Perhaps if these workers did not develop such speed and. skill. they would not so often catch up with the demand, and fore. themselves Into vacations.
Rattan workers are just now at the height of their season, which began in October. Before that time, however, workmen who wanted to hold their jobs had to devise new pieces to make, there being no orfers coming in: During this inter-people, both men and wore! are] val they turned out rattan rocking] The' peasants who do. most of the bird cages and odd-work' about the Colony, lamps, just to keep busy.
In rondemaking, building of all Ty. autumn, however, most of the sorts, carrying of most. unwieldy factories began to get ready for Surdéns, and th all the work of the Forestry Departments hose hardy ants contribute. their" share of interesting to note, the ind Even during the off season, our. The women in. particular tre energetic aa the ants. In their sunny black cotton "smocks and Trousers, "with huge "hats. bun ound within gathered fold of cloth ike" some "enormous lamp-shade, they toil from ann to sun.
'These wonien have important A the "Building that goes forward here. Te in: the men who develop. high skill in the weaving' of furniture.
Everyone has seen at one time oF another, and admired, the impres: tive petcock chair with its Shapéd beck, No tropical verandah seems" quite complete witha or mote such pieces of furniture, trid they are indeed usefal outside Hongkong furniture as a matter of fact ts now" -made. chiefly Kowloon side, because. ofthe high ents. Much of it, indeed, is made] Beyond the" city," but it fs "all Possible to find thobs where the Reuual manufacture a going. on. fow steps behind the show oom.
You have only to walk down Hankow Koad while you" are in Kowloon to see this chair of the vast fan-shaped back, yet one that Wight and graceful' withal, on its native heath. was, bringing Hongkong a revenue f $21,540 4 month. Figures for current busy time are not yet able.
Southern Califor for instance, imports large amount of rattan farnitores where it travels und the intensely. romantic-sounding ale of Hongkong furniture Bat THE a wanted hey Zor use nth monte are desirable, This ascounta summer, so very early spring for the renewed activity in all she beginning about October, and. continuing until all, orders "have been filled fu the spun Australia buys large amount of thig furniture, "and It. goes. toa Widely scattered area tothe south the' Malay States, South Africa, hina, for instance. Holland seems to be the European country Which takes the largest -amount of Hongkong's. furniture.
'The chair which captures more remote trade, as for instance, that of Australia' and the Netherlands, somewhat "different from the Product so. well-known along the China const, Because freight rates are exhorbitant, and chairs. at best diffeult abject to pack, the industry has] how developed 'a type of -knock-
Bamboo Boulevard Indeed Hankow Road might bot-Big' Prices Abroad for be called Rattan Row or Bamboo "Knock-down chair" is the official Boulevard, for numerous and varied trade jo name, for that ig, exactly
tire and other household. oddments, wre the shops which display, fur] Be done to the furniture, And itis Just as easily put. toat may 'Ail these ure deftly fashioned from ether again. When folded up, and othe many-times useful bamboo-ike Hacked one on top of the other, tame brought to China from Singa-hose chairs, "their heavy rattan ore and the Malay' States frames covered over with woven "The manufacture of rattan, la seagrams fibre, make a perfectly really what the name. implies, for compact bale. bveryething is indeed made by hand, They are then bundled up in a You"may" see 30. or 40 men and piece of matting, another native hove pug these tone Han Product, and afew strokes of the Road shop, where. the propre: aint brash labels. thems for, their tee'nas noe yet been riven tothe journey to the other side of the] Suburbs. "He is am amiable aot, as world. fre all these tradesmen, and he To set up one of these chairs, wilt permit, the. chance visitor to which the merest child could do] Deck into the inner workings of the Dinee. Very likely he suspects, that Brith ease, you. put in "place the Side pieces, with. their connecting Jou are planning "to" organise. a fower front. 'Then you slip in, the Hival industry, and may ask you back, which has sharpened rattan just why yon" wane 2 now where pins' that ft into hollowed-out gote his bamboo, and how much Mieces on the aides, and put the ho fises ach month. in' place, "No" effort and But like all the shop-keepers. who nally ave involved, and the chair axe accustomed to. doing. business actually holds up—even under the vith foreigners, Ihe probably" atte Strain of -supporting comfortably Bates. this cariosity to" rae jai padded individuals. vagaries.
ozone seems to know just when this' industry gained fee first hold Inviongkong, Bate des Back 70 rst material used" war the local "people seem agreed, The bamboo, according to one man, who {scurrying onthe" business ina factory built by his father.
Aman who works hard may. make from $40 to $50 in prosperous times. But He will spend most of it for opium, says one employer in deep disgust.
"As for the small boys who come from the country, usually at the instigation of their parents, to learn the business, it ix a different story. Arriving at the factory somewhere around the age of 12, they work for several months for no wages at all—just their chow.
"Then they begin receiving the princely sum of $3, still with chow, but $2 goes to. the family. So during the three years of the aspirant's apprenticeship he has small chance to waste much in riotous) living.
almost any factory you may see a learner like Chun Nam or Wong Ping, who after six months of steady application can turn out, chair in three or four days. They.
Of course people along the China coast take all this very much for granted, not realising that people fin Sydney may be waiting for just such siesta chair, or that smart New York shops once asked—and apparently received—G320 for an} everyday Hongkong-woven settee, when properly fitted with the newest thing in cushions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.