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January 18, 1909.]
I heartily concur with him on the extreme importance of this branch of education in Queen's College. It should have our earnest considera- tion how we can promote and make more efficient the training of pupil teachers either by the institution of a normal school or by any other means. At the beginning of last year, 1st January 1908, there were seven pupil teachers here; there are now only two. I was glad to hear of the Afficiency of the vernacular classes. I think any Chinese boy who claims to be educated must be able to read and write his own language If the proposal for the institution of a university shall develop, and as I hope and trust and believe it will, into an accomplished fact, I hope that we may include an arts degree in which Chinese lite ature shall be one of the subjects of instruction (applause). I think that the example which has been shown by Oxford, of which the headmaster has just told us, that they are ready to exmaine in Chinese, and to exempt those, who pass from responsions, should make us ashamed to lag behind in this hinese College in Hong- kong. I am, in fact, rapidly coming to the con- clusion that in our university after the two sub. jects of applied science and meaicine, which I think should come first, that the third should be an arts degree. A day or two ago I had the plaesure of a conversation with Professor Burton, a gentleman who has been sent to the Far East by the hicago University to report whether the conditions in the Far East are such as would justify them in establishing a university. He is to be joined by the ex-Chancellor, and they intend to spend many months in examining this subject. I had a most interesting conversation on this particular point, and he strongly urged that in any university an arts degree was essential, and that it should include instruction in the ethics and history alike of Christianity and Confucianism (applause). Last year when I addressed you here I pointed out to the head- master and staff of Queen's College the great importance, in my opinion, of teaching the prin- ciples of patriotism as I believe they are taught in Japan. I do not mean parochial patriotism, but the inculcation of sound principles of loyalty to the State to which we belong, whether that State be China or whether it be Hongkong. I hope that the words and advice I then gave have not been lost sight of during the past year. But I would urge you boys to distinguish between the right and wrong sort of patriotism, Patriotism means the love of one's country. It does not mean the hatred or jealousy of other countries (applause). It means a desire to bring into one's own country all that is best, and that makes for liberality and freedom of thought. It does not mean a childish sensitiveness and eagerness to take affront and to pick quarrels. It means loyalty to the rulers of the country. not secret cabals and intrigues against them for some chimerical and doubtful good purpose for the advantage of interested agitators. It means the loyal support of the measures in troduced by those rulers for the general welfare, whether they are measures for sanitation or whether they are measures for the control of habits which are dirty or which are degrading. I hope, Sir, that you and your staff will incul- cate these principles during the coming year, and I hope, boys, that you will learn the lessons: that you will learn to distinguish between what I call a right and a wrong sort of patriotism. I can assure you that it will be among the most valuable lessons that you will learn during your school career. I wish you all happy holidays and a happy new year.
I shall now have much pleasure in proceeding to the pleasing task to which I have been asked to attend to-day, to distribute the prizes you have earned during the year (applause),
HIS EXCELLENCY then distributed the prizes after which he announced that the holidays ended on February 14th, and that the schoo would reopen on the 15th of that month.
The proceedings ended with cheers for the King, for His Excellency and Lady Lugard,
for the visitors and for the headmaster.
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One of the three men arrested in connection with the attempt to rob a visitor of $200 in Queen's Road Central on Monday, was charged before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on Jan. 13. He was found guilty on the evidence, convicted, and sentenced to six months' impri- sonment with hard-labour.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A JAPANESE NOBLEMAN
DISRANKED.
The Emperor of Japan has withdrawn the Imperial sanction of the engagement of Princess Kitashirakawa to Count Todo, and, as a disciplinary measure, it has been decided that the treatment pertaining to his rank as Count shall no longer be extended to him.
Japanese newspapers publish a statement on the subject attributed to Viscount Tani, one of the members of the Nobles Disciplinary Committee. The Viscount is quoted as saying that he sees no reason for observing privacy in this matter. The details are that Count Todo married an English lady during his student days abroad, and on his return to Japan he registered the fact, registering the divorce at the same time. Then, in order to conceal this incident, he changed his domicile from Honjo to Koishikawa, so as to have a clean record in the new register, after which precaution he proposed for the hand of Princess Take. At the mee ing of the Disciplinary Council nobody was found to utter a word of excuse for such conduct. Very probably the Count had been badly advised, but that his conduct was unbecoming a nobleman, there could be no question. As to the punishment recommended by the Council, namely, suspension of treatment as a peer, the Viscount explains that this is usually for a fixed term of years, at the expiration of which the offender is reinstated if he has given evidence of a sincere desire to maintain the dignity of his Order. In this case, however, no such period was fixed: the duration of the sentence was indefinite, and it is entirely uncertain when Count Todo will be able to resume the use of his title. There are many instances, the Viscount says, of dissolate conduct on the part of Japanese students studying abroad, but very few men in the position of gentlemen have disgraced themselves 80 thoroughly as Count Todo has done, Referring to the fact that, according to the published accounts, Count Todo divorced his English wife simultaneously with the registra- tion of the marriage, & correspondent has asked the Japan Mail whether divorce is such a simple and one-sided affair in Japan. Our contem- porary replies: It used to be very simple and very one-sided under the old regimen, but the new Civil Code introduced a drastic change, and the meagre accounts hitherto published as to Count Todo's procedure must not be interpreted literally. In order to effect a lawful divorce in Japan one of two conditions is essential; either the wife must be a consenting party, or the judg- ment of a court of law must be obtained. In Count Todo's case the latter condition was not fulfilled, and we must therefore assume that the former was, satisfied, for unless it had been clearly shown that the requirements of the code had been complied with, registration would not have been possible. Some accounts speak of the lady as enjoying a certain position, but others lead us to infer that she is an adventuress, whose consent to either wedlock or divorce was not difficult to obtain. At all events it may be hoped that Count Todo's example will prove a warning to students visiting foreign countries, and will be interpreted as an Imperial condem- nation of relations so lightly contracted and so lightly severed.
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In another comment on the matter our contemporary says Of course, nothing is known by the public as to the character the lady concerned, but we gather from statements attributed to the officers of ount Todo's nousehold that she was a con- senting party, and that the reason of the divorce was recognition of the fault committed in failing to obtain Imperial sanction. We are led to believe that the Count, who, after all is only a student of 23 years of age, contracted the union hastily without being aware of the necessity of seeking Imperial sanction, and that, when that serious error was discovered, no course seemed to be open except judicial separation. It is denied emphatically that the divorce had for object a union with the princely house of Kitashirakawa. The divorce took place in August, and the project of the Kitashirakawa marriage did not come upon the tapis until October. As for the change of domicile which was at first regarded as a deliberate attempt to conceal the facts, it is said to have been a mere
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matter of convenience in locality, and it is pointed out that to invest it with a deceitful character is extravagant. The young Count himself, however, offers no excuses of any kind. He is said to have fallen ill, but for the rest he accepts his punishment in silence.
HONGKONG PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT.
Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather conditions, the first concert of the Philharmonic Bociety for the new year, held in St. George's Hall on Jan. 8th, proved an entire success, both from a musical and a spectacular point of view. The bleak, uninviting weather did not warrant the large attendance present, but those who braved the elements were amply repaid by the excellence of the programme, which was largely drawn from the works of Elgar, the English composer who has recently attracted so much attention at home, and to whose compositions the orchestra of the Philharmonic Society did ample justice. His Excellency the Governor anticipated being present, but was detained owing to the illness of Lady Lugard. Government House, however, was represented by Captain Mitchell-Taylor A.D.C., Mr. A. J. Brackenbury, Private Secretary, and Miss Henniker.
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After the orchestral opening selection “Chan- son de matin, followed the part song" Old Neptune by the choristers, which was greatly appreciated. Mrs. Grove and Mr. Denman Fuller came next with a fantaisie (two pianos) by Gurlitt, an item displaying the musical abilities of the performers and deserving the applause which followed their effort. A hearty reception awaited Mrs. E. G. Barrett as she took the stage to sing "My love for you" and "The dawn of Joy," two songs for which Mr. Denman Fuller composed the music To the capable accompaniment of that gentle- man and the Orchestra Mrs. Barrett did full justice, and the encores which followed her song bore sufficient testimony to its merit. Mr. Frank Grove's fine voice was heard to advantage in the song "Britain ask thyself." Backed by a powerful male-voiced chorus, it proved an excellent item, and there was ample evidence that it was appreciated by the auditors.
After the interval the Orchestra re-opened the programme with Chanson de Nuit" by Elgar, which was much appreciated. The Serenade
Lady Rise (Smart) followed and was sung without accompaniment by Mesdames Edwards and Goldsmith and Messrs. Edwards and Beavis with much acceptance and con- siderable applause, to which the quartette responded by successfully repeating the last two verses. The chorus and orchestra again took up the attention of the audience with To Sylvia," a selection from one of Shakspeare's works put to music by Schubert. Mrs. Grove and Mr. Denman Fuller supplied the next item Scherzo Capriccioso (two pianos) and well filled the breach which would have been other. wise occasioned, for Mrs. Cochrane was unable to
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appear through indisposition. "Choral Fantasia " comprising ten. old English airs (Vincent) by the chorus and orchestra completed a highly classical and thoroughly excellent concert.
INDIAN ITEMS.
In view of the abnormal excessive depression. in the English Piece Goods trade, in Bombay, the native merchants and traders connected with it, have petitioned the Governor-General, Lord Minto, praying for an exemption from the operations of the Income Tax for two years,
Out of the 13,000 chests of Malwa opium allowed by the Indian Government to be ex- ported to China in the year 1909, the P. & 0. 8.8. Devanha, which is bringing out the next English Mail, has on board more than half the quantity, say nearly 7,500 chests.
The plague in the Bombay Presidency claimed last year 100,000 victims: The 161 municips- lities in the Presidency have spent 713 lakhs of rupees on sanitary works, chiefly water and drainage.
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