1947-08-23 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1947.

CHANGE

Men' rise and fall: they live, they love, they

dic

And are forgot: Innumerable, hearts

That now are dust have played the burning parts.

To which our own are throbbing; you and I Go swiftly through those ancient roles

again

Is it not strange to think this love of

ours,

་

Now ripe with all a passion's glowing powers,

Shall pass entirely from the minds of men?

·

'Tis like a gem no-wealth could ever gauge,

A thing of wondrous Beauty, lost at sea In sands unfathomed, where the billow's rage

Buries it ever deeper; there to be Something that dazzled in a bygone age,

P

Then passed beyond the sphere of memory.

T. W. NATHAN

CLAUD MULLINS

CHOOL REPORT

Siles

"It says here that when your teacher explained that the Nations of the World were striving in unity towards a glorious Peace, yous emitted a long, low rumbling noise resembling the round Burrrrrrrp.***

EOPLE get very excited when discussing corporal punish- ment. Some men regard the argument as conclusive that they were beaten by their. Fathers or masters at school,

and liave, they think, benefited from the experience.

In fact. this argument is not relevant. Beatings by parents and schoolmasters are utterly different from beatings by policemen or prison officers. Why?

When a child is stacked, or even beaten, bý a parent, the child knows, if it thinks about

the matter at all, that the parent is doing this because he or she thinks it good for the child. In

normal cases the parent Loves the child and the child knows it.

Flogging and

When a boy is bealen at school, again he knows that the master carea for his interests, and that be thinks that a beating will do him Food.

In both cases the punishment follows quickly on the offence and is given by someone who is playing a big part in the child's life. RUT none of this happens when corporal punishment is Inflated at the order of courts.

If a children's court orders a boy to be beaten, the beating has to take place "as zoon as practicable." But first the child usually has to be examined by a doctor, so that the and the "acverity" of the kdiment

may be tested.

Thi may cause some delay. Then the parent hos

right to appeal to Quarter Sessions against the pen- tence. He is allowed 14 days to do this and if he does appeal, weeks or even months may clapse before the appeal is heart.

n

Far from the beating being given by someone who is known to care for the boy's interests, it is given by a police constable whom the boy may never have seen. Other con- slubles usually hold the boy's hands, and perhaps his feat, too.

FOR

NOR foggings in prison, the man is strapped to a "triangle." The prison officer who does the flogging

birching

T

ther corporal punishment at the order of criminal courts is effective.

Now let us ask the question whe-

In 1837-38 a Departmental Com- mittee examined this whole problem.

was told on high authority that ut first the Commitee tended to favour such punishment. But the members were in the end unanimous in recommending the abolition of all corporal punishment at the Instance of courts.

This was largely because they found on the evidence (a) that "hirching had been less effective as a deterrent than other methods of treatment," and (b) that "men who received corporal punishment were; if anything, more likely to commit other offences than those who were not flogged."

As regards repeating the offence of robbery with violence the Com- mittee found that a sentence to prison without logging, "was no less from repeating this offence than prison with foaging.

affeolive in deterring the offender"

Further, the Committee found that the number of cases of robbery with violence "decreased steadily

in

T

Twice now

I've lost my sight-

WICE the gods and I have diced for my eyes. And twice I have won. I look across, Falmouth Bay, and Pendennis Head stands out of the water-a little dimmer, but firm and bold in the sunshine.

The lighthouse across the. Carrick Roads will wink back at me-18 seconds alight and five seconds, darkness, I used to make it.

And I know now, for the second time in the last five years, that the sight I had lost is back again. Those who have known this experience will tell you that it is a moment of great joy, but one of great calm. The drama of it is all for other people.

Few people understand blindness. push it away from our thinking.

We fear it and

and

People with sight tend to the belief that blind people are odd men out in a world that pauses for a moment to give them pity or sympathy. In Germany or Denmark, and many of the other European see them countries, you will wandering about wearing the badge of their oddity-a yellow armlet with ugly black rings on it. That yellow armlet is, in fact, the badge of misplaced sympathy--the insidious bug that rots away a disabled man's desire to be independent.

is not seen by the offender. Much spite of a small and decreasing use lend as full, happy and

care is taken about this

It is the rule that a prisoner whó

of corporal punishment."

is flogged can be rest of the day. that corporal punishment at the cused work for

if he wishes, ex- CEEING that the Committee found

know that, if other people will let him, the blind man can self- supporting a life as anyone else.

It was an overdose of sym-

On one of my visits to prisons. the order of courts did not exist in Bel- Governor told me that there is in glum, Czechoslovakia, France, Nor- fact an extraordinary difference in way, etc., and in pre-Nazi Germany pathy that nearly overwhelmed the way men take floggings. Some and pre-Fasels! Italy, we may hope me into throwing all my inde

their hearts out and are miner that when at long last the Penal

pendence into other people's ble in their cells 10 days. Others Referm Bui

Is again

introduced,

ordera the cat cannot possibly know the change. At least one is entitled

The second thing I did was to strike a profit and loss account, I wanted to find out how socially solvent I was. Losses first.

CUILDS OF THE CITY OF LONDON: NO. 6

THE SKINNERS' COMPANY

By BARRY PEAK

HE Skinners' Company-pany and there include the Skinner's the Guild or Fraternity of school at Tunbridge Wells, the Judd Corpus Christi-received School, at Tonbridge, for boys, and the Skinners' School for girls at its first Royal Charter from Stamford Hill, in North London,

Edward II in 1327. As one of the 12 chief Guilds of the City of London, the Company has the unusual honour of ranking alternately sixth and seventh in order of civic precedence with the Merchant Taylors' Com- pany,

men are

Honorary

Famous Freemen Freemen of the Company. One Many famous of the most famous to be honoured by the Company is Field Marshal the Rt. Hon. Jan Christinan Smuts, of the Union of South Africa. Other famous men who have been made

02-

In 1404, both the Sleinners and Honorary Freemen of the Company

Ullswater, Taylors' appealed to the Lord Mayor include Viscount

of London to decide who should be Speaker of the House of Commons, sixth in order of precedence-both Field. Maralal Lord Ironside, who Companies claiming the honour and was educated at Tonbridge School, right. There had been considerable the

rable the Rt. Hon. Viscount Alanbrooke, strife on this point, and the Lord Mayor avo

a typical arbitrator's Cormerly Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the Rt. Hon. Viscount Judgment in favour of both parties. Portal of

Marshal of The outcome of this is that the the Royal Air

and the Skinners and Taylora' change their Archbishop of Canterbury.

Skinners Hall, like so many other order of precedence on alternate years,

a ritual that is emphasised London buildings, suffered badly in each year (in normal times) when World War II in the blitz of 1041 the two Companies wine and dine and from "fying bomba" in 1044. However, the Company is fortunate The plugest item on either side is with each other,

int retaining part of its ancient Hall. the loss of the ability to read and During the Company's only toys. It is interesting to record that once

the Skinners made a

con- Lour

have hold write. It is partially offset by braille,

tribution to the contemporary luxury 1828. Records show that Kenalt n limited and depressing asset. And

fashions. A Skinner was a furrier was Clerk to the company from 1828 there is the typewriter, which a blind

und, in medieval Latin, was called to 1870, Draper from 1878 to 1011 man can use with rather more pre-peliparius". He was

merchant, cision than the seeing one.

shopkeeper, or a journey brought to and purchased fur sking The second is the loss of freedom London, whether nativo or foreign, freedom to climb a hill and drink in everything you can see.

I know nothing to offset this loss, for other people's descriptions are le irritating reminiscences.

The third is that of companionship. For there is in blindness an isolation thint seeing people cannot realise.

If you see a man you know on the other side of the street, you dodge through the trafe and off you go together for a coffee or a drink. But not so the blind person. He must wait for the man on the other side it the street to see him. And, If the other man is a bore, he cannot avold

him.

TULE

Frustration

HE other losses I would head under "Sundries" the irritation of not being able to move about as quickly as other people, of not being able to ride a bicycle or play cricket, the frustration of not knowing whether the girl opposite you in the Tube Is smiling or not.

back each time...

won it

WHAT HAS IT TAUGHT ME?

by Vincent Evans

to

1941. worker, and Lambert from 1911

It appears that Clerks enjoy a long life in the service of the Company, and it is hoped that the new Clerks, barrister-at-law. will continuo

and

Buch employed others tawyers in connection with them. Sable And Ermine

QF

a

keep a

to

a legal and fatherly eye on his flock for many years to come.

as

No matter what has happened in the history of England throughout W were When the tuts were prepared, they the centuries, the Guilds of the City made into, or used in of Lendon have continued their trimming, royal and judicial robes, unbroken service to mankind. I the

the wearing At this

of the City Companies sable and Skinners that have given the City expensive furs, such as ermine,

was restricted to royalty, of London its traditional dignity."

NEXT WEEK: the nobility and to those who gave a minimum of £100 a year

to, the

The Merchant Taylors Church. The Skinners, therefore, followed a luxury trade. In keeping other City Companies, the with Skinners played a major part in directing the manufacture and salo. of furs, and regulations also provided for the punishment of those gullty of malpractices in connection with the tride,

་

Today, active assuelution with the trade no longer exists, but It is interesting to note that the present Master of the Company is a member of the fur trade. This, however, is a coincidence and is not usually the case.

the

There is an interesting custom when a new Honorary Freeman accepted in the ranks of Company. The Company's arms include a lynx or leopard and it is traditional to give a reproduction of the silver leopard shull-box to the new Honorary Freeman. The original snuff-box was presented to

the Company In 1080 by Roger Kemp, Master in 1679, and is placed before the Master nt all dinners and meetings,

3 Adults

Imprisoned

In Bedroom

Police found two men and a woman, nearly dead from star- vation, imprisoned in a bed- room of a Minneapolis boarding house.

They are Martin Anderson, 42, his brother Clarence, 38, and his sister Violet, 35,

Mrs

Police held for questioning Bertha Anderson, 72, who described them as "my children."

Hospital dcctors said the three -were-emaciated and unable.10. answer questions.

Acting on neighbours suspicions City Processions

of "something funny" In the Anderson house, detectives discover- And, now, what of the xhen a now Master and Wardens ed Martin confined in a chicken-wire profits? Easily first, I would W elected on the Feast of cage in first-floor bedroom, place the thrill of finding Corpus Christi, there is a procession Clarence was tied to a dirty bod out how to

of St. use hearing,

to the Church en that day

by leather Mary Aldermiary in the City. These with his wrists bound

are part of anders. religious processions

Violet was in a bed with a sack London life, and the City frame is covering her head.

standstill ns the brought to

There were no sanitary facilities. wends it traditional procession

Violet struggled against the police, dignifled way to pay homage to the shouting: "Mama, don't let them

smell and touch so that they replats

the eyes.

I would accept a blind

►

A

patron Saint

Today, the Skinners' Company

lake me."

The others were unable to speak

to obtain

All you who see look at a person's face, listen to his words and form your judgment. But the blind man When I first came out of hos- depends entirely on the voice.

told that my to go back to work soon after with its proposal of abolition, public hands. And there were always the flogging is over. The judge who cpinion will be prepared to accept professional sympathisers, wait- pital and was

It can, of course, lle and tease as a does much good work in assisting in coherently.

Police are searching for five other how the prisoner will take his noge to expect that nobody will opposing with hands apart like dwindling sight would soon be beautiful face cart, but it has no real educational and charitable works,

gone, I had the names of five mask. The querulous, the timid, the The Court of the Company are children in the family ging. Only an experienced prycho abolition without first aludying the avaricious wicketkeepers, for

of Tonbridge information types of people crossed out of petulant volce, the confident, the tho solo Governers logist could make a reasonable re Committee's

- Command

School, a famous public school, The tenants on the ground floor report

anything that came their way. diction about that.

Paper 5084 of 1938.

merry voice, the pensive and, the which was founded in 1653, and were unaware of conditions in the my address book:-

sympathelle-all are shorn of gulle, was

endowed by Sir

Androw upstairs rooms, Let me give you an example,

Judd, Lord Mayor of London iL They described Mrs Anderson, as one you will all recognise. A The people who wrote and told

and man's 1560 and six times Master of the "the perfect landlady"

"A me of some man, quack or newly blinded friend of mine la

otherwise, who would gulle judgment of character before that of Company. In recent years, other religious woman who played, hymas

schools have been founded by the Com- on the organ." walking down the street. He is finding that he can hear the direction in which people are walking, the speed at which they are coming or going away.

He finds that he can tell the It, suspecting an ob- is said that many people are taking to shuff. An M.P. truction, out came a tiny mouse, difference between a bus and a. "How on earth could that have got car, maybe even the make of has announced that it leads to in there?" asked the Mayor. "It efficiency," whatever that may must have bech put there, like a car. He can smell whether it is

He be 3 bottle," replied the mean. You might as well say ship into a

flaulisi. that smoking leads to integra clously, and the concert began.

The mayor laughed mail- gas or petrol driven.

comes sensitive to the wall at tion.

his side, knows when there ie an opening in it. -*

BY THE WAY by Beachcomber

Years ago Mr Robert Lynd gave me my first pinch of snuff. When

blew down

A duel behind Romano's.

T HOPE actresses and critics read

I complained that it only made me ancuze, somebody said: "That is the of the French actress who whole point of " Yet I noticed that challenged a critic to a duel. When Mr Lynd did not sneeze, and ob-' I was a boy these affairs were set- viously the cigirteenth century bucks tled in the early morning on a small

Help that harms

could not have carried off that eu lawn behind Romano's. It was there BUT along comes a charming

perchious plance, followed by, a that A. B. Walkley and Mrs Lang-

young lady and the rot has

insult, if they had been try fought with lobster-claws, until set in. My friend has no need

certainly be able to give me back my, sight. They were the people who raised false hopes and delayed the moment when I would face facts.

a seeing man.

with Comparable

the loss of mobility, I would place the pleasures of touch-finding the grain In smooth wood or being able to detect a plece of Jade among other lesser wares: or Onding that your ability to carve wood is for keener than the might normal man's.

The peuple who told me they thought I was wonderful. They were the people who qventually convince me that I

was.

The people who were jealous of my blindness and, who would zay: "He can see enough when he wants to." They were the of people to whom I tried to prove

.

Gift of thought

GAINST the loss of ablily to read, I would sot the new pleasure clear and logical thinking. At

that I was more disabled than first I filled in grent gaps of idleness

I really was, and in doing so I by solving more and more compileat-

became more disabled.

The sympathizers who fried to run my life, instead of letthig me do it for myself-profes- sloral good men and women

ed arithmetical problems until they became repetitive and boring.

sneezing all the time." In, now, my the seconda, Henry Dana and Maria to find his own way any more. Those who commended me to distracted the eye. It is a gilt that;

dear crshroopoon sir. I shoo shall

be

eroo vaastly tshoooobo obleeged if shsoocooooo you will remove your shroooooself from my erasoacher.. presence.

Musical interlude

Studholme, Intervened.

Constructive criticism

EAR SIT

Someone else is going to do it for him. The whittling away

of his desire to become an in-

DEAR Why could not the proposed dependent man has begun. Tho

Bankalde power-station be a replica

of St Paul's, so as not to clash with next thing to go will be his

God and then cut back, on their Kyaundies. They were Que people about whom Paul wrote beveral of his epistles.

At last, and very reluctantly, I was forced back on sheer thinking-dis- tracted by none of the things that

'simplifies Hfe and colms the mind. - Looking back on blindness, my main feeling is one of stimulation, though there were moments of, an- guish as when a night's sleep has brought forgetfulness, you open your people whose company I eyes in the morning and find again: BCC. But these

Friends I chose.

THE

was able to give.

THE broaking of the F key-spring the original? Alternately, could not desire to work. And, finally, Tght were these whe demand that you cannot THE

of a Bute the other day during St Paul's be very carefully moved. n concert reminded me of un incl- to some other site? My niece, who the desire to think--and, with ed more from me than I thought I moments are soon overtaken. dent which occurred when Mr is married to an electrician, says that happineso.

I would sum up my profit and loss Gerald Barry, that eminent Bautist, that he once suggested this to an

The girl gets a warm glow who walked beside me and only than not to see, but it, is better at

1. oought the company of the man necount like this it is better to neå was playing before the Mayor of architect, when it was a question of Wolverhampton.. Just as he was chimneys koar

rallway. But

of satisfaction, which sho ought helped me when it became urgent to have done both. For there ure about to begin an arrangement of nothing, was done. "Pirl-Pirl-Firl," made by Dr Arthur

to find a little difficult to those whose sympathy had a' prac- analyso.

Wetfish, there was a loud, squeak from the dute," "And when Mr Barry

Yra faithfully,.

Bertha H. Truslove.

tical turn, and Whooo cheerful voices.

who had realms of experience that none but

those privileged few, can_kribw.

DAVID LANGDON CARTOON

'LETTERS

FOR CLUB MEMBERS

VOLUNTEER FORCES CAREIX

A BLOOD DONORS.

ANE STALL INGENTE