Typhoon Warnings: Prevention of Piracy: Disorganized Mails Hongkong, Mar. 29, Tu the course of a speech at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, referring to typhoon warnings, the Chairman said that it was hoped that arrangements could be made, whereby the Chinese Maritime Customs would provide an observing station at Pratas Shoal. The committee of the Chamber urged upon the Hongkong Government the desirability of going into the question of typhoon warnings very thoroughly and suggested that information should be collated from all observatories situated within the typhoon area and that there should be ce-operation with the Powers concerned so that alli the resources of modern science and every means humanly possible should be adopted to improve the system of locating the track of typhoons.
The Chairman said that it would not be long before the installation of wireless on steamers trading locally would be made compulsory by a Hongkong Ordinance, Referring to the Sui-an piracy, the Chairman said that the Chamber.urged that strong deterrents of a retributive character would be far more effective than endeavours to make vessels pirate-proof, but ha was afraid that there was little hope of deterrents being applied if it was left to the Chinese Government to enforce them.
The Chairman stated that the recent appeal for further funds for the Hongkong University had not been vigorously pressed, due partly to the recognition of the depression in trade which was severely felt in the Far East and Britain. However, he had found that further postponement of assistance was likely in certain directions to imperil seriously the efficiency of the University.
The Chairman complained of the irregularity of the mails between Shanghai and Hongkong and said it looked as if the surrender of the foreign post-offices to the Chinese had been premature.
The Chairman mentioned that signs could be discerned of a coming trade revival but the unsettled Government continued to hamper both home and foreign trade in China. Hongkong's business with the neighbouring provinces had been particularly hampered in this respect.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.