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RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
November 9th was fixed upon many weeks ago for the funeral of the late Dowager Empress of China, who died a year ago. Either H. M.'s Minister at Peking had overlooked until a few days ago the fact that the day appointed for the funeral was the King's birthday, or he had to wait a long time for instructions from Downing Street. It was only a few days ago that the Minister issued telegraphic instruc- tions to the Consuls in China to postpone the birthday festivities at the Treaty ports, and it was not until the 17th that instructions from the Secretary of State reached Hongkong. The two big balls of the season in Hongkong will now be held within a week of each other. The dressmakers of the Colony, who, I am informed, have been working night and day for the past week or more, will enjoy the respite.
*
The social whirl, however, has begun and entertainments crowd our diaries and make the nights run into the mornings. St Andrew's Ball is being anticipated with the usual keen- ness, and the Scottish festival should be the success that it always is.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
"bath
*
The Hongkong compositor seems to have been in a particularly humorous vein this last week. In one case he was responsible for making a lady sing " Who'll bury my lavender," and made a boarding-house keeper print the advice "Don't bath in batches.' The sea-No, c-in the
was missing. The first bloomer reminds me of the shy young curate who came forward with the belle of the parish at a Penny Reading to sing the duet "Oh, that we too were maying"-and wondered why the audience rocked with laughter. It was the mischievous imp of the printing office again. The programme an nounced that the duet the blushing young couple were to sing was entitled Oh, that we two were married"!
44
**
this year in the Interport Shoot. No doubt It is a poor show that Hongkong has made
the correspondent whose letter appeared in the D. P. on Saturday explained correctly enough how it happened that a team which had put up excellent scores in practice failed miserably to repeat the performance on the day of the match. But there is one remark in his letter that calls for a reflection, viz., "The selection for this year's team was very limited." Now, in the days of the Hongkong Rifle Club com- plaint like this was never heard. How many candidates, I wonder, did the Volunteer Reserve It was Association furnish for the team? expected of this Association that it would do infinitely more than the Rifle Club to produce good shots, but it does not seem that this expec- tation has yet been fulfilled.
[November 13, 1909,
H.M.S. Kent came out of dock on Nov. 11th after undergoing an extensive overhaul. «
A marriage has been arranged and will shortly take place between Lieut. C. W. Beck- with and Miss Florence Harvey Pinck, of Douglas, Isle of Man,
At the Magistracy on Nov. 8th Mr. Wood sentenced a Chinese to six months' imprison- ment and four hours' stocks for stealing twelve. bolts of canvas valued at $200 from Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Co.'s godown at 24, Des, Voeux Road Central.
Inspector Collett charged a native before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Tuesday with returning from banishment and with larceny from 4, Stanley Terrace and 2, Sea View Terrace, Defendant pleaded guilty to two of the charges and the hearing was adjourned.
An old Chinese from Stanley was charged by Sergeant Brazil at the Magistracy or Nov. 10 with keeping an opium divan without a licence, and with being in unlawful possession of a quantity of opium. After hearing the evidence Mr. J. R. Wood imposed a fine of $100, the alternative being six weeks' imprisonment.
,?
The tartan is seen once more in our midst. The transport Soudan arrived here on Nov 10 from Tientsin, having on board the Cameron Highlanders, who are en route for Bombay.
The kilties have disembarked at Stonecnt- ters, where they will be under canvas for ten days. It is reported that the Camerons have made a big list of football fixtures for the time they will be here...
It is perhaps not inappropriate, with the approach of St. Andrews Day, to relate the following story which has amused several audi- ences in Hongkong. The tale is usually told by an Englishman who attempts to mimic the Scot in these words: Aince upon a time there was a King of Scotland who was a great fechter, and ae day he had naething tae dae and he turned tae his prime meenester, Sandy MacPherson, and said; "I dinna ken what we'll Its chronicles this week record a snake being very enjoyable. At the opening the attendance
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11
4
dae noo.
"Hoo that?" asked Sandy. "We're got nae mair kingdoms to conquer,'
“Ah,” remarked the prime meenester, "there's ane ye have n'a conquered." This roosed his majesty. wha wanted tae ken whaur the kingdom was. "The kingdom of heaven." was the reply. "The kingdom of heaven," gasped the astonished king. "Well, ye gang and tell the king o' heaven that the king of Scotland is coming tae invade his territory.' Sandy betakes himself frae the royal presence, and he is naturally in a great predicament. Outside the palace he meets the parish meenister, a godly man, wha says tae him, Noo, Sandy MacPherson, whaur Yo'll be plannin' mair O' are ye gaun ?
Na, yere theevin,' robbin' expeedeetions." na," said Sandy, and he told him the ob- ject of his errand. “Oh,” rejoined the meen- "that's all right. You tell the King that the King o' Heaven says he can. have the kingdom o' heaven for the asking." Back goes Sandy and he presents himself to the King. Weel," demanded his majesty, "did ye see the King o' Heaven ? ** "Na," was the cautious answer, "but I saw ane o' his meenisters." Aye, and what did he say ?" His Majesty beamed as he heard the words, and resolving that the magnanimity should be equalled he said "Well, you go back and tell the King of Heaven from me that for his decency and civility never a Scotsman will set fit in the Kingdom o' Heaven."
ister,
**
When the interval arrived for taking the collection at a local church yesterday morning there was an awkward pause. The gentlemen entrusted with the duty could not discover the collection bags, and they stood aghast until one gentleman of resource rose from his seat and handed a collector his soft felt hat. A smile went round the congregation, and a few felt rewarded for having gone to church that morning. It was a case of "pass the hat for your credit's sake."
I read the other morning of a boy brought before the magistrate for trying to sell a new golf ball which he said he picked up at Deep Water Bay. His conduct is easily understood, but what can be said of the godly man who on a Sunday morning finds on the road at the gate of the church a tennis ball and puts it in his pocket and then walks into church? What are his motives? Does he wish that the unrighteous desecrator of the Sabbath should be punished, to the extent of losing a ball for playing on that day, or is he guilty of simple pilfering ?
I see Kowloon is trying to vie with the Peak.
killed in a garden.
The
Overcoats are becoming fashionable. blanket type adorns the streetscape already.
RODERICK RANDOM.
HONGKONG.
Not a single case of communicable disease of any kind was reported in the Colony last week. Nearly 24 inches of rain fell in the Colony last month, according to the Observatory report. Mr. R. F. Brayn has been appointed to act as Local Auditor during the absence of Mr. H. R. Phelips.
A Chinese barber was knocked down by tramcar No. 30 at Tsat-tsz-mui on Monday night and removed to hospital badly injured.
Mr. A. Colbourne Little's name has been added to the list of authorised architects, and Mr. Donald Macdonald's name has been restored to the list."
A notification is published in the Gazette that the Governor-in-Council has made a regulation that "no person shall sit or stand upon any part of the railings of Blake Pier."
The first practice dance in connection with St. Andrews Ball was held on Noyz & and proved
was smaller than usual but as the numbers* increased so did the zest of the dancers and the last waltz came all too soon. The strathspey and reel did not prove a success, but with more appropriate music this dance should be the great attraction that it usually is.
Detective-Sergeant Appleton arrested 21 gamblers at 230, Hollywood Road on Wednes- night, and twenty of the offenders were charged before Mr. E. R. Hallifax at the Magistracy yesterday. The two keepers of the game were fined $100 each, and each of the players $4. The other defendant, who did not appear, was admitted to bail in the sum of $10, and his bail was estreated.
On Nov. 11 was the anniversary of the birthday of His Majesty King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, and in honour of the occasion Chevalier Volpicelli, the Italian Consul-General, held the usual reception at the Consulate. Captain Mitchell-Taylor, A.D.C., representing His Excellency the Governor, the various Consuls, and numerous officials and civilians called to extend congratulations:
Cathedral were thronged on Nov. 7th by people All the approaches to the Roman Catholic visiting the annual al fresco fête held in the compound in aid of the funds of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. During the afternoon. Regulations for exempting ships' stores from many visitors took advantage of the oppor duty have been made by the Governor-in-Coun- tunity to inspect the stalls laden with fancy cil, under section 55 (h) of the Liquors Ordi-goods which were ranged round the sides, but nance, and are published in the Gazette.
It is notified in the Government Gazette that Thursday, the 25th of November, being the day on which His Majesty's Birthday is ordered to be kept, will be kept as a public holiday.
Mr. W. J. Tutcher's appointment to act as Superintendent of the botanical and Forestry Department during Mr. Dunn's absence on leave is gazetted.
Lieut.-Col. C. C. Wrigley, A.O.D., Chief Ordnance Officer at Chatham, has been appointed Senior Ordnance Officer in South
China.
On Monday morning a Chinese was found in the coolie quarters at the south face of the Beacon Hill tunnel with his head battered in and his body severely bruised. Indications point to murder.
A native who was arrested by Sergeant Macdonald at Yaumati was charged before Mr. E. Rallifax at the Magistracy on Nov. 9 with returning from banishment, found guilty, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and six hours' stocks.'
at night the populace attended as asual in large numbers. The scene was one of pleasing anima- tion, and in addition to the pleasures of buying and selling the band of the Rajputs played a series of selections. The fete was certainly as successful as its predecessors and the funds of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul should materially benefit.
The police are taking strenuous action to put an end to a practice which is becoming all too After dark the Central flagrant just now. hunting ground of members of the unfortunate the happy District of Hongkong becomes
sisterhood, whose unblushing importunities have been the subject of much comment. · On Saturday evening members of the detective
was
staff were told off to clear streets of these birds of the night. One woman, after being charged at the police station and admitted to bail in the sum of $50, resumed her nocturnal wanderings and twice during the night it found necessary to remove her, with others, from the thoroughfares. On appearing before Mr. E. R. Hallifax at the Magistracy on Monday the woman was fined $25.
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