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HONGKONG ODD VOLUMES' SOCIETY.
LECTURE BY HON, DE, CLARK,
At the City Hall on Feb. 2nd the Hon. Dr. Clark discoursed in an attractive manner on "Law in the days of Dickens, as illustrated by quotations from his works." The lecture, given under the auspices of the Hongkong Odd Volumes' Society, was listened to with manifest appreciation by a good audience.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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however, was altered by the Married Women's Property Acts of 1870, 1874, 1882 and 1893. She can now sue and be sued in her own name, enter into contracts, and has absolute Dr. Clark read an account of the circum. control of her own earnings. Proceeding,
stances which led to the famous trial Bardell v. Pickwick, and commented on the fact that in that case neither the plaintiff nor the defendant were called as witnesses. In those days the law thought it impossible for any one involved in a law suit, either on the one side or SIE HENRY BERKELEY, who presided, the other, to tell the truth, even under oath, and introduced. Dr. Clark, and remarked that while it was not until 1852, or 16 years after "the it was risky to prophesy before the event he Pickwick Papers" were written, that interested felt safe in assuring those present of an interest-parties were allowed to give evidence in civil ing lecture that evening.
The Hon. Dr. Clark began his lecture by suits, while only as recently as 1890 it was not remarking that it would come as a surprise to possible for prisoners to give evidence on their own behalf. The change was gradually brought many to learn that the progress made during about on much the same principle as one tries a new physic first on the dog-at least that was the popular supposition, for about this time the new County Courts were established, and it was resolved to let those courts hear interested parties. If it was proved that the experiment worked well then it would be extended to the higher courts. The results were most success- ful and in 1851 Lord Brougham carried his famous Act against the opposition of the Lord Chancellor and many of the legal bigwigs. In conclusion, he referred to Dickens' association with the Bar, and declared he would no doubt have been a great lawyer had he not been a greater writer.
the Victorian era in the administration that most conservative of all professions, the Law, was perhaps even more marvellous than the advance made in science during the same period. As "literature was the watchword of the
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Society, he felt that he could not better illus. trate the changes that had taken place in our legal institutions than by quotations from the author who, he was sure, was known and beloved by all of them. He was glad that Dickens said very little about the criminal laws of his day, although when he was born in 1812 there were considerably more than 100 crimes punishable by death, such, for instance, as steal- ing from the person anything gr‹ ater in value than a sbilling, stealing from bleaching grounds fraudulently personating a Greenwich pension er, forging bank notes, and so on. The execu- tion of criminals in public was not abolished until 1868. In 1849 Dickens was present at the public execution of Mr. and Mrs Manning, which was viewed by a dense crowd of men and women, boys and girls, whose behaviour was so revolting that he denounced the terrible scene in eloquent terms in a series of letters to the Times. Continuing, the lecturer said he was concerned more particularly with the change in civil law, and remarked that there was perhaps no author whose writings had had such a pro- nounced influence upor the administration of civil law, particularly the law of equity, than Dickens. Dealing first with the evils and injustices that prevailed in the olden times in the administration of estates, Dr. Clark read
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quotations from "Bleak House" in illustration, and pointed out that by the passing of the Judicature Acts of 1875 we had now an equity of jurisdiction which was as simple and as straightforward as that of the Common Law Courts. Turning to the treatment of debtors in the days of Dickens and contrasting it with what obtained at the present time, he read the novelist's descriptions of London prisons, related Pickwick's experiences in Fleet Prison, and mentioned that imprisonment for debt was not abolished until 1869, the year before Dickens breathed his last. He thought there could be little doubt that Dickens' graphic pen did much to bring about that greatly needed reform in our laws, which substituted bankruptcy for imprisonment.
was interesting to remember that the Romans substituted bank- ruptcy for the arrest of the person of the debtor in the time of Julius Caesar, so that the English jurists of Dickens' days were nearly 1900 years behind the times and no doubt con- gratulated themselves on their hoary conserva- tism. It was not to be supposed that bankruptcy was unknown in English law until 1869, and he recalled the scene in "Nicholas Nickleby" when the brokers entered the Mantallinni establishment, but the Bankruptcy Court was only open to traders, professional men and farmers. Artisans were not traders and should they become bankrupt were regarded almost as criminals and had to languish in a debtors' prison until someone paid their debts. Another legal phase which had undergone extensive tran sformation since the days of Dickens was the separate property of married women. In those days a wife could acquire no personal property, could not make contracts, and all her earnings belonged absolutely to her husband. That was the old Common Law conception of the unity of man and wife, the wife's identity being letely absorbed in that of her husband, ild by will even deprive her of the of their children after his death. This,
Sir Henry Berkeley proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was heartily accorded,
HONGKONG CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB.
OPENING OF NEW CLUB HOUSE.
The Hongkong Corinthian Yacht Club celebrated an interesting event in their rather short history on the 27th January by the formal opening of their now premises at Prays East. Naturally the occasion brought out a fairly large attendance of members and friends, so that there was quite a numerous assembly to acclaim Mrs. Francis Clark, wife of the Commodore, when she performed the opening
ceremony.
The club house itself was the subject of expressions of appreciation and congratulations to the members. Situated almost in front of No. 2 Police Station and built in bungalow fashion, the structure is very neat and compact. A movable partition marks off the dressing room, while the convenience required by yachtsmen are provided-there being a loft for storing sails, lockers, etc., and in all respects the club house is admirably adapted for its purposes. It is raised from the ground a few feet, and on descending the steps at the rear one notes with approval the fine flag staff with its signalling apparatus. The whole, it should be added, is enclosed by a wooden railing.
Among those present on Saturday afternoon were Hon. Dr. and Mrs. Francis Clark, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Haynes, Mrs. Hands, Mrs. Haxton, Mrs. Hill, Messrs. E. M. Hazeland (vice-commo- dore), J. J. Stubbings (secretary), J. Reidie. F. Allen, W. A. Crake, F. C. Casey, H. Gidley, E. F. Gibson, F. Howell, A. W. Hill, W. H. Woolley, W. Davison, ́ A. A. Souza, R. Had. son, J. Hands, M McIvor, A. MeKirdy, E. J. Mengens, J. W. Osborne, G. Taylor, and others.
Mr. Hazeland called on Mrs. Clark, who had kindly consented to open the new club house.
Mrs. Clark said-Ladies and Gentlemen, The Corinthian Yacht Club is a very young one, having been been formed as recently as the latter part of 1904, but I believe it already boasts a membership of over 120. The Com- mittee are to be congratulated upon having provided you with such comfortable quarters within the brief space of 15 months. I am told that the aim of the club is to provide sport for a less expensive class of boats than the 24 raters and in this they have succeeded, by the estab. lishment of a one-design class rating at about 21 with a sail area limited to 250 sq. ft., which can be built for less than one-fifth the cost of the 24 raters. The popularity of the club has necessitated the starting of a handicap or cruiser class for the encouragement of those
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[February 5, 1906.
Eembers who own boats of other designs, and races for both classes are arranged at frequent intervals throughout the season. I dare say that not a few yachtmon'a wives feel that they are a little neglected when their husbands devote almost every holiday to sailing, but one must remember
that there is no healthier form of recreation than this exposure to the sun, and the wind and the salt air, and that if we see less of them on this account they make up for it on their return by that sweet contentment which is the true index of a "mena sans in corpore sano." (Applause). There is also another feature on which wives may well congratulate themselves, and that is that Hongkong has one of the safest harbours in the world for yachting, and although one may often see boats quite near to one another sailing with diverse winds, yet they generally manage to reach their destination in time, for as the Irishman says "It's an ill wind that blows nowhere" (laughter). Before declaring the club house open I have an announcement to make It is that Dr. and Mrs. Jordan have kindly offered to give two prizes to be arranged for competition by the club later (applause). I have now much pleasure in declaring the olub house open (applause).
The flaga on the flag staff were then hoisted amid the applause of the members, after which Mr. Haarland presented a beautiful bouquet to Mrs. Clark, who made a suitable response.
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The cup presented by the Commodore (Hon. Dr. Clark) was then presented by Mrs. Clark to Mr. Hands.
Tea was dispensed and a race for ten one design boats for prizes presented by boat-owning members followed, the boats being managed by boys. The first priaɔ went to the boat owned by Mr. McIvor,
HONGKONG Y.M.C.A.
The annual meeting of the European Depart. ment of the Hongkong Young Men's Christian Association was held on Feb. 2 in the Associa tion Rooms, Alexandra Buildings. The report of the retiring committee of management was accepted. It showed that the affairs of the Association were in a satisfactory condition and that the various activities, social, religions athletic and educational were progressing. During the year 105 new members were received and 99 members had resigned or left the Colony. The present membership is 161. The report also stated that a much larger number of mem- bers were making use of the rooms than formerly, and that the lectures, library, reading and games rooms were becoming more attractive to numbers of young men. The religious work was becoming strengthened and its influence was more widely felt. Football, tennis, walking, and during the summer bathing, afforded healthful exercise. The financial condition of the Association was encouraging. There was a debit balance of about $600, but this amount was more than oɔvered.
The following gentlemen were elected as a Committee of Management for 1906: Messrs. P. H. Holyoak, H. Hursthouse, G. Pieroy, C. S. N. Williams, J. Dyer Ball, G. E. Woodward, E. E. Cocks, G. Searle, N. Wilson, P. L. Brown, E. C. Lewis, W. E. Craig, and H. Sykes.
HONGKONG CHINESE Y.M.C.A.
DONATION TOWArds á bormitory and CLUB HOUSE.
The annual meeting of this Association was held on Jan. 30 in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms, 26, Des Voeux Road Central, Mr. F. C. Mow Fung, Chairman of the Chinese Branch, presiding, Mr. C. H. Lee, the recording secretary, read the annual report, which we are obliged to hold over until to-morrow.
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Mr. C. C. Rattledge, the acting general secretary, reported on the progress of the general work of the Association, that friends in England, and announced Scotland, and America have given the Hong.. kong Association $30,000 to be used in erecting a dormitory and club house near Queen's College for the use of the students of that and other schools, under the direction of the Association, provided an equal amount is contributed by the people of Hongkong for the
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