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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and prizes on the results of those examina- If they wanted to read poems in which the love tions. In addition to that they had a cen-
of music and the divine charms of music were tral institution in London at which musical dealt with in a most admirable way he would students were trained. They would be glad to recommend them to rend Dryden's “Ode on hear that the introductory remarks of the An- | Alexander's Feast," and also Dryden's "Ode nual Register spoke of the past year-1897—as on St. Cecilia's Day." He thought the read- being a record year. The institution seemed to ing of these poems proved to them at once what have thriven more last year than in any pre-
an ineffable charm there was in music. How vious year. The number of successful candi- music could act as a spur to the soul and could dates last year for the United Kingdom was 7,284, raise the soul above the grosser things of this and for the foreign and colonial centres 550. world and take it up into higher regions al- He thought they would agree with him that together. (Applause.) He ventured on behalf of that represented an enormous amount of good those who were interested in those examinations work in the cause of the furtherance of music and to express their great pleasure that so many a love of music. (Applause.) This was the way ladies and gentlemen had come on
that oc- the work done during the past year was
casion to countenance the work which was being spoken of:-
Not only in the United Kingdom carried on by Mr. Ralphs and the examiners. has this expansion in the work taken place, but | (Applause.) He was quite sure that if the a steady and continued increase has been governing people of the College of Music asserting itself in many of the foreign and could have been there on that occasion they colonial centres. Prominent in this respect would have been very much gratified to see the may be mentioned the centres in Canada, interest taken in the work in this centre of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand China, Hongkong, and would look forward in the future and India. In each of these parts of the to a still greater extension of their work, and globe capable and efficient representatives have would no doubt feel that the young people would been zealously performing with conspicuous be coming forward in greater numbers to pass success the duties allotted to them." They through their examinations, and that in that would seė that in that paragraph China way the knowledge of music and the love of was mentioned as being one of the prominent music would be spread more throughout the and when he turned to the list of centres in the the English people were not musical, that they centres of successful work during the past year, colony of Hongkong. It was often said that Register he found that the China section was were not trained in music like the people represented by Hongkong alone, so that they say of Germany. But he believed they had saw that in effect it was the work in Hongkong done a great deal to wipe away that reproach. which was being spoken about during the past Undoubtedly the musical organisation was much year as having been prominently successful.
more widespread and influential than it used to He thought they might congratulate themselves be in past years, and he was quite sure they all on the good work Mr. Ralphs and the examiners hoped and believed that that organisation would had been doing in furthering the interests of extend in usefulness and efficiency, and tha by the College of Music there during the past year, and by the reproach levelled at them would be and also that they might express the hope that taken away, and they would become a nation the years to come would see even wider and still fond of music and a nation skilled in music. more successful work done under the auspices This was a high and admirable aim to strive for, of the College of Music. He supposed he and he hoped they would be successful in attaiu. ought not
to sit down without making ing it not only in the United Kingdom, but in definite acknowledgments to the examiners for the little centre of Hongkong. (Applause.) their kindness in conducting the examinations, and to his friend Mr. Belilios for his generosity in presenting such handsome medals to the principal successful students. (tear, hear.) He was quite sure that the awarding of hand-
some medals of that kind must serve as a useful stimulus to the zeal of the musical students in the colony, because he ventured to say that they were very much more handsome than the decorations which his honourable friends and himself were privileged to wear.- (applause,) and he was quite sure that the lady and gentleman who had received them would wear them with pride and pleasure whenever they could get an opportunity of doing so. (Hear, hear.) He did not know that that was the time or the occasion, and there was not the leisure, to dwell on the delights and pleasures of music. He took it that those delights and pleasures were all realised by them from the fact of their coming there that afternoon to countenance that good cause. Although, as he had said before, he knew no- thing about music, he was a great student of poetry, or rather was in his early days when he had more time for it. They would find scattered up and down the works of the poets the most charming and sympathetic references to the sister art of music. He could have given his hearers some of them, but perhaps he had better spare them, and let them have only two-one taken from the divine bard and the other from Pope's St. Cecilia's Day." This was the way Shakespeare, in "The Merchant of Venice," spoke of the delights and charms of music:-
The man that hath Lo musico in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; The motions of his soul are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus; Let no such man be trusted.
They would see that went the length of saying that the man who had not got the love of music in his soul was a man not to be trusted, was a man given to dark and insidious ways. This was what Pepe said
By music, minds an equal temper know, Nor swell too high nor sink too low: If in the breast tumultuous joys arise, Music her soft assuasive voice applies; Or, when the soul is pressed with cares, Exalts her in enliv’ning airs.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS proposed a vote of thanks to Sir John Carrington for presiding. He said that Sir John had shewn himself a most earnest friend of education in all its branches,
[March 26, 1898.
THE SCARCITY OF RICE IN KWANGTUNG.
ILLEGAL SHIPMENTS.
The scarcity of rice in Kwangtung province and the high prices prevailing have in several districts led to riots. In Shekloong the rice hongs were raided by the populace just when there happened to be a full stock on hand, and property amounting in all to a value of about $80,000 was stolen or destroyed. In Sanhui also the rice hongs were raided and four men were killed. In other places similar riots have taken place. At Canton the charitable institutions
are selling rice to the poorer classes at the rate of 40 catties for $1, which is considerably below the market price. A portion of the rice so dis- posed of has been brought down by gunboats from Hupeh and Hunan and a portion consists of grain seized by the authorities while be- ing illegally exported, the export of rice from China being probibited.
Japan is purchasing a great quantity of rice at present, and the Chinese dealers have devised a means by which they can profit by the demand from that quarter. Although rice cannot be
rice merchants at Shanghai, we are informed, exported from China it can be shipped from one treaty port to another under bond. The have accordingly applied for permission to ship rice to Canton, giving as their explana- tion of the large quantities going forward that there is a famine in Kwangtung and that unless rice is procurable a rebellion will inevitably break out. Steamers are there- fore despatched heavily laden with rice for Canton under bond, but when they arrive in Hongkong a large portion of their cargoes is transhipped for Japan, and inferior rice, paddy, and husks taken on board to make up the deficiency. About a fortnight ago a steamer
arrived in this harbour with about 18,000
piculs of rice ostensibly for Canton and landed fully half the amount here for ship- ment to Japan, and since then several other steamers have done the same. The business is attended with considerable risk, for if the trick were discovered by the Customs at Canton not
and they all greatly appreciated the time and only would the bond be estreated, but both the trouble he had spent in honcuring this and other gatherings with his presence.
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The resolution was unanimously carried and the proceedings, which were interspersed with selections of music by Miss Crawford, Miss Ruby Ley Kum, and Mr. E. Danenberg, were brought to a close.
THE PRIZE LIST,
The following were the recipients of the prizes, etc.
Emil Daneberg, theory, A. Mus., prize; Ruby Ley Kum, Belilios Medal, piano, senior, 1st class honours, theory, junior honours, 1st class; Frank Crawford, Belilios Medal, piano, intermediate,
pass, theory, junior honours, 1st class; Serena Mehta, prize, piano, intermediate, 1st class; A. Parlane, prize; Aida Alves, prize, piano, elementary, 1st class; Edward S. Ford, prize, theory, junior honours, 1st class; Melinda Duncan, piano. intermediate, 1st class; Alfred Humphreys, piano, intermediate, pass, theory, junior honours, pass; M. A Hyndman, piano, intermediate, pass; Mary Carrol, piano, intermediate, pass; A. A. Wilson, piano, intermediate, pass, theory, junior, 1st class; Mary F. Rodger, piano, inter- mediate. puss; I. C. Henderson, piano, inter- mediate, pass; A. M. Parker, piano, elementary, 1st class; A. Lee, piano, elementary, 1st class; Grace H. Wilson, piano, elementary, 1st class; W. J. Clerihew, piano, elementary, 1st class theory, junior, pass; Madeleine Quincey, piano, elementary, pass, theory, junior, pass; Mary Quincey, piano, elementary, pass, theory, elementary, pass; Ella M. King, piano, elementary, pass; Emily Jorge, piano, elemen- tary, pass; Maria Rocha, theory, junior, pass; Fred. W. Shaw, theory, elementary, pass..
The Soerabaya Handelsblad says:- Mr. Brady, who in the short time he has been at Soerabaya has already made himself so popular with his performances, is going on leave to Europe for two years. On his return he will either be chief of the Hongkong Bank at Soerabaya or be stationed in Japan.
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cargo and steamer would be liable to confiscation.
HONGKONG ODD VOLUMES SOCIETY.
MR. GRANVILLE SHARP AND HONGKONG SCHOOLMASTERS,
On Wednesday afternoon Commodore Holland, A.D.C., delivered a lecture in the Chamber of
Commerce Room, City Hall, before the mem- bers of the Hongkong Odd Volumes Society, on "The Sun." Mr. T, Jackson occupied the chair. The lecture, which was exceedingly interesting,
was illustrated by diagrams kindly supplied by Mr. Ordish, superintendent engineer at the naval yard.
Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP, in proposing, a vote of thanks to the Commodore at the conclusion of the lecture, observed that the lecture led them up. The people of Hongkong were too busy either with money or with land or with buying or selling. They had got so much to do that they did not give a thought to those things about which they had just heard. Very few of them were at all thoroughly up in those things. They did not teach them at school, and for the very good reason that the schoolmaster did not know much about them. (Laughter.) But they might be very thankful indeed for any thing which led them out of their daily groove, and if there was one thing which made them feel small and feel the magnitude of the Creator it was the study of His works by the scientific means which in His providence they had been permitted to discover. (Applause.)
Mr. W. MACHELL, in seconding, assured Mr. Sharp that the schoolmasters of to-day did know of the things about which they had just heard-(hear, hear,) and he guaranteed. that he, as one of the humblest members of that class, could teach Mr. Sharp more about the sun than he ever knew in his life before, or even had heard that afternoon. (Hear, hear.).
Mr. SHABP-I must apologise for my refer- ence to the teachers. (Hear, hear.) My in-
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