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14
the Chamber of Commerce if possible to send in a regular
quarterly return of rice stocked in godowns. If for any
external reasons annual stocks in godowns fall below say
200,000 bags it would appear time enough to consider the
question of insisting on a reserve being held.
12. Flour is not greatly used by the Chinese, but as an alternative to rise would be of the greatest value. Here again the evidence is that the stock normally in the
Colony is sufficient for any emergency. In 1924 the Chamber
of Commerce gave stocks held in godowns for a period of 5
years, showing that these occasionally rose to a million
and a half bags and only once fell below 150,000 bags. In
this case the normal daily consumption (at present about
700 bags a day for Chinese and non-Chinese together) is
of not much value, as what is contemplated is a substitute
of flour for rice in case of real necessity. The Chamber
of Commerce should in our opinion give regular statistics
of flour stocks on the same lines as those indicated in
the case of rice. There need be no anxiety so long as such stocks remain generally at 100,000 bags or over,
especially if the rice figures remain steady. It should
be borne in mind that even a week's prohibition of export before the blockade became so effective as to stop imports
would enormously increase the stocks available.
13.
Rationing of the Chinese population would in our
opinion be quite impossible under any circumstances. If
there is any real shortage of food the Chinese population
will diminish however rigourous the blockade.
14. In considering the distribution of Chinese
foodstuffs it should be remembered that the Chinese are
quite unused to the elaborate system of abbattoirs and
markets