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forbidden by the Government does not indicate any real prospective scarcity, and is rather to be explained by the desire of the Government to checkmate the enterprising merchants from the Land of the Rising Sun who had arranged a pretty little scheme to corral the entire crop as well as secure control of the stock stored up in the Government granaries.
RAIN,
it is true, has been plentiful enough for the farmers in certain parts of the country, but this does not apply to the whole of Corea. In the fourteen rice-growing districts it has been quite abundant, and in other regions the down- fall has been excessive. But whatever may be said about rain, no one can complain of any lack of heat in Corea this year. It has been of the sultriest seasons on record, and generally speaking, the night temperature has equalled that of the daytime.
We were visited here lately by a
JAPANESE CRUISING SQUADRON, consisting of nine fine ships, amongst which were two of the largest and latest turned out of the English dockyards. Although their crews have been allowed to come ashore freely, I am happy to say that they have behaved in a quiet and orderly manner, which speaks much in favour of Japanese discipline, and contrasts very brightly with the experience we had when the British squadron was here.
The foreign community of Seoul suffered
A SEVERN LOSS recently in the lamented death of Mr. W. de Flon Hutchison, of which you will doubtless have been advised ere this. The deceased gentleman was formerly Head Master of the Anglo-Corean College, and had more recently occupied the position of General Agent of the British Mining Company. He has left many sincere friends behind in this country, as was testified at his funeral which was attended practically by the entire European community in Seoul, and a host of friends who went up specially from Chemulpo to render their last tribute of respect to the memory of one they esteemed so highly-Mercury.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE FOOD COMMISSION.
14
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,” 29th August. SIB-I think the over-burdened taxpayers of Hongkong would esteem it a great favour if he Hon. T. H. Whitehead at the next meet- ing of the Legislative Council would ask the Government what practical effect has been given to the recommendations of the Food Com- mission, made known several months ago. Apparently this question of vital importance to so many has, like a good many other things, been shelved by the powers that be. It is hardly necessary for me to point out that at the present moment things as they stand pell ruin to the poor, and anything calculated to remove the burden from their shoulder should be heartily welcomed, and receive the best consideration of those who are empowered to ameliorate the present disgraceful condition of affairs. Apolo gising for having trespassed on your space. Yours, etc.,
QUERY.
PORTUGUESE CLERKS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
I
1
[September 9, 1901
it for granted that all the Portuguese are spent some time in tuning and testing their classified as he did. It is amid the Por-instruments, much to the annoyance of the ship's tuguese community consider
this as
an officers. After the completion of the perform. insult, and they are quite justified. Why, ance, the guest was asked how he liked Western may I ask, has a Portuguese been made music, and replied that he was delighted with the Superintendent of the Registration Branch of first piece. Instructions were given to the band. the Post Office? If the Portuguese are in master to repeat it. He did so, but it was not accordance with Mr. May's opinion, why were the one specially liked. After repeating the whole they and why are they still mostly employed programme and not satisfying their guest, the in all the Government Departments, and nearly | bandmaster (evidently a keen judge of Chinese all the local mercantile firms, a good many of tastes) thought it must be the discordant them occupying responsible positions, and others sound of tuning, &e, that appealed to the after a good number of years of faithful service native ear. He gave instructions to his men to now enjoying well earned pensions. If the tune up until they bust-either their wind or Portuguese are so regarded by Mr. May only, the instruments and the hosts were more we are convinced they are not so by the im- suprised than gratified at the appreciation of partial foreign community at large.
their guest, for at last he heard again the music that had touched him."
Sir Thomas Jackson, Mr. Shewan, and others too numerous too mention, will conscientiously I am living at the Hongkong Hotel, and in contradict Mr. May's statement, for they all weather like that we have had recently, enjoy know what their clerks are worth. And you, Mr. nothing better than a quiet evening on the Editor, what do you think of your Portuguese verandah. At present that is impossible, for staff? We are surprised that Sir Henry Blake the evenings are made hideous by shrill incessant should have allowed such a document to be music proceeding from a native ten-house some- passed unnoticed and did not have Mr. May swhere in the neighbourhood of d'Aguilar Street. unbecoming remarks modified to a certain It is not much to ask that the Europeau centro extent.
of the town be kept free from nuisances of this description, and my only wonder is that complaints have not been made before, or the particular establishment been assisted to
We hope, Mr. Editor, you will endorse the feelings of the Portuguese community, and grant a space in your columns to the above protest.
IMPARCIAL.
4th September.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.'
"
48
quoted place) coolies are prosecuted for shouting unnecessarily in the streets. We could not expect such radical measures here, but we have a right to ol dm that reasonable precautions be taken to ensure peace and quietness.
As an outsider, I have no idea how those licences are granted, but the most unimagina- tive individual should see that the boundary line of natives and foreigner is not a fit place for a native sing-song.
collapse." Steamers are fined for blowing their whistles, and yet our evenings are made hellish (I use the only word that can fully express my feel- ings, for Chinese music could not..have had a terrestrial origin) and no objection made by the SIR, The Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., is powers that be. Let the natives have their making himself more and more objectionable music and fun by all means, but keep it at a to all sorts and conditions of men in this Colony, respectable distance from the luckless white his latest attack being on the poor hard-working man whose troubles in this benighted place are and law-abiding Portuguese clerks. As a rule sufficiently hard to bear without being distract- I seldom to take the trouble to read the ed nightly by such a pandemonium. If the Government Gazette, as I find little that interests steam pile-drive and foundry at Wanchai ren- me there, but your correspondent "Imparcial" dered an action at law justifiable, there is surely first drew my attention to the Salaries Com-a case here for the Hotel Directors and others mittes. fully endorse your correspondent's residing in the vicinity. In Shanghsi(that much- opinion on the subject, and consider Mr. May's uncalled-for remarks as a gross and gratuitous insult to the Portuguese clerks in this Colony in general. What makes his opinion more serious for the Portuguese clerks is that it was published in an official Gazette. It is thus. more apt to create a very wrong impression as regards the real merits of the Portuguese clerks in general, and it behoves the Consul of that community also to officially protest and to remove this impression. Fortunately, however, this is merely the opinion of one man, who is biassed, and who like all other men is liable to err. Mr. May no doubt estimated the average ability of the Portuguese olerks in general by the little experience he has of cortain very underpaid clerks, little more than boya, who through sheer necessity are obliged to take
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS," employment to earn a pittance. It is very
5th September. 'unfair to draw conclusions therefrom. In my SIR,-In view of the approaching cricket opinion (and, Mr. Editor, I have had season and the Interport Cricket Carnival, a good deal to do with this class of our for which preparations are going on in right cosmopolitan community), the Portuguese clerks earnest, it may interest your sporting readers are as a rule a very steady, accurate, hard to know that a private telegram has been working and intelligent lot of men; in received from Bombay announcing the success fact they are exactly contrary to what Mr. May of the representative Parsee XI against the thinks of them. They have beside one good Bombay Presidency Team. The constitution of point, which is sobriety. Of course, like every the opposing teams is worth noting. Cricket other nation in the world, there are black sheep is a very popular game in India, and in Bombay in the fold, but as clerks in general they are especially. There are in Bombay among the indubitably a reliable and submissive lot, and it devotees of this national English game many is really a display of bad taste on the part of distinguished players, Englishmen, other Euro- Mr. May that he should needlessly run down apeans, Hindoos, Mahomedans, and Parsees. good and quiet section of the community, one Next to Englishmen the Parsees have made who was held in high esteem and respect by the their name as cricketers. It is an acknowledged first settlers and the older British and foreign | fact in the cricket world of all India that the community of this Colony.Yours, etc.
A FRIEND OF PORTUGUESE CLERKS. [We have received other letters on the same subject—Ed. D. P.]
As I write, 10.30 p.m., a bell is tolling, but whether a fire-bell or part of the performance I cannot say.—Yours, éto.,
DISTRACTED.
PARSEES AND CRICKET.
Bombay Parses cricketers are the best bowlers in Bombay and the smartest fielders in all India. So much so that the Bombay Parsee cricketers were considered invincible. They won all sorts of local and other matches. They have been about three times to England with CHINESE MUSIC FOR HONGKONG. varied spocess. Lord Hawke some years ago
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS,”
3rd September. SIB.-In Enclosure 2, Notes on Recommen- dations of Salaries Committee, published in Saturday's Gazette, I noticed a most uncalled | for remark, or rather a gratuituons insinuation, made by Mr. May; as Acting Colonial Secretary, against the Portuguese in general. On page
brought out a team to play, inter alia, a Parsee 1,502 of the said Gazette, relating to the Post TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.” XI at Bombay and a return match at Poons. In Office Dept., in the second paragraph, Mr. May
4th September. both contests Lord Hawke got a sound beating. said-Portuguese olerks are as a class (the SIR,- Following the example of the Rev, E. Lord Harris, no mean exponent of this manly italics are mine) careless, insocurate, and in- J. Hardy, I will preface my complaint with an game, happened about this time to be the Gover- clined to idleness" This is a most irrelevant illustration-Some time ago the officers of nor of Bombay. His Lordship it was who first insult on the part of Mr. May, and if he wished one of our warships entertained a high Chinese conceived and carried out the idea of opposing to impute such insinuations against the clerks official, and thought a selection of music by the a combined team chosen from all the various of the Post Office (who are of different nation- ship's amateur band would be appreciated. Be-parts of the Bombay Presidency, including some alities, not Portuguese only) he should not take! fore commencing the programme the band of the crack Bats and bowlers among English
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