☐ 22
The publication of the Chinese Gazette of Government regulations and notifications was discontinued, and all such notifications in Chinese are now published through the ordinary press.
The local Chinese Press continued to take a great interest in the queue-cutting movement and the boundary delimitation question at Macao until the declaration of the independence of the Kwongtung Province in November when the continued wearing of a queue came to be looked upon as an offence against republicanism, and the Macao question was obscured by greater issues elsewhere. On the outbreak of the revolution the circulation of the Hongkong newspapers in Kwongtung was no longer prohibited.
Chinese business has seen great vicissitudes during the course of the year: it promised at one time to be an exceptionally good year for all merchants, but the state of China upset many calculations towards the Autumn. There were not however (as was at one time feared) any serious bankruptcies, and the very large subscriptions sent by the Colony to the Revolutionary Government showed that the Chinese had still been able to make their business pay. The rice merchants seem to have been the hardest hit. The variations of price were most marked in this commodity, and the consequent gambling was often unfortunate or ill-judged. Large profits seem to have been made in no particular line except perhaps in fancy goods and European clothing, hats and boots. The boom in these goods, the direct result of the Revolution, is reported to have benefited the few firms concerned to the extent of over four lakhs of dollars in the closing months of the year.
The prospects for the coming year are not brightened by the fact that large accounts are still owing from customers in China to Hongkong merchants. The disturbed state of the country has very greatly increased the difficulty of collection: and while no exact estimate is possible of the outstanding total, it is beyond doubt large enough to have a serious effect on the general course of trade in the Colony.
STAFF.
Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin acted as Colonial Secretary from 30th October to the 28th November and went on leave on the 29th November. I was appointed to act for him as Registrar General from the 30th October.
Mr. Hutchison was appointed Superintendent of Imports and Exports on return from leave on the 4th July and Mr. Tratman was promoted to be First Assistant Registrar General. Mr. Lloyd was performing the duties throughout the year.
On Mr. Tratman's appointment to be First Assistant Mr. A. E. Wood was given the substantive post of Second Assistant Registrar General. Messrs. Tratman and Wood however held acting appointments in other Departments throughout the year, and the
☐ 22
The publication of the Chinese Gazette of Government re- gulations and notifications was discontinued, and all such notifi- cations in Chinese are now published through the ordinary press.
The local Chinese Press continued to take a great interest in the queue-cutting movement and the boundary delimitation question at Macao until the declaration of the independence of the Kwongtung Province in November when the continued wearing of a quene came to be looked upon as an offence against republican- ism, and the Macao question was obscured by greater issues elsewhere. On the outbreak of the revolution the circulation of the Hongkong newspapers in Kwongtung was no longer prohibited.
Chinese business has seen great vicissitudes during the course of the year: it promised at one time to be an exceptionally good year for all merchants, but the state of China upset many calcula- tions towards the Autumn. There were not however (as was at one time feared) any serious bankruptcies, and the very large sub- scriptions sent by the Colony to the Revolutionary Government showed that the Chinese had still been able to make their business pay. The rice merchants seem to have been the hardest hit. The variations of price were most marked in this commodity, and the consequent gambling was often unfortunate or ill-judged. Large profits seem to have been made in no particular line except perhaps in fancy goods and European clothing, hats and boots. The boom in these goods, the direct result of the Revolution, is reported to have benefited the few firms concerned to the extent of over four lakhs of dollars in the closing months of the year.
The prospects for the coming year are not brightened by the fact that large accounts are still owing from customers in China to Hongkong merchants. The disturbed state of the country has very greatly increased the difficulty of collection: and while no exact estimate is possible of the outstanding total, it is beyond doubt large enough to have a serious effect on the general course of trade in the Colony.
STAFF.
Hon. Mr. A. W. Brewin acted as Colonial Secretary from 30th October to the 28th November and went on leave on the 29th November. I was appointed to act for him as Registrar General from the 30th October.
Mr. Hutchison was appointed Superintendent of Imports and Exports on return from leave on the 4th July and Mr. Tratman was promoted to be First Assistant Registrar General. Mr. Lloyd was performing the duties throughout the year.
On Mr. Tratman's appointment to be First Assistant Mr. A.- E. Wood was given the substantive post of Second Assistant Re- gistrar General. Messrs. Tratman and Wood however held acting appointments in other Departments throughout the year, and the
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