CHINA MAIL, PAGE 80
1841
HONG KONG CENTENARY NUMBER.
Typhoon Disaster Of 1937
(Continued from Page 20)
of the remaining premises into a public library.
One of the big events to occur in Hong Kong during 1933-although it did not seem so important at the time--was the hoisting of the old German Imperial flag over the German Consulate in place of the It flag of the Weimar Republic. was announced that a Nazi flag was being hurried out from Ber- lín.
The German Consul, in an ad- dress, said that Hitler was not the leader of the Nazi movement but "merely the outward expression of the feelings of Germany "
More interest was displayed at the time in the visit of Mr. and Mrs. George Bernard Shaw. Shaw lunched with Sir Robert and Lady Hồ Tưng. He caused something of a commotion, however, when he told an assembly of students that they should study revolutionary thought
Two 30-foot whales were see 12 ft Stanley early in January by a party consisting of J. J. Cook, Miss Dalziel, Miss Westlund and A. R. Cox.
During Auril, a "mimie war" on large scale, involving both the land and the Mainland, was staged the result of which was held to be a very satisfactory test of the defences of Hong Kong,
Too Hot
An objection to the firing of live howitzer shells over his home at Castle Peak by the Volunteers was raised by Mr. A. Smith, manager of Whiteway's: Colonel Bird, com- mandant of the Corps, retoried that that part of Castle Peak "is and has always been part of a
military range."
A trial Alighi between Hong Kong and Manila was carried out during August, the Sikorsky amphibian piloted by Mr. H. M. Bixby, of Pan-American Airways, arriving safely at its destination.
The first petition under the new Divorce Ordinance, which came into effect in November, 1933, was fled early in January, 1934, the main grounds being infidelity.
A Fascist society known as the "Circolo Fascista di Cultera" was formed in January the same year, its objects being "the furthering and spreading of Italian culture in Hong Kong and China."
A training school for flying was started in March at Kai Tak, with the approval and sanction of Gov- ernment, under Mr. W. F. Mur- ray, commandant; Lord Douglas Hamilton, assistant flying instruc- tor; and Mr. W. Waldron, chief engineer instructor.
Gasometer Explosion
Nearly 40 people lost their lives and many more were injured to a varying degree as a result of a terrific explosion in the Gas Com- pany's works at West Point May 14. A large number of tene- ment houses were completely wrecked.
on
There was quite a strong cam- paign for a time in favour of ex- tending the Peak Tramway down to Garden Road, thus bringing it' down to sea-level, technical ad- visors stating that the service need not be interrupted to carry this out and that the speed of the trams could be increased in or- der to maintain the present sche- 1 dule.
A petition was signed-and various alternative suggestions out forward.
Hong Kong was rapidly becom- ing a modern city, for a news item in January, 1985, reported the crash of an autogyro at Kai Taki: The pilot was uninjured.
The Silver Jubilee" festivities In mid-May celebrating the 25th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of his Late Majesty King George V. were held in magnifl- cent weather. Indeed, it was so
hot that over 50 people collapsed during a review in the race course. Thanksgiving services, decorations, # procession and a Loyal Address to His Majesty were high-lights in the celebration.
A meeting was held under the auspices of the G. O. C, to discuss volun- the question of the locat teer force. Various sugges- tions were put forward, . in- cluding conscription, one social hall for all ranks, and that the building proposed headquarters should be designed more 05 club-house than anything else. None of those present at the meet-
considered ing could be presentative of the younger gen- eration.
as re-
Bathers a1 Big Wave Bay kept their eyes peeled after a wimmer there was attacked by a sword-fish one evening. He dived off a launch and came up with the "sword" through his arm. The fish attacked repeatedly and the swimmer had to be dragged out.
Jubilee Reservoir
Six days late on her maiden voyage to the Far East owing to condenser trouble. the Norddeu- tscher Lloyd liner "Potsdam" found August 13 an unlucky day; getting temporarily out of hand thanks to a strong tide, she crashed into the Kowloon Wharf. Damage, fortunately, was confined above the water line.
Sir Thomas Southron, Officer Administering the Government, pressed a switch which finally closed the scour valve of the great Shing Mun Dam and the filling of the "Jubilee Reservoir" began,
ar-
The first German warship to visit Hong Kong in 22 years, the German cruiser Karlsruhe rived in the Colony in February, 1936, on an educational cruise for 120 naval cadets.
An appeal against a judgment dismissing an appeal was dismiss- ed by a Full Court on February 17, the case being the famous "Chater Will Case."
The question of the provision of food supplies for the Colony in case of war exercised the minds of the local authorities, and n "Government Gazette" issued in February called for those holding stocks of a large number of food stuffs to register a list of these with Government.
First Air Mail
Hong Kong’s first air mail to London left in the Imperial Air- way's 'plane "Dorado" on March 27, the 'plane actually taking with her no less than 18 sacks of mail.
Kai Tak was host to another 'plane from abroad in July, when German Junkers-52, arrived here on a 15-day trip. from Ber- lin. She was the fifth ordered by the Eurasia Aviation Corpora- tion and was on her way through to Shanghai.
Two gusts of 131 miles an hour were recorded during a violent typhoon which struck the Colony early in August, when û large number of villages along the Castle Peak Road were devastated, several ships were forced aground, and a number of per- sons, chiefly fisherfolk ́ ́and boat-
men, were drowned. Over 200 people lost their lives in Macao.
The year 1937, will live long in the memories of Hong Kong re- sidents, for it saw the outbreak of the biggest war China has fought in modern history, a war which is still going on. .[17 addition, the Colony, was struck by a record-breaking typhoon,
Following the outbreak of the "Lukouchiao Incident" in North China, the war quickly spread to Shanghai, where the accidental bombing of the Cathay/Palace Hotels and the New World brought about ́a' rapid evacuation from. Shanghal of women and children.
Hong Kong welcomed them with open arms, and for many months they remained in the safety and quietness of the Colony; those who could afford it filled the hotels and lodging houses of Hong Kong, while the others were at first ac- commodated in the race course at Happy Valley and later transferr ed to Laichikok.
Typhoon Havoc
On the whole, the Chinese po- pulation beltaved itself very well, and there were [ew Incidents which ever got out of the control of the police,
Barely
the had
Shanghai evacuees got here than a disas- trous typhoon struck the Colony, reg'stering a peak velocity in the neighbourhood of 167 miles hour. Some 30 ships were driven ashore, several of them being sunk, while others were damaged.
an
The tide rose by over 17 feet, while the force of the wind ac- tually blew fish onto buildings 20 feet above the ground. A wave 30 feet high engulfed Taipo, in the New Territories, demolish- ing practically every building in the area and sweeping Ashing boats far inland, where it left them high and, comparatively speaking, dry.
of
allens as regards notification change of address or intending do- parture from the Colony.
Most of the "highlights" in the news of the Colony during 1939, indeed, are taken up with pre- parations for war.
The actual reaction to the de- claration of war was, on the whole, a quiet one, more in the spirit of "Well, here It is.
The only open sign of anti-Nazi sentiment occurred in King's Park, where the Swastika flag
on the German club-house was torn down and publicly burnt.
An attempt at gross profiteering in food prices was promptly nip- ped in the bud when Govern- ment appointed a Controller of Food, and wholesalers and re- tailers were warned that drastic action would be taken if prices above those fixed by the Control- ler were charged.
Income Tax
a
A proposal for the introdution
raised quite of Income Tax tidal
storm, hot arguments pro and con being heard on every side. By the end of 1939, nothing had been de- cided, but in 1940 the project was dropped, despite protests by the Government, and a War Tax in- troduced in its stead.
Nearly 500 fishermen lost their lives when the Aberdeen fishing fleet of 40 junks foundered at sea, while other wreckage showed that literally thousands of fisherfolk and boatfolk perished. A con- servative estimate puls the loss of life as around 10,000 men, women and children.
Canton Bombings
The Sino-Japanese war cam302 nearer Hong Kong when Japanese 'planes bombed Canton, Japanese warships shelled Amoy and sever- al islands near Macao were res ported to be in the hands of Japanese landing parties.
On his appointment as Governor of Ceylon, Sir Andrew Caldecotte sailed from Hong Kong late in September. His departure was made the occasion for many ex- press ons of good-will and eşteem, for he had been one Kong's most popular Governors, and
the In May, the age-limit in Volunteers was raised from 41 to 46 years, the key-post group was severely pruned and all its mem- bers were given military training, while the G.O.C. announced the formation of a "Home Guard" of older men to guard vital centres,
Government then issued an or- der which many residents of Hong Kong are still combating the evacuation of all British women and children was ordered towards the end of June. A few thou- sands' sailed, others remained he- hind and dared the authorities to do their worst. The evacuees were Ørst sent to Manila and thence on to Australia. Subsequently, Gov- ernment issued an announcement stating that no further women would be forced to leave, but those who had already left the Colony would not be allowed to return. held by husbands, petitions were presented, but at the time of writing Gov- crnment, supported by the Secre- tary of State, remains obdurate.
Protest meetings were of Hong
keen disappointment was expressed at the fact that he was leaving the Colony after only two years of service.
a
Early in 1938, it was announced that Hong Kong was to have special officer to handle the pro- blems of air raid precautions, and Wing-Commander A. S. Steel- Perkins was appointed to the post.
The Japanese began to attack fishing junks in the neighbourhood of Hong Kong waters, and several authenticated cases of attacks ac- tually within. British waters oc- curred during the year. No strong action however, was taken. Mean- while, the Japanese themselves lodged a heated protest because Imperial Airway's machines were alleged to have flown over "Japanese naval anchorage."
First Clipper
a
A. R. P.
During the year, the Governor, Sir Geoffrey Northcote, went on leave, and Lieut.-Gen. Norton was appointed O. A. G. One of his first steps was to examine closely the Colony's A. R. P. measures, and in accordance with his instructions, a vast system of air-raid tunnels ́were-dug, while shelters providing protection from splinters and blast were set up all over the thickly congested areas of the Mainland and the Island.
the Financial the Legisla-
an enormous
On January 16, Secretary presented tive Council with budget, calling for an expenditure of $62,389,776, including $12,300,- 276 for special war expenditure; the budget envisaged a deficit of over $7,500,000, part of which was
Japanese warships openta fie. on one of two Imperial Airways 'planes late in January, 1939, for-to be met by increases. in various tunately, without damaging it. It reached Hanoi safely.
Completing, an epoch-making Blight from San Francisco, the first Pan-American "Clipper" to arrive in Hong Kong landed safely at Kai Tak, despite a heavy fog which delayed her for an hour,
*
forms of taxation, and an increase of 1% in rates. W
Government also announced that it intended to reconstitute the War Taxation Committee, to go once again into the question of income : tax for the Colony.
At this meeting, a loyal message & to the King was despatched, and It perhaps forms a suitable con- cluding paragraph for this "his-
in, the past 100 years:— .
Registration of all British sub-- jects in Hong Kong. between the ages of 18 and 55, under the pro- visions of the Registration of Pertory" for the Colony of Hong Kong sons Ordinance, began on April 2. Business Arms subsequently received special forms intended to facilitate the compilation of "re- served occupations" and "special exempted lists." Shortly after- wards, British: subjects were placed on the same footing us
The Legislative Council of this Colony, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the Colony's foundation, humbly. re- news the expression of its loyalty to the Throne, and its devotion to the Empire's cause."~
1941