An oficial communique conveying the Government's thanks to the residents of the Colony for the manner in which they e0-operated it the blackout on February 28 was published by the Air Raids Preeautions Sub-Commitiee the other day.
Previous practice blackouts had brought forth peevish admonitions from the authorities onthe gekodasical way citizens carried out the instructions, Despite harrowing {ales from travellers and the familiar spectacle of bombed searred coaches at the terminus sidings of the Kowloon—Canton Railway, residents Reamped screening their lights, or, evaded the spirit of the regulations' by yoing to bed early or spending the night at a hotel, So general was the disregard and apathy, that the military authorities threatened to cut off the electric eur= rent during the blackouts. Had the matter been left in the hands of Government officials whose previous attempts to enlighten the masses on smallpox and other mass educative Propaganda have not proved very successful, no doubl that would have. happened.
Fortunately, Col. Irwin, GSO. took command, and making full use of the press" and radio, achieved results by taking the public into his confidence—an attitude that aecom~ plished more than all the stereotyped regulations printed. This brilliant Staff Ofleor spent the entire period ff the blackout zooming overhead in 1 plane, while below residents carried fon their normal routine behind closed blinds or screened doors and windows, pleasantly conscious that, they were ea-operating with an official who was also 'a human being.
Throes of MUk War At the time of writing the Colony is in the throes of mille war. Aris~ ing out of last year's cholera epicentic, the claims of pasteurized raw mille versus the reconstituted product are bandied to and fro in the press. One old Colonial, a little tired of lactic animosities, writes that, he is more concerned about the pasteurization of beer, and adds: "In the interest of the health of the community more importance should be placed on good beer than good milk. Beer is the juice of life and man'cannot tive on mile alone, T have tried all brands of beer in the Colony and T have decided to return to the Jand where good beer is brewed and served in its natural state."
Apr. 1,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.