CO129-443 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [7-9] — Page 97

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COPY.

No. 024.

sir,

Enclosure

12.

"Tamar" at Hongkong,

Börd. June, 1917.

91

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anibend eeniv198 uniqqida deiðiza add to auelɔum e svile goed od

.qu bllud of eresy vnam noxed sed di doim znoɖznol ddkw

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

Your Excellency's letter No. 3456/1916 of 22nd. June, 1917, and the enclosures thereto.

2.

I regret I am unable to agree with the report of the Shipping Committee, as I consider that a fundamental mistake has been made in construing the expression "vital requirements of Hongkong" as "the maintenance of the trade and

industries of the Colony". In view of this fact further comment

is scarcely necessary, with the exception of the following

points: -

(a) The report, as I read it, declines to consider any reduction in the trade of Hongkong, so that the native population

may be maintained as in peace conditions. I, however, am of the

opinion that the Imperial necessity for tonnage is so urgent

that all possible assistanos should be renedered in the matter

of surrendering ships, so as not to jeopardize a successful

issue to the War, and that Hongkong should and must be prepared

for some considerable sacrifice of trade.

(b) The Committee dismisses the question of reduction of

luxuries on account of the "trivial amounts" involved. In view

of the fact that Hongkong has a considerable wealthy European

population and a large number of exceedingly wealthy Chinees

residents, I am unable to accept this statement of the Committee

as a fact until statistics are brought forward to prove it.

Exoellenoy

de Governor and Commander-in-Chief,

Z

Hongkong.