hongkong thinking

Hankow, Jan. 20. Wo were to carry medical suppiles from America to Shanghai. We An interesting trip is being start- would be shot as Chinese in Japan, ed to-day by two Britons who are and if we escaped we would be shot leaving Wuchang at dawn for Can- un traitors in China. That is why ton. They are Captain C. R. Boxer, we refuse to sail in the Federal." of the Lincolnshire Regiment who

Reuter.

WORLD'S SMALLEST

PAPER MONEY

arrived here by air from Hongkong ten days ago, and Mr. Charlton, a Russlan

and adopted son of Mr. A.P.C., Chariton, formerly of the Shanghal.

Mr. Charlton arrived in Hankow Kiuklang Pelping, Jan. 20, on Monday night from Probably the world's lowest from where he drove his car. Ile denomination paper currency has spent yesterday overhauling It 28 been issued here, valued at four cop- 10 31.20

pers, which is under a third of the 45 American cent-United Press,

33

CHINESE PRESS CONTINUES

DEFIANCE OF JAPANESE

his special interest, and he served on An interpolator who took up the several occasions 15 its ndviser, cudgels in defence of Japan's un- director and chairman.

privileged classes was Mr. Torno Like his compatriot, Sir Boshan Miura, virtually unknown outside the Wel-yuk, he devoted filmself to the Lower Chamber. He suggested the welfare of the Chinese masses, and alleged severity displayed by the was especially prominent in the work Government in putting down Inbour of the Po Leung Kult. He was an and tenants' disputes should have Unofficial Justlee of the Pence, and, been shown in its treatment of the

Hankow, Jan. 25. Representative of official Chinese opinion, the very associated with his contemporary, rich. 1c further urged the Govern- Sir Boshan Wel-yuk. in the laud-ment to relax restrictions

speech influential newspaper, the Taking Pan, interprets the Intest able cause of upholding law and and organisation, declaring that no order, was also a member of the Dis-country over developed without some Japanese declaration to mean the end of third party mediation, trlet Watch Commillee.

dissenting voices from within. and an indication that Japan intends to cut off China's supply

·Being a business man, commerce

routes. was of course his forte, so we find Replying, the Home Minister, Ad- Mr. Fung one of the founders and miral Suetsugu, sald the Govern- The paper describes the Pelping, foreign powers. permanent directors of the Banic ofment had no intention of putting regime дя "Japan's illegitimato The position and power of the East Asin, Ltd, He was also Manak-down labour or tenant disputes un- child", and says that Japan's threat Chinese Government is not affected Ing Director of the Yu Hing Co less they violated the inw. He that she may still declare war on by these declarations, says the news Trid., and for many years served on phasised he would not hesitate to China In order to stop foreign arma paper, and the determination of the the directorate of Chinese Estates, suppress those elements which broke thipments, and also to avoid the fur- Chinese Government and the people Lid, and many other pubile and pri-the-law whatever their economule ther gombilty of furd partyanaullum kesil vate companies in the Calony, Ad-power or social standing,Reuters FionaFemers panele dejenta a Fresn. Unded Erabak

fa

The two are setting out this morn- ing ond hope to make Changshin In about 10 hours. It is understood that the rond between Wuchang and Changsha is not good, but beyond Changsha improves. The road runs parallel to the railway most of the way. The pale taking stores enough for a week.-Reuter.

30 KILLED IN BARCELONA BOMBING RAID

Barcelona, Jan. 25, The city was again bombed this morning when 12 Insurgent planes dropped 30 bombs in the central and southern part of Harcelona, killing 30, and wounding over 50.

The altack lasted: only two minules and the inhabitants hardly

had lime tog avci, sover"===Itgizar

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