194
18
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of this Association was held at the City Hall on March 13. H. E. the Governor was seated on the right hand of Sir H. S. Berkeley, who presided, other members present being-Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart, Hon. Mr. L A. M. Johnston, and Messrs, J. C. Gow, A. Mackenzie, W. G. Winterbarn and J. Whit'all (committee), Mr. W. H. Treuchard Davis (hon, sec, and treasurer), Sir Francis Piggott; Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Hon. Captain L. A. W. Barnes-Lawrence and Messrs. C. J. Allen, C. E. H. Beavis, A. Blowey. W. D.
[March 19, 1906.
come in until by the end of the year the rol numbered the large sum of 213 (applause). put it to you that that is a distinctly satisfactory position for an association to have achieved within twelve months. But that, I am glad to -
say,
Braidwood, C. W. T. Brett: W. L. Carter, T. P. Cochrane, A. Denison, W. H. Donald, G. L Duncan, W. T. Edwards, A. Forbes, H. W Fraser, W. Goodfellow, A. S. Gubbay. G. K. Haxton, E. A. Hewett, T. F. Hough, J. O. Hughes, W. G. Humphreys, J. Hutchings, A. Jenkius, S. A. Joseph, J. S. Lewingdon, A. R. Lowe, D. J. Mackenzio, T. H."Martin, McCubbin, J. R. Michael, 8. H. Michael, P. L. Miller. A. G. Newington, C. Pemberton, J. Pidgeon, L. Plummer, W. Ramsay, A. Seth, M. W. Slade, A. Brooke Smith, E. W. Torrey, D. Tolau, A. Turner, G. H. Wakemau, A. W. J. Watt, A. C. Frankliu. J. H. Underwood, Dr. W. W. Pearse, Dr. E. Jones, Major Pritchard and Captain J. Donglas.
maa. to
is not all I can say, because the Assosiation is, as figures show, a distinctly progressive one. There are now over $20 members and this number will increase as time goes on. What is more sati-factory than membership is that this institution can be regarded as a valuable addition to the defence forces of the country. In order to become that it is necessary that it should be effective in shooting, the all- determining factor in any contest in which our conntry may be engaged. Our members would be greater, much greater, but for what I be lieve a necessary safeguard in the way of age limit. The age of a member must be 35, unless he can certify that he has served such a time in the regalar forces of the King as will justify His Excellency in regarding him as a trained A great many bave said they would join but for the limitation mentioned, still I am inclined to think it would be wiser to keep the age limit at 35, because every man who has not passed the volunteers and is below 35 owes it as a duty to his country if he can spare the time to join them. But our members need not stay as they are beo use of this age limit; to my own knowledge there are still several mon abɔnt 33 who might still join. I believe one thing that keeps them away is being unable to shcot These are the very men we want, in order to teach them, and I can tell any mau who reads in the papers what I say, that without exaggeration we can teach him to shoot. The returns made up by Mr. Davis show astonishing results made by men who have never fired a rifle, so there is no
for reason
keeping out because cannot shoot. Every maa should be able to hold a weapon
iu defence of his hearth and home, and should seize this opportunity and learn (applaase), Filty per cent. of the present members of the Associa fion could not shoot when they joined, but are now quite useful shots: some of them make frequently at the butts 3 out of 35 possible, after twelve months' training (applause). One of these men I saw make nine consecutive bulls' I asked him where he
hopes and the granting of his heart's desire | HONGKONG VOLUNTEER RESERVE | had reached 171, and membe a continued are removed by the obliging fiction writer. Thus the wife or husband of the married man or woman who falls in love again is made to die conveniently; or two or three innocent people who stand between the hero dud his inheritance are ruthlessly wiped out in a single chapter. Can it he believed that a consistent reader of this sort of thing can avoid wishing that in real life such convenient solutions may occur at times? As a matter of fact, that is what happens, especially in the case of the young and susceptible, and_the_moral_tone is un- doubtedly lowered. We have no sympathy with the old Puritan objectious to theatre. going and novel reading, but undoubtedly we have been revelling in a surfeit of sentiment, a debauch of artificially inspired emotions, and the effects are becoming apparent : 80 apparent indeed make some thoughtful men wonder for a moment if the
now universal ability to read has been a unmixed blessing An observer in London, writing from the point of view that it is demand that has created the supply, remarks: "The origin of this demand may be found in the
The CHAIRMAN-Your Excellency and first spread of education. At the time of that movement-resulting in the production gentlemen of the Hongkong Volunteer Rescue Association, It gives us, the committee, great of the "half-educated"-books were very pleasure to see to-day at this, our first annual expensive; cheap reprints of standard meeting-the first of a great many yet to come works were unheard of, free libraries were
-such a large and representative attendance, yet to come. So here was a considerable and I am sure, gentlemeu, we hold your senʻi. mass of people able to read, but pecuniarily ments when I say it gives rs all great pleasure unable to satisfy their appetites. Enter to see His Excellency the Governor present prising publishers hastened to supply the (applause). Gentlemen, this is but another mark of that living intorc it which His deficiency. Cheap issues necessitated cheap Excellency has shown in this Association from workmanship, the employment of author its inception. To come to the immediate busi- ship of a considerably lower grade, and ness that has brought us here together, namely, thus the modern ephemeral and sensational the reception of the report and the passing novel was started. Once having obtained of the accounts, I think, seeing that these have a hold its growth became prodigious, until bn in your hands for some time, that we will to-day it so thickly covers standard works follow the ordiarry custom in matters of this kind and take them a read. Before proceeding of all classes of literature that ninety, per to formally move their adoption I will make a cent. of the reading public never delve
few remarks to you upon matters closely touch- beneath it." The only practical suggesing the Association in the past year. Not all tions seen to be those of State interference of us but come of us present remember the birth with the supply of fiction by free libraries, of the Association. We remember a meeting making those who want it buy it—a proposal held at the Legislative Council Chamber at The meeting that opens up many thorny points, including · which the Governor presided. the necessarily objectionable censorship.;
was convened at His Excellency's suggestion on the 29th November, 1904, and at it a and the better supervision by parents of
resolution was duly carried that an associa their children's reading. the modern parent seems to be as great an offender as the child. The free libraries are undoubtedly at the root of the trouble, and it may yet be found that CARNEGIE, instead of being a philanthropist, has, like many other well-meaning people, bean doing harm instead of good. The man who Baid, "let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws," would to-day, without abating the truth of his philosophy, prefer to supply its reading matter..
+
eyes two months ago.
8
msa
Unfortunately tion, to act in co-operation with the defence your sentiments in another direction. I refer
The system of government at Hongkong has found an American admirer. The Sunday Sua says: The Manila business men should take a land in the game, and here is our suggestion Appoint a committee of, say, three members to go to Hongkong and Singapore and collect data
as to how John Boll allow the business-man to
help in the administration of even his red-tape confined Crown colonies. There, the chambers of commerce nominate to the Legislative Councils members of their own bodies. Get the facts, and lay them before the President Roosevelt's good sense will prompt him to immediate recognition of the Manila American business-man, if only the facts are brought to his notice. He will never let it be said that more business method characterizes the running of a British Crown colony than is apparent in ***** the management of dollar-and-cents America's faraway islands. If the facts are not secured by the commercial community, they will not be raked up by the government. The reason is, of cour apparent,
fair
or 49.
forces of Hongkong, should be formed an association apart and separate and distinct in itself, to be called the Hongkong Volunteer Reserve Association, with certain limits to the right of jining. The result of that meeting was that your present committee was elected, and according to the rules holds office for twelve months. By fluctuation of time we retire, and one of your duties to-day will be to re-elect a fresh committee. I regret very much to say that Mr. Trenchord Davis, for good reasons given the committee, is unable to staud again for the office of secretary and treasurer. The meeting which I referred to resul'ed in the enrolment of a number of members, probably 30 The matter was then taken up by all who enrolled themselves, and it became the duty of your committee to be actively recruiting; 80 active d'd some of them become that they be came rather a nuisance. We in the course of our endeavours to get members to join had to stand a certain amount of good-natured banter. I remember on one occasion being asked what sort of uniform we were going to wear and whether we intended to go on parade or active service in frock coats. My answer was that we had not discussed the question of coats, Iecause when the time came to do work we meant to take off our coats to it (laughter). Well, re- cruiting went on and in a month or so we had risen to about 106 members and by the 25th March numbered 154 (applause). Even if this association did not increase beyond that number it would still be a valuable addition to the defence forces of this country; but it has not stopped there. By the end of May our membership
8
shot and he said he had not fired nutil he came here; so what one man can do another can, We are shooting with effect; we shot about 50,000 rounds within the last twelve months and the average score per member with fourteen rounds for a possible 70 is 41 (applause). I feel again that I can take upon myself to touch to the grateful acknowledgment which this Association would wish to make to H, E. the Governor, the General, the Commodore and others for the assistance and encouragement which the Association is received at their hands ince it started (applause). To mention we have the military author ties first, had in the early life of the Association most interesting and instructive, and most capable lectures and instructions in musketry, and we wish to express to the officers and Sergeant Major Bullock our high appreciation and thanks. There is no use learning how to shoot if you haven't got a range: here again we are indebted to that gallaut officer, H.E the Governor, for giving us the first call upon the King's Park range (applause). The Associa- tion is also grateful to the General Officer Commanding for co-operating with His Excel. lency. The Commodore has given us valuable information in respect of the range and targets, and occasionally afforded us an opportunity for long range firing; I regret he was unable to come here to-day to hear us tender the thanks he deserves at our hands. The Government, eager to give the Association every opportunity of learning to shoot, have given money for the establishment of a range at the Peak. Delay has been caused.in its erection, but no one ona be actually blamed except the clerk of the weather. The money, which is the principal thing, has been provided, and we have every reason to hope and believe that rapid progress will soon not at all ́entail the disestablishment of the be made. The establishment at the Peak will King's Park range. His Excellency has just reminded me that the long range
Kowloon,
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