1938-08-23 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1938. ⠀⠀⠀⠀

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The Last Word in

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THE YEAR'S

STUDEBAKER

Some Expressions of Satisfied Owners:

"You can't wear out a Studebaker."

"Costs less to run."

So

This Was Old Hongkong!

AT LONG LAST IT COMES

INTO ITS OWN

THE closing years of the 'fifties are in reality amongst the most remarkable in our local history; for they saw Hongkong firmly established as. British Colony, "Leads in roominess and in miracle- The appalling conditions of the previous decade which had accounted for such an enormous toll of human lives were.

rido comfort."

and never feel fatigued."

"I can drive it hundreds of miles rapidly being corrected. Effectual drainage, a better sup- ply of water, and the planting of trees all over the Island were proving successful in combatting the menace of in- cipient malaria, and the name "Hongkong fever" by which this scourge of the European in the East was then known was now fast losing its significance. Hongkong was "coming of age" and was now settling down as a flourish- ing little trading community.

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Hongkong Telegraphı.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1938.

PROBLEM FOR POST OFFICE

Over two years of handling air mails should have taught the postal authorities all there is to know of the expeditious exécu- tion of this very essential ser- vice; the acid test, however, will come next week when the bulk of Hongkong's Empire letters, once

sent by air as a novelty and even now as a com- parative luxury, will have no alternative means of transport. The pust two years have not been

were

counter-

BY

T. PAUL GREGORY

The Hongkong Monthly Magazine

"With the 1st July, commences a the series of publications under above Title, Edited by Mrs. A. E. Beecher. It will be the aim of the Editress to sustain a pleasant Local Magazine, making it welcome alike to the Household and the Counting Room, and in all respects credit- able to the community whence I emanates."

attempted in the Far East, and whilst It was

unfortunately ephemeral in Its existence, it yet enjoyed mucli popularity and its name The Hong- kong Monthly Magazine was well- known in its day. It was unique in', the annals of local journalism Inns- much as its publisher and founder was a woman, Mrs. A. E. Beecher, an American missionary, and incidentul- ly sister-in-law of the famous divine, Notwithstanding the ceaseless at Henry Ward critics abroad the local mercantile in the China Mfall of June 24, 1857, tacks made upon the Colony by its nouncement of the undertaking occurs

Beecher. Her an

community was at any rate firmly and reads as follows: convinced of the great future in store for the port. It foresaw that the successful conclusion of the war with Local conditions, however, were yet As a matter of historical accuracy, "boom." and it was prepared to take China would result in a great trade far from hical, and in the opinion there was much truth; in the constant advantage of the opportunity. In of the stay-at-home Englishman hurling of charges and Hongkong was still "the absurd charges; for "where there is smoke fact, with the close of the fiffics the choice made by the British Govern- there is bound to be fire."

wave of prosperity became so marked It is that there occurred a ment for a colony, and burial ground pity to record that most of these

definite in- for British troops off China."

crease In In accusals

were too true.

population. Hongkong Alleged fact, to damn one to Hongkong" instances of graft and corruption East for the aspiring young men of now became the mecca of the Far was at that time a popular variant were constantly being brought to of an every day ontli; for according light, and it was not until the next shed

the day, and the dark accounts pub-. to the mid-nineteenth century con- decade that the Colony achieved its seemed only to increase their desire in the Home newspapers ception, mir present Colony was present high standard of oMelal to seek their

The other periodical which Orst the "nearest counterpart to Hell Integrity and efficiency.

fortunes here; for to saw the light at this time was the that could be found on

many the "advertising" of the Daily Press, which commenced Even the staid The Morning Advertiser in its issue alluded to Hongkong on more than was the best sort of inducement to purpose of the newspaper

London Times. Colony as it was done in those days, publiention on October 1, 1857. The of October 10, 1850, in accounting for the alleged unpopularity of this quarrelsome little island."

Опе occasion as a "turbulent

settlers. Youths who serve the interesia of the rapidly

gem of the

the narrow sphere at expanding commercial community, Other shafed at East states that English journals were for more out activity in England rejoiced at their and its founder Mr. Yorick Jones "possibly the temperature and climate must also

spoken, as for instance, the Morning chance of escape. The presence of Murrow, was a man who was one of be Laken inta

Advertiser which stated in consideration

so many recruits 1850:

to the Counting- the outstanding personalities of his As to climate, Spite, corruption, meanness, false housos of the Colony injected into time. Under his direction the Daily when we state that the fall of rain hood, and avarice, are barn of the colonial life an exuberance and jole Press achieved eminence 08 the- from the 1st July last to the 31st situation and nurtured in the locality. de vivant which was a striking com- premier house organ of the local mer- was 50 inches, and that up to the We can imagine no British settlement mentary to the mournful attitude canille community, 8th August it was still raining hard equally hateful, always excepting prevalent eighteen or twenty years

and this, with the agreeable episode moral attributes of Hongkong, the there, with no prospect of cessation Norfolk Island, save Aden... The previously.

conveyed some faint iden, at least to exist, have made it, in addition to of a typhoon-we hope that we have venality and corruption that there meteorologicut readers, of a few of its natural ill-fane, the noisome the delights of Hongkong.".

scandal of the East. The official and social guano of the island is Augean Graft And Corruption in quantity and quality, Iniqully

has become there a custom, ele."

་

Far

could not

earth."

were

new And get

Start Of Newspapers

wax to

In short, Hongkong was now fully

"of age", and no longer were the cateful jeremiads of its crities up- plicable to the changed conditions trade development which was now it was far too much occupied in reap- An indication of the phenomenal the Colony. And even if they were, taking place in the Colony was the ing the benefits of its own prosperity establishment of two journals in to hearken to the captious recital of 1857. One yas

monthly any of its shortcomings 'either at imagazine, the first of its kind ever home or abroad,

A POLICEMAN'S LOT

*

*

**

truculent but the constable on duty cowed him effectively when he sald, "Come on there, move on-also I'll wash you!"

*

Those factors, which probably did without their complaints

more than anything else to bring upon from a public which, reasonably,

the Colony auch an unsavoury re- expected that the acceleration in importance au a great port, were the putation belying its growing transit of air mails would be, unseemly quarrels which in view of the higher postage,

allowed to create dissension in the accompanied by their quicker another of graft and corruption, and community. Omcials accused one passage through the post office.

POLICEMAN'S lot, so it is said. "Let me see your hands," said the The main grievances was that Bowring

even the then Governor, Str Jolin is not a happy one, and it is cer- sergeant, who, after an examinallon, dense as they are made out to be, Policemen, however. ure not so often,

forbear after

from tainly the case that being

most of the turned to the Magistrate and said, and very often come out best in rushed taking part. "Muck raking" of the jokes which feature policemen make "This man has through the air

not worked for encounters-even in Jokes. The at over 100 most noisome thoroughness was minds one of the advice given by an as mine."

the poor "bobby" the butt. It re- months, sir, his hand are assoft seedy individual was proving a tride miles an hour and landed in

openly endulged in, and readily found old lawyer to a young one, "Show no Hongkong at nightfall, letters

Its echoes in the pages of the local mercy to the police, they have few allowed to remain un-

newspapers of the period.

friends."

The Force had not long had him; sorted overnight so that private

The policeman had signalled the cabby to stop, but the latter had for an ornament when the young box-holders did not receive their the "all-up" service is a matter asked, "Here, my man, did you not all motor cars which exceeded the his wife in it. The man signalled driven on. He was pulled up and instructed to take the numbere of car approaching with a man and constable was put on trap duty and

The policeman on points duty saw correspondence until the next which no doubt, has been al-see me relse my hand?" "Well," morning; the less privileged re-ready

came the reply,

speed

An hour or so later nola right turn, his wife a left. The limit. considered by Govern- shadow pass across the sky, but my weary, dusty, torn, and dishevelled it you want?" he demanded.

"I did see a sort of little sensation was caused when a policeman stopped the car. What is sident in the suburbs waiting ment. The despatch of air horse shied at your feet." for the afternoon delivery. On mall calls for more handling Nebuchadnezzar Street, and the vil-quarters bearing a dozen.

A horse had dropped

figure, still distinguished, however, separation?" dead in by his helmet, crawled into head- The motorist wes Indignant when the outward trip, mails some- than that by surface trans-lage constable returned to the office plates under his arm.

number stopped by a policeman, "What I times closed on

an afternoon portation; letters are bundled to write his report. A few minutes

know about driving, would all a when destined for despatch by weighing is carried out and out when the sergeant said, lullo and bagged with greater care, head, he rose up and was on his way

Jater, after much scratching of his The humour of the Irish constable

he protested, yes, but what book," a plane which left late in the checked with greater precision Where are you off to?" "I'm going out what really happened

is in a class by itself, but even allow you don't know would fill a hospital." Ing for that, it is difficult to make "You say the prisoner was drunk?" forenoon of the following day. and more

Isaid the magistrate. when

"How do you. clerical work is en Street"

to put that horse into the High constable It is seldom these complaints tailed

"He reported that he

know?"

was having

very in the manifold official:

had heated argument with a taxi-driver," searched the prisoner and finding said the policeman. "But, goodness. are levelled now, for the postal documents

Brought up for having no visible nothing on him, handed it back; or which executives, while

accompany means of support, the vagrant pro- again, when it was reported that gracious, that does not prove that he presenting each consignment. Above all, tested that he had just Anished one "The prisoner made no reply, which driver wasn't there."

Was drunk." "No sir, but the taxi- good reasons for the delay, have there is the higher speed at job and was looking for another. I entered in my notebook." shown a sincere desire to give out. All this alone may not which the work must be carried

the public good service by meet- call for increased hands, but GRIN AND BEAR IT

the installation

ing reasonable demands with reorganisation of postal hours of special air seems imperative if "all-up" mail boxes, working overtime, mails are to be handled with and keeping in close contact with despatch. Because, according the movements of planes. While to schedule, planes leave Hong- they have had these two years nightfall, night sorting would kong at dawn and arrive at of experience and complaints to appear necessary; but no separ guide them, when the "all-up" ate night staff is employed at service starts next week, the the post office. In the past postal authorities should not mails have been handled by the lose sight of the obvious fact day staff working, overtime as that it will not only be no nor-volume of mail has not war- it has been contended that the mal week; but is likely to be the ranted the expense of maintain- most abnormal in the historying a night staff. The "all-up" of air mail traffic here. There service may provide that justi- will not be the huge bulk of fication and the plea of expense collectors letters that go with ghould not be presented. There every first flight, but this may has been a tendency lately to be more than compensated for regard the post office as a re- by the. quantity of hoarded not quite right.

venue producer, but this is letters-those which would nor- public

It is a utility and excess mally have been sent by regular profits should be avoided, cithor maf steamer, but which have by decreasing charges or im- been purposely kept from the proving service to the public. post by their writers in order to It is a poor argument that the gain the time advantage of go-time benefit of the "all-up" ser- ing by air. Next week's ex- vice is suficient, that it will perience is not likely to be re- bring mall in as many days as a peated and the post office would ship took weeks. The Post Of be wise to hood the portents. fice should offer as axpeditious Reorganisation or additions to a service as its finances allow; the post office atall to cope with and that is second to none. B.

By Lichty

KEEP

OFF

GRASS

"Poor thing feel sorry for him. Nobody to take care of him Except la mother,"

11

"A

In reply to the same question. "How do you know he was drunk?" one policeman replied, "He WAB kneeling in the middle of the road. sir, trying to roll up the white line."

کھو

*1

a

A good story of the triale of a policeman's job is the one about the sergeant who was investigating report of a robbery. "You say you ran into someone in the dark, out- side your house? Can you describe bim The little man thought for a moment, then sold, "Er-well, no, not exactly, but he must have been a very short man with

very tall man with 40% or o

Though we are prepared to

to smile ot most of the.

the policeman's "unhappy lol," we must feel some sympathy for the one who gave his evidener as follows, "I told the defendant that she would be reported, to which she replied, 'Go ahead, my cheery little sunbeam And for the one who Bgures in this story. "You say

aro

a man of peaceful habit,"

stormed the magistrate, "yet. dropped a brick on this poor polico

you man's lead!" *Yes, m'lud, and I never saw anyone so peaceful as that copper was

was when I dropped that brick on his napper."

The old lady wished to-administer

a mild rebuke to some amb}}`boys. who were lounging at a street corner. "When you ace a boy lounging at street corners, what place in life do you thing he is fitting himself "A policeman, mum.”

for

But the burly, heavy-footed

police- man is passing, and his niche in our social Hio and music-hall stagem care. nover be filled by the modern exten sively and intensively-trained police

man,