*b
n=
33.
Telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary
of State for the Colonies,
Dated 15th November, 1937. Received 10-3am 15th November,
Immediate.
No. 279. Confidential.
Your telegram No. 237 Trade of the
Colony has ahow no decline. On the contrary excluding treasure total of importe and experts in dellarg have been monthly average January to June 1937,
84,219,000, July 86,379,000 August 93,918,900, September 104,150,000. These figures largely
exceed comparable figurea for 1936 but it should
be borne in mind that the Colony 18 at present handling
a considerable but inestimable
which
maximum
quantity of importa
normally would have gone direct to Shanghai.
British refugees from Shanghai at
number approximately 3,500 women and 300
men majority of whom made private arrangements but
others were housed and maintained in Government centres.
Maximum in centrec 750 present number 402. All have
signed undertaking to refund maintenance charges but
many are chronically destitute. Chinese population
has also increased vary greatly but no useful statistica
are available.
Treasy. 6
влад
Financial position of the Government
good with revenue already on the 15th November in
exceas of the eatinate for the full year and three
million dollarn more than that collected up to the
Game date in 1936. No present signs of economi✪
depression in the community generally,
All
luxury taxen e.g. batting entertainment and excise
show large increased which cannot be wholly due to
influx of refugeed.