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Beri-bori was responsible for 517 deaths, as compared with 398 during 1915 and 399 in 1914. Daring the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolin labour calling their attention to the fact that Beri-beri is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet with- out a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice, when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded,
A tabular statement of the prinċipaît causes of deaftrts uppéndet.
(c.)-('LIMATE.
The mean shade temperature for the year at the Royal Obser- vatory, Kowlom, (108 Text above mean sen level), was 718. 16 lower than in 1915, and 0% lower than the mean for the past 10 years. The maximum temperature was 924 on the 25th August and the minimum 393 on the 24th January. The hottest month was July, with a mean temperature of x27. and the coldest, February, with a mean temperature of 59°6.
The temperature at the high levels of the Peak District is from 3 to 8° less than at the Observatory. At Victoria it is practically the same. The rainfall and humidity are considerably greater at the Peak than at Victoria, the Observatory, or Tui Po (New Territories).
The total rainfall for the year was 79-855 inches, as compared with an average of 82:56 inches during the ten preceding yours. The wettest month was June with 32-18 inches, the driest, December, when 0:05 inch fell. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 9-12 inches on the Ist June while no rain fell on 245 days of the year. The mean relative humidity of the atmosphere for the year was 76%, or the same as for the ten receding years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 5-7 hours, being 47% of the possible duration.
X-POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.
The total revenue from the Postal Service in 1916 amounted to $401,742.33 being $33,284.56 more than that collected in 1915, the excess being mainly due to increase in the sale of postage stamps. The expenditure amounted to $308,136.33 being less than that of 1915 by $95,472.69, due to arrears of transit dues for the gr 1914 recovered in 1916 and to the high rate of exchange prevailing during the year under review. The balance of revenue over expenditure unsounted to $93,606.00,
The revised parcel agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia came into operation on 1st January.
The Parcel Agreement with Russia which provides for the exchange of parevis between that country and this Colony vi
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Vladivostock arranged to commence on 1st September had to be suspended owing to congestion of traffic on the trans-Siberian railways.
The Telegraphic Money Order Service between the United Kingdom and this Colony came into force en 1×1 October,
The revenue collected in 1916 from radio-telegrams amounted to $8,695.04. Advices of ships signalled at the lighthouses yielded $489,20 and semaphore messages $1.25 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 13 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 As usual in such circumstances there was considerable loss of life. there was a very large influx of refugees to Hongkong both from Canton and the neighbouring districts. Though order was restored up there was only a moderate revival of trade with the Province 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 Hongkong 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 Hongkong As- sociation of War Workers, and other bodies of ladies engaged in war work were unremitting is their labours throughout the year with the result that many thousands of articles of clothing, ban- duges, 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.
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