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AIR SERVICES.
72.
All the civil aviation buildings at Kai Tak were removed by the Japanese during the reconstruction of the airfield, and temporary premises for civil air services are now in course of construction by the R.A.F. Meanwhile civil passenger traffic passes through Trans- port Command's post.
73.
Work on a new airfield has begun at Ping Shan in the New Territories, 23 miles by road from Kowloon. The Air Ministry has approved the construction of one runway 2,000 yards by 50 yards but new proposals have been submitted asking for a runway 3,000 yards by 120 yards. There has been a certain show of opposition, which was not unexpected, from the local Chinese population. The complaints have received consideration and everything possible is being done to meet them. Recent reports indicate that organised opposition is dying down.
74.
The China National Aviation Corporation began temporary services on the 22nd November and connect the Colony with Canton, Shanghai and Chungking by Dakota aircraft. It is hoped that British Overseas Aviation Corporation will shortly make known their plans with regard to Hong Kong.
SUPPLIES.
75.
The outstanding point in the overall supply situation is the almost complete failure of programme supplies to arrive, so that it has been so far possible to do little to relieve either the desperate shortage of all commodities or the consequently inflated price levels.
76.
The Chinese population have been fed from three sources: foodstuffs left behind by the Japanese, supplies winkled in from China, and about 17,000 tons of rice
This last figure shipped from S.E.A.C. territories. compares with three months minimum requirements of 36,000
The non-Chinese population have depended on Service rations. Apart from these, only 56 tons of food have been received. With further supplies of rice gravely restricted owing to a shortfall in the S.E.A.C area, and other foodstuffs scarce, apart from an Australian consignment of 800 tons, largely canned meats, expected in the middle of December, the food situation is still a cause for anxiety. One commercial shipment of about 200 tons of refrigerated goods has been arranged and is due to arrive early in December.
77.
Food prices have, however, shown a steady decline which can have its origin only in returning confidence. A not unsuccessful attempt at price control of basic foodstuffs has been made; notably an offidal, made largely with borrowed Service flour, which has been introduced at 50 cents as against the previous market price of $6.00, Rice supplies have been subsidised to peg the price at 20 cents a catty, while 23,000 free meals per day are issued to the destitute. But these measures cannot be long continued, nor can any really effective campaign be
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