380
29
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841–1941
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
$489.20 and semaphore messages $4.25 making a total of $9,188.49 for the telegraphic service. The expenditure amounted to $10,846.21, which figures do not include the emoluments of the wireless staff at the Cape D'Aguilar Station. The number of radio-telegrams forwarded during the year was 686 and received 1,098.
XI.--GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
In accordance with instructions received the Blue Book, for economical reasons, was revised with a view to reducing the bulk. The weight of each volume has been reduced by 1-3 lbs. compared with those for 1915, or a total saving of 245 lbs. of paper.
In the early part of the year the unrest in the Province of Kuangtung culminated in attacks on the City of Canton from the north and west. Business was almost entirely suspended and there was considerable loss of life. As usual in such circumstances there was a very large influx of refugees to Hong Kong both from Canton and the neighbouring districts. Though order was restored there was only a moderate revival of trade with the Province up to the end of the year.
There were no serious acts of piracy in connection with British shipping during the year, but the train to Hong Kong was derailed and attacked by robbers about twenty miles from Canton on the 15th June. Three persons lost their lives and twenty-six were injured. One of those killed was an American; all the remainder were Chinese.
During the year the War Charities Committee received a sum of £32,692 which brought the total of the contributions to various funds in aid of the War up to a sum of £64,192.
The Queen Mary's Needlework Guild, The Hong Kong Association of War Workers, and other bodies of ladies engaged in war work were unremitting in their labours throughout the year, with the result that many thousands of articles of clothing, bandages, etc., were despatched to the various war centres for the use of the troops and in hospitals.
October 19th was observed as "Our Day" when a sum of nearly £5,000 was raised for the British Red Cross Society.
St. Andrew's Day, the 30th November, was entitled "Heather Day" and a sum of about £1,600 was collected for Scottish war charities. The Colony's recurrent expenses on account of the War during 1916 are expected to exceed $500,000.
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..
633,360
3.--War Savings Certificates
58,334
4.--British War Expenditure Certificates
26,700
Total ..
£862,624
380
29
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841–1941
COLONIAL REPORTS- -ANNUAL.
$489.20 and semaphore messages $4.25 making a total of $9,188.49 for the telegraphic service. The expenditure amounted to $10,846.21, which figures do not include the emoluments of the wireless staff at the Cape D'Aguilar Station. The number of radio-telegrams forwarded during the year was 686 and received 1,098.
XI.--GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
In accordance with instructions received the Blue Book, for economical reasons, was revised with a view to reducing the bulk. The weight of each volume has been reduced by 1-3 lbs. compared with those for 1915, or a total saving of 245 lbs. of paper.
In the early part of the year the unrest in the Province of Kuangtung culminated in attacks on the City of Canton from the north and west. Business was almost entirely suspended and there was considerable loss of life. As usual in such circumstances there was a very large influx of refugees to Hong Kong both from Canton and the neighbouring districts. Though order was restored there was only a moderate revival of trade with the Province up to the end of the year.
There were no serious acts of piracy in connection with British shipping during the year, but the train to Hong Kong was derailed and attacked by robbers about twenty miles from Canton on the 15th June. Three persons lost their lives and twenty-six were injured. One of those killed was an American; all the remainder were Chinese.
During the year the War Charities Committee received a sum of £32,692 which brought the total of the contributions to various funds in aid of the War up to a sum of £64,192.
The Queen Mary's Needlework Guild, The Hong Kong Association of War Workers, and other bodies of ladies engaged in war work were unremitting in their labours throughout the year, with the result that many thousands of articles of clothing, bandages, etc., were despatched to the various war centres for the use of the troops and in hospitals.
October 19th was observed as "Our Day" when a sum of nearly £5,000 was raised for the British Red Cross Society.
St. Andrew's Day, the 30th November, was entitled "Heather Day "and a sum of about £1,600 was collected for Scottish war charities. The Colony's recurrent expenses on account of the War during 1916 are expected to exceed $500,000.
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..
633,360
3.-War Savings Certificates
58,334
4.--British War Expenditure Certificates
26,700
Total ..
£862,624
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