Appendix C.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
FOR THE YEAR 1925.
GENERAL.
The outstanding event of the year 1925 was, of course, the General Strike and subsequent Boycott, work in connection with which tended to dwarf completely the ordinary activities of the department. An outline of the history of this fanatical outburst is given elsewhere in this report, but it will not be fitting to let the year pass without special record of the wonderful spirit of loyalty and solidarity shewn by the Chinese intelligentsia of the Colony in face of this great crisis. Offers of service began to come in even before any calls were issued, and thereafter there was never the least difficulty in obtaining suitable volunteers for such varied posts as postal, press and cable censors, assistants to the Food Controller, special police, special street guards and ferry-pass officers. And it must always be borne in mind that, for these volunteers, service meant much more than the actual work involved. They were instantly pilloried in Canton as "hunting dogs of British Imperialism" their assassination was openly advocated and despite censorship threatening letters continually found their way to their addresses. Nevertheless there were no defections and the failure of the Moscow-Canton attack before this line of defence may fairly be said to have been the turning point of the campaign. The crisis was over, and we settled down confidently to a war of attrition.
Revenue and Expenditure.
(Tables I and II)
Revenue.
1. The revenue derived from all sources during the year was $15,742; less than that for 1924 by $2,974.
Expenditure.
2. The total expenditure was $29,226 as compared with $27,513 in 1924.
Protection of Women and Girls.
(Table III).
Women and Girls Protection Ordinance, No. 4 of 1897.
Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance, No. 6 of 1893.