Hongkong, July 6.
The Colony is wrapped day by day in great waves of sultry heat, but people are not collapsing as they are fu Shanghai, and there are intermittent showers, quite hard some of them, but never a typhoon, or even the outer fringe of one. Hongkong is having plenty of weather, but none of It is quite exciting enough to make the front page any more.
This is the season when shops trot out their overflow of Manila hats and display them with such seductive Signs that the bargain seeker may rot notice how Uberally flecked they fare with soot and dust.
For though Manila hats will bede rigour in Hongkong long after they have faded out of the Shanghai landscape, the wise dealer believes in getting them off his hands early. Especially since some are already a season oF #0 out of their native habitat, and the exporters may have something new later on!
Engagement Announced The engagement is announced of John, the elder son of His Excellency the Governor Sir William Peel and Endy Peel, and Rosemary Mia Minka, the elder daughter of Mr. and. Bs. Robert Readhead, of Great House, Hambledon, Surrey.
Mr. John Poet is to visit his parents at Government House next couth, before he goes to Singapore to {ake up an appointment with the Civil Service there.
Consul and Wife Leave Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Jenkins were hosts at a cocktail party at the Amer planning to visit their son in Nanking before proceeding to Peking to be guests of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson T. Tohnson.
Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins will join the President Hoover in Yokohama, going to the United States for a short visit before continuing on their journey to Berlin. There Mr. Jenkins will take up his new appointment as Consul General.
Among the numerous farewells planned. for Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins during their last weeks in the Colony was a dinner given by His Excellency the Governor and Lady Peel at Mountain Lodge, and a tifin party by mem bers of the local American community at the American Club, Muskett—Martin The wedding of Miss Maisie Ger-trade Martin. and Mr. H.W. Muskett was if anything more inter-sting to their wide circle of friends here because of the delay it suffered. As will be remembered, Miss Martin and her mother, Mrs. ME. A. Martin, were on their way to Hongkong from Sydney, travelling by the xs. Changte, which went aground in Southern Philippine waters. The wedding had to be postponed from June 16 to the 23rd, when it took place in the presence of a large gathering of friends Andrew's Church.
The Rev. J. R. Higgs read the ceremony, while Mr. Rupert Baldwin played appropriate organ music.
The bride was wearing ivory satin with a tulle veil, having tangerine tinted gladioli for her bouquet. The four bridesmaids, Misses Isabel Pestonji, Ina Buchanan, Jean Owing and Laureen Demo, had frocks of lama and tulle, and their bouquets were posies of pink carnations.
Mrs. J. R. Sulter, sister of the bride. groom, was matron of honour, while the duties of best man were per~ formed by Mr. H. 8. Jones.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the home of Mr. and Mfrs. ig made up, far transcending details of "outline "and even pattern are evident only to the eyes.
She is learning to read. Braille does not teach you the Roman phabet. Her greatest delight is in Colour.
Suiter, Prince Edward Road. After the usual toasts and good wishes, the happy couple left for Canton on their honeymoon. airs. Muskettchote fawn for her going-array ensemble Holiday in Japan Mrs. J. W. Platt and her two chil-aren are enjoying a tour of Japan, faving left the Colony last. week by the Bimpress of Canada, Mrs. Platt, Whose husband is a member of the Slafl of the Asiatic Petroleum Com: pany, is a well-known amateur photo Erapher and has written a number of vel sketches end reminiscences, as well as some. short stories. In the arly part of the year Mr, Platt was fransterred' to Manila, and' later Shameen Canton Briefs Mrs. John Hall Paxton, wife of Mr.
Paxton, American Consul at Canton, in the United States for a longer visit, and plans to return in September. Mr. Paxton is beck from leave.
Mr. Robert C. Condray, the Amer-can Consul at Swatow, has come to Canton to assist temporarily Mr. 'W. Ballentyne, the American Consul-General at Shameen. He will pro-ably be reassigned to Swatow very shortly, Stenographer Sees World Perhaps when Miss Betty Gerke passed through Shanghai on a round-the-world cruise recently shew swallowed up in the crowd, so to speak, and attracted rather less attention then she did in Hongkong.
For according to current reports, It Is entirely too warm in Shanghai ust now for even an attractive young secretary, with a long list of successful conquests to her credit, to cause much of a stir.
Besides Miss Gerke, for all her past achievements, is now in much the same position of many.of her countrywoman. She wants a job.
For years private secretary to the Into Governor Ralph of Californi Miss Gerke had the unique experienc three years ago of flying to the capital of each State of the Union with an invitation to the Governor to be pre sent at the Olympic Games.
She carries letters of recommenda tion from a number of California off cials as well as from the late Governor himself. The letter from Governor Ralph, signed while he was in 0 San Francisco hospital, was one of the last documents penned by California's best-loved Governor.
For all the uniqueness of her posttion, Miss Gerke enjoyed Hongkong's attractions much as any other tourist would, and expressed a desire to visit the Colony again. With Mr. Rudolph Block, correspondent for the New York Amercan, and other passengers and some officers from her ship, Miss Gerke was a guest at a Chinese dinner party while they were in port.
This far no one has heard whether Miss Gerke has found her job yet, but doubtless she prefers Anishing her tour before she settles down to even the sort of career she has grown accustomed. to.
A Question of Fig Leaves Even since sri outspoken priest at Rosary Church in Kowloon delivered himself of an opinion regarding cur~ rent fashions, "both European and Chinese, with of course particular emphasis on beach and tennis trends, the it has been rent with protests" and commendation, The columns of both daily ano weekly sheets have carried their share of the controversy. Irate women have written defences of the modern sportswear so indispensable at this season. Some have even gone so far as to say that a glimpse of a dainty leg flashing through a slit petunias are becoming stray-ely cutting them back to about Sz Inches above the ground will Strengthen them. New growth will begin again and there will soon be a mass of flower once more. As a screen to cover the Tower part of some taller plants petunige make avery.efective show. A watering of a weak solution of sulphate of ammonia will help to counteract the killing effect of the hot weather and act as a tonic to the plants, skirt is mildly stimulating to the imagination.
Men have even edged their way into the discussion, contributing of course nothing very valuable, but still showing that they are awake to the situation.
Meanwhile tailors are still turning out shorts and beach pajamas; the market for swimming sults has suffer~ ed no decline, and Chinese girls con-Unue to be unrepentant about their silk gowns with the knee-deep silts, It remains only for some body of women with a thought for public morals to point out the dangers to their sex of another summer style, What with manly chests in "such favour this season, and bathing trunks all that many swimmers worry about, there are going to be a great many unholy emotions aroused in maiden breasts at Repulse Bay and Castle Peak!
Children's Club to Meet For several years now, members of the Ministering Children's League have organized the younger element of tha Colony for vacation handiwork which later is sold at a gala bazaar. Every autumn mothers and others who come to the sale, more out of Interest than in the hope of finding thing they. want, are genuinely ieprised to discover' what attractive tides children can make if they are given a little guidance.
The first session of the Club for this season is to be held next Friday, Personal Notes The Hon. Mr. A. D. A. MacGregor and Mrs. MacGregor made a trip to Macao on last Sunday.
Mrs. L. Dunbar, whose husband is an outstanding, owner of race ponies Is enjoying a holiday tour of Japa:
Dr. Rufus A. von Kleidsmith, president of the University of Southern Californie, and Mrs, von Kleldsmith, re quests at Repulse Bay Hotel for atime, before continuing their Journey back to the West Coast, Rehearsal Called Few organizations in the East, where erstwhile energetic workers are taking Jong holidays, are half so ambitious as the Hongkong Philharmonic Soclety. For not only has it been decided to give the concert person of "Merry England" next season, but members are already being called out for a sort of preliminary stock-taking.
Next Monday's meeting will not be precisely a rehearsal, but Mr. Anderson Miller, the honorary conductor, will be present in order to discover just what vocal talent is available for the production.
Just the same, it ts not likely that many such organizations on the China are making any pretense of being so active just now.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.