June 7, 1909.]
FAREWELL TO INSPECTOR WITHER.
PRESENTATION AT POLICE RECREATION CLUB.
41
A pleasant function took place at the Police Recreation Club on the 28th ult. when Inspector Withers, the secretary of the Club. who proceeds home ou leave to-day, was presented with a handsome gold watch which bore the inscription
Presented to Inspector W.B. Withers by the members of the H.K. P. R. C. as a mark of appreciation of his whole- hearted work in the interests of the lub as bon. secretary" The presentation was made by Mr. P. P. J. Wodehouse, Deputy Superintendent of Police, in the presence of many ladies and a large number of the force.
Chief Detective-Inspector
Hauson, in opening the proceedings, remarked that Mr Wodehouse had very kindly offered to make the presentation to the gentleman who was seated between the Deputy and Assistant Superintendents. First of all however, he did not think it would be out of place to have a peep into history of the Club. Once upon a time, as chroniclers generally began, there was no club. All they had was what there was at the Central Station compound, where nets were rigged to keep the balls from running into the Old Bailey or into the street. They carried on all right there, played the game, and had IL lot of fun. In those days worthy secretary Withers first began to steer the ship. He took upon himself to do whatever he could to help them forward. and he continued on until at last the police got funds to build a matshed, that was in September
1904. Since that time Mr. Withers had cou- tinuously done all he could to further the interests of the Club, to make people happy and to make the Clubthat for which they considered it existed (ap- plause). He gave then an opportunity to meet together after the day'stoil and to go home a little better than they were in spirit, and probably in health. For all this, it was the wish of members to show Mr. Withers how they appreciated it. With that end in view they had procured something he could carry with him, and hoped he would long be spared to carry it, and that on his return from a pleasant
leave he still would not relax his efforts in con-
nection with the Club. The speaker then asked Mr. Wodehouse to make the presentation.
Mr. Wodehouse said he felt very proud at being called upon to present a farewell memento to Mr. Withers, the more so, as most of those present knew, because he had been associated with the police since his childhood. His father was out here as first magistrate for years, and he thought that most of those present would remember his uncle. Mr. Hanson, in his prac- tical speech, had said everything the speaker was going to say very much better than he could have done. But he would just say a few words about Mr. Withers. It was no easy task to be secretary of a club, even such a small club as this. There were the grounds aud building to look after, the arrangement of matches and the accounts. To do do all this successfully a man required a good capacity for business, a good temperament and energy He had also to be very patient, and above all, very tactful, while one of his most arduous duties was that of gathering in the subscriptions, (A voice: He does it all right). All these qualities Mr. Withers possessed in the highest possible degree (applause).
Assistant Superintendent King then called for three cheers for Mr. Withers.
Three hearty cheers were supplemented by a "tiger."
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
a
was he who suggested it, and a few of the mem- bers carried out his suggestions to this extent: Mr. Hallifax said it was to be a cricket club; and they made it a cricket club; but they had also successfully introduced bowls and tennis, and owed a debt of gratitude to their superinten- dents for financial and moral support. When the Club first started there were 36 members, and some said it would not last a year. Mr. Hallifax was elected presidents and the speaker was elected secretary, while a few of those assembled were on the committee. They decided to make the Club # success, and now had membership of 88 which he trusted would be soon increased to 108 (applause). They had experienced hard luck, but the good fellowship prevailing enabled them to pull through successfully. Assembled at the Club all were on A Rocial level but none of the members forgot that business was business and pleasure was pleasure (applause) There was no reason why the different ranks in the force should not get on in both de- partments, and it was the spirit of fellowship and good feeling that would keep the Club go ing. In conclusion the speaker asked members to extend to.Inspector Gourlay the comradeship they had extended to him in the past (applause). He was delighted with handsome present he had received, Rul wished success to the old Club, which he was sure would continue to prosper (applause).
Thanks were conveyed to Mr. Wodehouse for attending, and that gentleman called upon those present to charge glasses and drink bon ruyage to Mr. Withers. The toast was honoured, and the guest of the afternoon acknowedged the compliment.
Inspector Withers, who rose to respond amid prolonged cheering, said that this was the time to which he had looked forward to with diffident feelings. He was supposed to | be going home, but as a matter of fact he was going away from home. His home, was in Hongkong. He had been here for
the last 22 years, and here practically all his friends were.
He came to Hongkong as a lad of eighteen; he was leaving it as a man of forty, with hopes of returning (applause). Since he had taken over the secretaryship of the Police Recreation Club it had been his hobby to make it a success. The one who promoted the Club was at present on leave; that was one of the respected superintendents, Mr. Hallifax (applause). It
HONGKONG PHILHARMONIC
SOCIETY,
the
The annual meeting of the members of the Hongkong Philharmonic Society took place on June 1st at the City Hall. The Hon. Mr. F. H. May presided.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the society on the successful season it had had and the previous season by dinner parties. They remarked that it had been less interrupted than
appreciated this attitude on the part of the public. Undoubtedly the most important work undertaken was The Wreck of the Hesperus," for the success of which they were indebted to Mr. Denman Fuller for his labour in connection with the orchestration of the piece. The committee also wished to thank Mr. and Mrs. Grove, Mrs. E. G. Barrett. Miss Brotherton Harker and the Rev. M. Longridge for their services. They were sorry, he added, to lose he was sure they would all join in extending the services of their hardworking secretary and
their best thanks to him. The treasurer would have something to say on the accounts and would content himself by remarking would doubtless have learned that they with satisfaction that they carried forward a balance of $348 to begin the work of next sea- He trusted that that season would be as prosperous as the last (applause).
he
sou.
Mr. BEAVIS (hon. treasurer) moved the ad- option of the accounts, which was seconded by the Hon. BASIL TAYLOR and carried.
:
Messrs F. C. Barlow C E. H. Beavis, R. T. D. The committee was constituted as follows: Sayle, J. A. Young, W. L. Pattendey and Rev. A. B. Thornhill, the appointment of secretary being left with the committee.
It
|
was unanimously decided to ask Mr. Denman Fuller to undertake the conductorship of the society next season, and with a vote of proceedings
thanks to the Chairman the terminated.
The annual report was in the following
terms:-
The Committee of the Philharmonic Society have much pleasure in presenting the Annual Report for the Seasou 1908-1909.
The membership of the Society shows a gratifying increase over that of last season. We have the following additional Vice-Pres idents :- Messrs. C. E. H. Beavis, F. B. L. Bowley, W. A. Dowley, Major-General R. G. Broadwood, C.B., and the Hon. Mr. W. J. Gresson, whilst the
number
of ordinary
|
471
members has increased from sixty-six in 1907-1908 to ninety-two in 1908-1909.
nary
This large increase is mainly due to the altera- tion in the Rules, sanctioned by the Extraordi- General Meeting of November last, whereby ladies and gentlemen are permitted to join the Society as subscribing members with all the privileges of vocal and instrumental members except that of voting on any question under discussion at special or general meetings, During the past season, the Society gate two concerts as compared with only one in the previous year.
The first concert was held in the St George's Hall on Friday, January 8th, 1909 and included, amongst other items, Vincent's "Choral Fanta‹ia” ou Old National Airs, by a chorus and orchestra of, some eighty performers. In spite of the inclemency of the weather, the concert was well attended.
The second concert took place on Tuesday, April 27th, 1909 and though, from an artistic point of view, it is admitted to have been in no way inferior to the former one, the audience was considerably less, due probably to the fact that the concert had to be given late in the season.
Hamish MacCunn's Work, "The Wreck of the Hesperus", by chorus and orchestra, was the maiù item at this concert, and the time and care necessary to produce a work of this nature rendered an earlier date for the concert, im- practicable. No orchestral parts of this work being available, the orchestration-no light task in view of the very small number of performers -was so ably undertaken by the conductor as to suggest the desirability of adopting this practice for the future, having regard to the difficulty of obtaining a full complement of instruments.
The task of orchestrating this work (which is nothing if not descriptive) for the handful of performers available might have appalled a less capable musician than Mr. Denman Fuller but, in a few days, he produced a score, which gave the greatest satisfaction to all concerned, and which contributed in very great measure to the success of this item on the programme. The committee have since gladly accepted the or- chestral parts which Mr. Fuller has kindly presented to the Society.
sincere thanks to all those members who took The committee desire to express their most part in the concerts, especially to Mr. and Mrs. F. Grove of Canton, Mrs. E. G. Barrett, and the Rev. M. Longridge, R.N.
The Society is also greatly indebted to Miss Brotherton Harker for the gifted manner in which she has acted as hon. accompanist to the Society throughout the season.
It is with regret that the Committee have to announce that Mr. Gelsthorpe is leaving the Colony and thus will no longer be able to carry and painstaking performance of such duties calls on the duties of Hon. Secretary. His untiring
for the emphatic appreciation of the society.
As in previous years, the expenses connected with both concerts exceeded the receipts the deficits in each case being met from the Sub- scriptious or General Fund. The Society is, however, to be congratulated on possessing, after paying all expenses, a balance of $348.54 to be carried forward to the account for next season, when it is hoped that members will again cordially support the Society in its efforts to promote music of a high standard in Hongkong.
F. H. MAY President.
THE VACANCY ON THE LEGIC- LATIVE COUNCIL.
As announced by advertisement in Monday's Daily Press, a meeting of the Unofficial Justi- ces of the Peace is convened for the 10th inst. for the purpose of nominating a Justice as a member of the Legislative Council to take the Hon. Mr. Pollock's seat during his absence. We learn that Mr. Murray Stewart has agreed to stand, and that he will be proposed for election by the Hon. Mr. W. J. Gresson and seconded by the Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett. Mr. Murray Stewart's return to the Legislative Council will, we are sure, give general satisfac- tion, for when he sat as the representative of the Chamber of Commerce during the Hon. Mr. Hewett's absence from the Colony last year, Mr. Stewart showed himself to be a keen critic, a Rupert of debate, and altogether an acquisition to the Colonial Legislature.
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