FO371-46258 — Page 50

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in those spheres when and where it becomes necessary. ordinary commercial channels will ensure that sufficient supplies are maintained on the market at reasonable prices, the government control will not operate.

The key to the whole feeding problem in Hong Kong, and indeed

The best to the stable economic situation in Hong Kong, is Rice. and nearest sources of supply in bulk, which will have to be used in the feeding of Hong Kong, are Thailand and Saigon. These are the kinds of rice which are closest to Hong Kong, which are the cheapest, and which the Hong Kong Chinese find most palatable. The transportation of these supplies will have to be undertaken by coastal ships of about 4,000 tons each, none of which is available for Hong Kong.

Other basic commodities can be supplied in fair quantities from places close at hand, Peanut 011 can be supplied from Kwong Chow Wan, Saigon, and Malaya; Meat, Poultry, and Vegetables from Kwong Chow Wan, Canton, Wuchow, Swatow, and Swabue (San Mei). This department is inundated with enquiries from dealers wanting to import foodstuffs into Hong Kong from places near to Hong Kong, but as yet there is no ocean going shipping to cater for the same.

FISH.

5.

The Fishing Industry is obviously going to play a role of immense importance in the feeding and economic rehabilitation of Hong Kong, The industry is capable not only of feeding the whole of the Chinese and foreign populations of Hong Kong, the Fighting Services, and any P.0.W's billcted in the Colony, but will also supply a surplus for export which will enable Hong Kong to pay for its -perishable food supplies from South China,

A separate report is being submitted on the Fishing Industry, but, in accordance with a plan made in Stanley Internment Camp, it has been set up on a new basis, the essence of which is that the industry shall be run by and on behalf of the Chinese fishermen themselves. The industry has already started on that basis, and there is every reason to suppose that the contemplated Hong Kong Fisherman's Producers and Market Co-operative will soon be an accompl- ished fact. • The future of the Fishing Industry is one of the most promising and pleasing features of the present economic picture in Hong Kong.

6.

RAMONING.

Rationing as a necessary adjunct of food control has been introduced into most countries where supplies have been short. The Japanese attempted to introduce.rationing into Hong Kong in the following manner. First there was a drastic effort made to reduce the population by wholesale deportations of indigent persons. Tyrannical secret police measures and wholesale starvation served to drive large numbers from the Colony, and. in the process of three years the population was reduced from 2,000,000 to about 600,000,

A method of open registration as used in England was tried, but it was found that the Chinese registered at many more than

Even the one depot, and consequently drew a number of rations. drastic Japanese punishments did not suffice to diminish this practice.

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