reading the discussion which took place in the Hongkong Legislative Council on the subject of the new Ordinatice regarding trading with the enemy, popular sympathy will be universally on the side of the unofficial members of the Council. It may be that the Ordinance now concerned is only a question of policy laid down from Home. But! the question that the British community in Hongkong and elsewhere is aking is, what. of the facilities allowed to German residents in British colonies before that policy was enunciated! A.few days ago a correspondent told us how some Germans in Singapore abused their privileges. Av we said at the time, we are sure those were isolated cases, but within the full limit of what was allowed there appears little doubt that German residents in British Colonies of the Far East have been able to do great deal which would never have been permitted to British residents in German colonies. It was @ great complaint in Hongkong that while the British male population were fetched out to do patrol and special constable duty, for which in point of fact there sp-Peared little need, their German competitors were free to do a roaring business. It may be very remotely that such business profits the British Empire, but it is certainly far more likely that every penny thas made goes sooner or later to Germany, as only natural. War is war. As was said in the Legislative Council, some evidence of reciprocity is needed before so much freedom is extended to " our quondam friends and now temporary:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.