Slice of life
From the South China Morning Post this week in 1958
Twelve Hong Kong seamen were killed when unidentified bombers attacked the Panamanian freighter Flying Lark at Ambon in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia.
The vessel had a crew of 28 officers and men, all Hong Kong Chinese. News of the attack and casualties was received from the Flying Lark's second officer, the only officer to survive the bombing. The ship belonged to the Chiap Hua Shipping Company (Panama). It was on charter to the New Rubber Company of Singapore, which in turn chartered it to an Indonesian firm. A spokesman said the vessel was known to be on fire, but the extent of the damage was not known.
More than 20 ships totalling 50,000 net registered tons were lying idle in Hong Kong waters because of the general recession in freight trade all over the world.
Shipping circles blamed the situation on three main factors: less moving cargo in the world; shipping tonnage available surpassed the demand; and too much competition.
Some local companies found it more economical to leave their ships idle than to run them for small cargo business.
The first floating clinic in Hong Kong, the 70-foot Chee Hung, was put into service with a traditional firecracker send-off from the Tai Po Kau pier in Tai Po. The launch was built at Taikoo Dockyards and presented to the government by the Jockey Club.
It was to serve isolated agricultural and fishing communities along the eastern seaboard of the colony. Medical treatment was free. It was manned by a doctor and two nurses.
Betty Clemo of Hong Kong won the design award for 1958 at the Washington State Trade Fair for her Chinese-style lounging pyjamas of English cotton, designed and made in the colony.
Popular acclaim was given to the Hong Kong products and fashions considered outstanding at the fair. They included theatre coats, gowns and cardigans of tribute silk, satin brocades and jewelled cashmere - all of which were lavishly praised. But the judges pinned the highest design award on the tomato red and black cotton pyjamas, taking into consideration the clever cut and appearance, the low cost, the many uses and the utility aspects of the garments.
London was gearing up to be the first place anywhere in Britain to experience parking meters. The shilling-in-the-slot meters were to make their appearance in July. Parking in a selected zone would be controlled between 8.30am and 6.30pm on all days except weekends and public holidays.
Charges would be sixpence for an hour and a shilling for two hours. Parking anywhere else was prohibited, except for commercial vehicles, which were free to load and unload on unspecified streets, and cars and taxis were entitled to still set down and pick up passengers.
In an attempt to get long-term parkers to use off-street parking, drivers who overstayed their two hours at the meters were liable to fines of 10 shillings and possible prosecution.
Long mahjong sessions are conducive to deafness, according to a Tokyo expert who drew this conclusion at the end of a report on the effects on the hearing power of all-night mahjong players.
He said the players' hearing powers gradually waned and became weakest from 2am to 4am. He found that nervous people were especially susceptible to loss of hearing power and their hearing became extremely weak when losing. Normal hearing usually returned with the approach of daybreak, but all-night sessions three or four times a week could lead to chronic deafness
From the classifieds: Doctor's office in Central District, equipped and well furnished with telephone, for local registered doctors. No rent charged for seeing a few cases free every weekday. Please write General Post Office Box 2149 for appointment.
