31
In order to protect as far as possible the essential interests of the Colony, the Government took over early in the year the control of seventeen British ships registered in Hongkong and Shanghai. These vessels were the only British ships remaining on the China Coast which were not under the Imperial liner requisition scheme and had not been taken over by the Imperial Government, for whose purposes they were unsuitable. The owners gave their loyal co-operation, and the tonnage thus acquired served a most useful purpose, the ships being diverted as occasion demanded to meet the Colony's more pressing needs.
The political dissensions and domestic disputes, which have for some time past formed so unfortunate a feature of Chinese national life, continued throughout the year, to the grave detriment of trade in the Kwong Tung and Kwong Sai Provinces.
The prevalent lawlessness led to a considerable influx of bad characters into Hongkong, with a consequent increase in crimes of violence, four members of the Police Force being murdered on one occasion by an armed gang of desperadoes. The most stringent measures were taken to cope with the situation, and they were attended with marked success.
The close supervision of the trade of the port, which was rendered necessary by the war, has made it possible to collect accurate trade statistics, and the first complete returns in the history of the Colony, covering the year 1918, have now been published. The necessary steps are being taken for the proper compilation of the returns in future years, after war conditions have ceased.
In the early part of 1918 there occurred a severe epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis which caused some 968 deaths. In consequence of this outbreak the Government of the Straits Settlements prohibited for some months the immigration of coolie labour from Hongkong into Singapore, and the local boarding house keepers and others interested in the business suffered heavily in consequence.
A series of earthquake shocks in February caused some alarm, though the resulting damage was inconsiderable. The neighbouring port of Swatow suffered very severely.
In the same month, in the course of the annual race meeting, some temporary stands which were occupied mainly by Chinese collapsed and were almost immediately consumed by fire, over 600 persons losing their lives.
In June an Ordinance was passed for the raising of a force for Military Service outside the Colony, its application being confined to men of British race. The very large majority of available men of military age had already left as volunteers for active service, but certain of the younger men, who were retained in essential occupations, pressed to have their position made clear, and a tribunal was accordingly established with powers to decide who should be required to go, and who should remain exempt. In the result, the tribunal dealt with 206 men and decided that 54 should be sent on active service.
1:
¡
31
In order to protect as far as possible the essential interests of the Colony the Government took over early in the year the control of seventeen British ships registered in Hongkong and Shanghai. These vessels were the only British ships remaining on the China Coast which were not under the Imperial liner requisition scheme and had not been taken over by the Imperial Government, for whose purposes they were unsuitable. The owners gave their loyal co- operation, and the tonnage thus acquired served a most useful purpose, the ships being diverted as occasion demanded to meet the Colony's more pressing needs.
The political dissensions and domestic disputes, which have for some time past formed so unfortunate a feature of Chinese national life, continued throughout the year, to the grave detriment of trade in the Kwong Tung and Kwong Sai Provinces.
The prevalent lawlessness led to a considerable influx of bad characters into Hongkong, with a consequent increase in crimes of violence, four members of the Police Force being murdered on one occasion by an armed gang of desperadoes. The most stringent measures were taken to cope with the situation, and they were attended with. marked success.
The close supervision of the trade of the port, which was rendered necessary by the war, has made it possible to collect accurate trade statistics, and the first complete returns in the his- tory of the Colony, covering the year 1918, have now been published. The necessary steps are being taken for the proper compilation of the returns in future years, after war conditions have ceased.
In the early part of 1918 there occurred a severe epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis which caused some 968 deaths. In con- sequence of this outbreak the Government of the Straits Settlements prohibited for some months the immigration of coolie labour from Hongkong into Singapore, and the local boarding house keepers and others interested in the business suffered heavily in con- sequence
A series of earthquake shocks in February caused some alarm though the resulting damage was inconsiderable. The neighbour- ing port of Swatow suffered very severely.
In the same month, in the course of the annual race meeting, some temporary stands which were occupied mainly by Chinese collapsed and were almost immediately consumed by fire, over 600 persons losing their lives.
In June an Ordinance was passed for the raising of a force for Military Service outside the Colony, its application being confined to men of British race. The very large majority of available men of military age had already left as volunteers for active service but certain of the younger men, who were retained in essential occupa- tions pressed to have their position made clear, and a tribunal was accordingly established with powers to decide who should be required to go, and who should remain exempt. In the result the tribunal dealt with 206 men and decided that 54 should be sent on acitve service.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.