Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 597

No. 94.

498 (1)

No. 22

1908

HONGKONG.

CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE WEST RIVER FLOODS.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, July 23rd, 1908,

H.B.M. CONSULATE-GENERAL, CANTON, July 2nd, 1908.

SIR,-In reply to Your Excellency's despatch No. 110 of June 26th, which reached me on the 30th ultimo, I have the honour to state that I am not at present in a position to afford you any authoritative information concerning the floods and consequent famine in the valleys of the West and North Rivers.

The Governor-General, to whom I have applied for particulars of the areas inundated, the number of people rendered destitute by the floods and the extent of the damage done to the crops,

has not as yet sent me any reply. He has, I understand, called for reports from the local officials in the districts affected.

At a recent meeting of British and American missionaries in Canton a committee was formed who have made arrangements to send three parties, consisting each of one foreign missionary and several native pastors, up the West, North and East Rivers re- spectively with instructions to investigate the conditions prevailing in those districts. I have been promised a copy of their report, which is expected in about three weeks time.

I have requested His Majesty's Consul at Wuchow to furnish me with a report on the state of affairs in the West River valley above Wuchow.

I shall not fail to transmit to Your Excellency all the information I am able to obtain from the above-mentioned sources.

His Excellency,

I have, &c.,

HARRY H. FOX,

Acting Consul-General.

Sir F. D. LUGARD, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.