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In November a loan of $3,000,000 guaranteed by the Government was raised as a gift to His Majesty's Government for war purposes, and a further sum of $2,000,000 was added when the accounts for the year were closed; other contributions from the Colony towards the war consisted inter alia of the following:-
(a.)-Direct Contributions,
1.-British War Loans
... ... £144,230
2.-Exchequer Bonds
3.-War Savings Certificates
4.-British War Expenditure Certificates
... 633,360
58,334
... ...
***
***
+
26,700
Total ... £862,624
The Hongkong and South China War Savings Association, which, though it had been established only two months, had already invested on behalf of its members nearly $200,000. The Committee consists of very representative men, with the Union Insurance Society of Canton as Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers.
(b.)-Indirect Contributions.
(Straits Currency.)
1.-Federated Malay States 6 per cent War Loan $52,650
2.-War Loan Investment Trust of Malaya... 24,030
3. Straits Settlements War Loan Bonds ... 436,600
Total ... $513,280
In addition, besides £1,145,000 contributed to War Loans by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, large sums have been taken up in those loans by local Companies from funds available in London.
Three hundred and fifty-one volunteers for active service have left the Colony to join His Majesty's Forces.
The Special Police Reserve has increased to 127 British, 221 Portuguese, 71 Indians, and 235 Chinese, and has proved of invaluable assistance to the Colony.
The St. John's Ambulance Brigade, which was inaugurated during the year, became very popular with the Chinese and reached a total of 8 British officers and 135 Chinese officers and men. With this is associated the Voluntary Aid Detachment which consists of 76 ladies.
There is also a company of Cadets attached to the Volunteer Corps whose numbers totalled 70 at the end of the year, and a company of Baden Powell Boy Scouts formed by St. Joseph's College which numbered 50.
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