HONG KONG, 1912.
255
31
noticed by the Chinese population. The boycott of the Low Level Tramway was due partly to interested action on the part of small bankers, money-changers, and others who make large profits by the manipulation of exchange between Hong Kong currency and Chinese silver coins, and partly to political agitators who feigned to see in the legal and legitimate action of the tramway company a slur on Chinese dignity. The boycott was not stopped till after the close of the year.
In spite of considerable insecurity of life and property in the Kwangtung Province, trade between it and Hong Kong was good. The West River was well patrolled by the Chinese authorities and this water enjoyed a much larger measure of security than many other parts of the Province.
The policy of the Government in controlling the consumption of morphia and compounds of opium was continued by amending the regulations, so as to prohibit their sale except on a medical prescription.
This action has resulted in the stoppage of a trade in cough lozenges and similar confections containing morphia, which had a large sale among the Chinese owing to their use as a substitute for opium or as an alleged remedy against the opium habit.
The importation of Persian opium into China was prohibited as from the 1st January, and during the year strict supervision was kept, there having been instituted four prosecutions for attempts to smuggle the article. Numerous prosecutions were also undertaken against illicit opium-smoking divans although there is considerable difficulty in the way of finding them out.
Although the transit trade in morphia and cocaine has been stopped, there was still a certain amount of illegal business done and several seizures of these drugs were made during the year.
There is little evidence of their actual use in Hong Kong, but there appears to be a strong demand for them in the Province of Fukien, in Java, Siam, and other countries to the south of the Colony.
Every effort is being made to accomplish the suppression of this illicit trade.
Sir Frederick Lugard left the Colony on the 16th March to take up the government of Northern and Southern Nigeria. Mr. C. Severn administered the government till the arrival of Sir Henry May on the 3rd of July. As the new Governor was proceeding from the landing place to the City Hall, he was fired at by a Chinese, who rushed up to the Governor's chair and discharged a revolver close to Sir Henry May's face. The man was seized by the prompt action of Serjeant Garrod and Indian police constable Kala Singh. The man alleged as his motive a grievance on account of the prohibition of the circulation in Hong Kong of foreign copper coins, and of the repatriation of Chinese from South Africa.
A. M. THOMSON, Acting Colonial Secretary.
28th June, 1913.
Deaths registered in the Colony of Hong Kong during 1912.
1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1912.
255
31
noticed by the Chinese population. The boycott of the Low Level Tramway was due partly to interested action on the part of small bankers, money-changers, and others who make large profits by the manipulation of exchange between Hong Kong currency and Chinese silver coins, and partly to political agitators who feigned to see in the legal and legitimate action of the tramway company a slur on Chinese dignity. The boycott was not stopped till after the close of the year.
In spite of considerable insecurity of life and property in the Kwangtung Province, trade between it and Hong Kong was good. The West River was well patrolled by the Chinese authorities and this water enjoyed a much larger measure of security than many other parts of the Province.
The policy of the Government in controlling the consumption of morphia and compounds of opium was continued by amending the regulations, so as to prohibit their sale except on a medical prescription.
This action has resulted in the stoppage of a trade in cough lozenges” and similar confections containing morphia, which had a large sale among the Chinese owing to their use as a substitute for opium or as an alleged remedy against the opium habit.
The importation of Persian opium into China was prohibited as from the 1st January, and during the year strict supervision was kept, there having been instituted four prosecutions for attempts to smuggle the article. Numerous prosecutions were also under- taken against illicit opium-smoking divans although there is con- siderable difficulty in the way of finding them out.
Although the transit trade in morphia and cocaine has been stopped, there was still a certain amount of illegal business done and several seizures of these drugs were made during the year.
There is little evidence of their actual use in Hong Kong, but there appears to be a strong demand for them in the Province of Fukien, in Java, Siam, and other countries to the south of the Colony.
Every effort is being made to accomplish the suppression of this illicit trade.
Sir Frederick Lugard left the Colony on the 16th March to take up the government of Northern and Southern Nigeria. Mr. C. Severn administered the government till the arrival of Sir Henry May on the 3rd of July. As the new Governor was pro- -ceeding from the landing place to the City Hall, he was fired at by a Chinese, who rushed up to the Governor's chair and discharged a revolver close to Sir Henry May's face. The man was seized by the prompt action of Serjeant Garrod and Indian police constable Kala Singh. The man alleged as his motive a grievance on account of the prohibition of the circulation in Hong Kong of foreign copper coins, and of the repatriation of Chinese from South Africa.
A. M. THOMSON, Acting Colonial Secretary.
28th June, 1913.
Deaths registered in the Colony
of Hong Kong during 1912.
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