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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
crossing the British border and raiding villages in British territory. On the 18th November the Chinese section of the railway was damaged by soldiers who had mutinied and traffic was stopped until the 20th November.
Several small junks and launches were attacked by robbers, and piracy of such small craft has led to representations being made to the Canton Government through H.M.'s Consul General.
During the year the War Charities Funds were subscribed to in the same generous manner as in previous years, the sums received as subscriptions amounting to $292,904.94. In addition to this sum the following special days were devoted to assisting the various war charities with the results shown against each :-
St. George's Day, 23rd April $33,619.68
"Our Day," 18th October $110,375.72
St. Andrew's Day, 30th November $46,528.18
The Queen Mary's Needlework Guild, and the other organizations by ladies for carrying out war work, continued their labours unremittingly and the regular despatch of clothing, bandages, etc., to the troops and hospitals in the various war centres was maintained.
The Colony's recurrent expenses on account of the war amounted to approximately $200,000.
The Hong Kong and South China War Savings Association continued to encourage small investors and a total of $1,232,490.15 (Straits Currency) was invested in war loans during the year. There is now a total of 819 subscribers.
An Ordinance incorporating the Volunteer Corps and the Hong Kong Volunteer Reserve into one command—"The Hong Kong Defence Corps"—was passed on the 30th August. Under this Ordinance all male British subjects between the ages of 18 and 55, who are medically fit and who are ordinarily resident in the Colony, with certain exceptions, are liable for military service in the Colony. Administrative Command of the corps was taken over by a selected regular military officer, Major H. A. Morgan, of the 18th Infantry (Indian Army), who has done much towards bringing the corps to a high state of efficiency.
CLAUD SEVERN,
11th May, 1918.
Colonial Secretary.