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anxious thought for the welfare of our Empire we must in
our own small way in Hongkong be prepared to play our part
in this effort for the restoration of the prosperity of the
Empire.
From Small Beginnings.
Ladies and gentlanen, this large Empire Products Fair
arose from very mall beginnings, for it grew out of a
suggestion from lire, Amery, Chairman of the Women's Committee
for Great Britain of the Fellowship of the British Empire
Exhibition that on Empire Day all British subjects should
endeavour to consume only British food and drink,
Lady Peel enlisted the assistance of a Committee to
consider how this suggestion could be carried out in
Hongkong and from that moment a spontaneous enthusiasm has
carried the scheme far beyond its original intentions. From
a mere question of Empire Food on Empire Day it has grown
into a miniature Wembley Empire Exhibition in which to
show to the people of Hongkong that ther is practical ly
no human need which cannot be satisfied from some part of
His Majesty's wide dominions, There was no nerror
selfishness in the original appeal. It was not an appeal
merely to buy goods made or produced in the British Isles.
It was expressly laid down that first preference should be
given to the produce of the British Territory in which one
might happen to be living, and only thereafter should one
seek the products of other parts of the spire. Consequently
I greatly rejoice to see the importance given in this Pair
to the produce of Hongkong and its New Territories.
We consume in Hongkong far too many imported articles
which could be proĉuced within our own borders and I hope
thi
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