78 110
THE HONG KONG WEEKLY PRESS &
to pay only silver dollars. Yet a lot of energy is expended in arguing about the benefits of being on a note basis." What is meant by this ?" What backing is suggested
for these notes?
Every reliable currency is backed either by gold or silver. Ours is based on silver and we cannot blink our eyes to the fact. Any attempt to evade this and maintain our dollar at an artificial level can only bring into play an additional element of uncertainty to hamper
our trade still
more.
It is bad enough to contend with the vagaries of silver without introducing a fur- ther speculative factor, in having a fluctuating premium on notes which bears no relation to their silver backing.
[January 1 930
JUNIOR LOCAL EXAMINA- OUR WATER SU PLY.
TION RESULTS.
"
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS."]
SIR, I think the following figures concerning the recently published results of the Junior Local Exam- ination are worth considering and ought to be more widely known.
Out of a total of 545 candidates (boys) entered, only 153 or 28 per cent. passed. Even if we restrict our attention to the six schools sending in the largest number of candidates, the results are little better. Out of a total of 323 candi- dates entered, only 112 or 35 per cent. passed. In other words only one student in three, educated by University to have reached a satis- these schools is deemed by the
factory standard.
Hong Kong has very little in- fluence on the price of silver and was powerless to prevent the recent slump. The slump is serious, and Hong Kong and Shanghai are equal- show very serious lack of under- I think, Sir, such drastic results ly hard hit by it. We are all grum-standing on the part of the Univer- bling. But whereas the Shanghai sity of local conditions, and call for people recognise that the fall is due solely to economic causes, the Hong the Colony cannot have deterior- explanation. Surely the teaching in Kong sufferers who have so far
ated so much in the course of one given vent to their feelings in the Press seem bent upon finding a
year! These variations in the stan- scapegoat. In the course of doing examination to pure farce and as dard from year to year reduce the so, a great deal of nonsense has
such one wonders whether it might been published. Elaborate argu- not well be abolished. Might I ask ments have been built up on false why there is no association of premises, not only by writers who admit that they are only speaking such matters ?-Yours, etc.,
teachers in the Colony to take up as laymen but by
" who experts
KELT. do not appear to have acquired much grasp of the realities of the situation.
Some argue as though we have only been on a silver basis for the past three months, others demand a gold basis with the dollar fixed at 1/9, 1/10 or 2/-, under the delu- sion that this will give us an im- mense advantage over Shanghai in our trade dealings with China. Can it be seriously believed that if we could miraculously transform our system into a gold basis at this very moment, with the dollar, say, at 1/10, our trade with South China would be any better footing han it actually is? Would the nainland, with its depreciated silver urrency, be in any better position buy goods from us? Obviously, would not. Great Britain, with s gold basis, cannot sell its goods › China at the moment is it rea- onable to suppose that Hong Kong. ith a gold basis would be in any etter case? Critics are apt to for- et that Hong Kong is practically a epot and for trade purposes we nd South China are as one entity.
}
on
I do not wish these remarks to be onstrued as an attempt to justify low dollar" or as showing no ympathy with the wage-earner hose purchasing-power has been educed by the drop in exchange most of us are "
in the same boat n that respect). This is outside he province of my argument, which s that we must face the fact that we are on a silver basis, that at no ime have the banks been under an obligation to pay other than silver against their notes, and that all suggestions as to our dollar being maintained at 2/- or 1/10, when it is worth but 1/6. are not only foolish but futile.-Yours, etc..
A.I.T.S. Hong Kong, Jan, 11, 1930.
Hong Kong, Jan. 10, 1930,
THE CHINA-JAPAN SOCIETY.
ACTIVITIES IN VICTORIA,
B.C.
The China-Japan Society of Vic- toria, British Columbia, is continu- ing its get-together activities, and on December 18 a delightful social party was arranged in the form of a supper-dance at the Crystal Gar- dens. Many of the members avail- ed themselves of the opportunity of bringing their local friends, and prettily decorated tables were ar- ranged in groups, and old friends
were able to talk over former ex- periences.
3 MONTHS AT PRESENT CONSUMPTION.
WILL RESTRICTIONS BE NEEDED?
Hong Kong's supply of water or January 1 totalled 1,300 millio gallons compared with just unde 1,000 million gallons a year ago A twelve-hour supply was given and the expenditure was 438 million gallons. We have, therefore, a three months' supply at the pre- sent rate of expenditure.
Over at Kowloon reservoirs there are 462 million gallons and the consumption was 173 million gal lons.
At the end of November the total was 494 million gallons, so the net decrease is only 32 million gallons and 141 million gallons have been received from the Shing Mun. Details follows:-
CITY AND HILL DISTRICT WATER WORKS.
Tytam Tytam Byewash Tytam Intermediate Tytam Tuk Wong Nei Chung Pokfulam
1929. 1930. 15' 6" 11' 3" 24′ 5′′ 19′ 5′′ 2' 2" 0' 7" 47' 0" 31′ 11′′ 24' 4" 19′ 1′′
23′ 2′′ 10' 11"
The figures are the depth of the surface in feet and inches below overflow level.
Storage in Millions and Decimals Gallons.
Tytam
Tytam Byewash
1929. 1930. 266.14 295.90
.86
3.03
Tytam Intermediate
183.90
192.65
Tytam Tuk
522.00
757.42
7.03
10.55
18.60
42.38
998.53 1,301.93
Wong Nei Chung Pokfulam
Total
Consumption of water in the City and Hill District in millions and of gallons during the month of December.
decimals
Consumption
...
1928. 1929. 196.41 210.64
Estimated popula-
tion
428,260 438,580 per Between dances a local Consumption
head per day amateur dramatic society presented
14.8 15.5 some entertaining turns.
Services to houses in the Rider Main Districts were disconnected and a supply was given by_public street fountains only during Decem- ber 1928.
Amongst former residents of China, Japan, or Hong Kong, who were present there were seen Mrs. J. F. Abbott, Mr. G. M. Billings, Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Dawson and their daughter, Mrs. Leeds, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Darnell, Mrs. L. Dow- dall, Mr. and Mrs. A. Eek, Mr. and Mrs. W. Ford and Miss E. Ford, Mrs. G. P. Gabbott, Mr. R. F. Hinton, Miss E. Hotson, Dr. and Mrs. G. E. Hansen, Mrs. E. Jenkin- son. Mr. and Mrs. H. P. King, Mr. A. R. King, Mrs. N. McKinney, Mr. R. A. McConaghy, Mrs. C. W. Marshall, and the Misses D. and E. Marshall, Mrs. Muriel, Mrs. H. N. Olsen, Dr. and Mrs. C. H. Ruther- ford, Mr. and Mrs. II. J. Schramli and Miss Schramli, Mr. W. M. Sparke. Mr. J. G. Thompson, Mrs. A. L. Tayler, Miss R. Tavler, Mr. F. E. Tucker, Captain and Mrs. D. L. Watson, Mr. and Mrs, A. E. M. Williams.
From December 1 to 31, 1929, a 12 hours of supply (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) was given to all Rider Main Districts. Principal Mains closed (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
KOWLOON WATER WORKS.
1929. 1930. Kowloon Reservoir 9' 6" *0′ 2′′ Sheklaipui Reservoir 3′ 0′′ 9' 11" Reception Reservoir 1' 8"
Feet and inches below overflow. * Above overflow.
i' 8"
Storage in Millions and Decimals Gallons.
1929. 1930. Kowloon Reservoir 260.74 354.24 Sheklaipui Reservoir 104.10 Reception Reservoir 28.75
Total
79.28
28.75
393.59
462.9%
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