CO129-565-10 Information concerning trade figures and numbers of refugees 12-11-1937 - 15-11-1937 — Page 3

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Telegram from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary

of State for the Colonies,

Dated 15th November, 1937. Received 10-3am 15th November,

Immediate.

No. 279. Confidential.

Your telegram No. 237 Trade of the

Colony has ahow no decline. On the contrary excluding treasure total of importe and experts in dellarg have been monthly average January to June 1937,

84,219,000, July 86,379,000 August 93,918,900, September 104,150,000. These figures largely

exceed comparable figurea for 1936 but it should

be borne in mind that the Colony 18 at present handling

a considerable but inestimable

which

maximum

quantity of importa

normally would have gone direct to Shanghai.

British refugees from Shanghai at

number approximately 3,500 women and 300

men majority of whom made private arrangements but

others were housed and maintained in Government centres.

Maximum in centrec 750 present number 402. All have

signed undertaking to refund maintenance charges but

many are chronically destitute. Chinese population

has also increased vary greatly but no useful statistica

are available.

Treasy. 6

влад

Financial position of the Government

good with revenue already on the 15th November in

exceas of the eatinate for the full year and three

million dollarn more than that collected up to the

Game date in 1936. No present signs of economi✪

depression in the community generally,

All

luxury taxen e.g. batting entertainment and excise

show large increased which cannot be wholly due to

influx of refugeed.