25 years ago THERE was a bomb scare at the International Theatre, Kowloon City, while anti-Government pamphlets were found in the playground of a school in Hunghom. Two neatly wrapped parcels carrying the warning, ''Keep away, a present for the Americans,'' were found in the two lavatories of the theatre at 9pm. Excitement spread throughout the area and people gathered to watch the police operations. THE general standard of living in Hongkong has been severely checked in recent months, a member of the Hongkong Executive Council said. Mr C.Y. Kwan said it remained to be seen whether and when the upward movement in the general standard of living could be resumed. He said the consumer price index last year had risen by six to seven per cent, mainly because of the increasing cost of rice and other imported foodstuff. MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of the Taiwan-registered ship Kwang Ho, which left Hongkong on March 31 for Brunei with a cargo of granite chips. She is overdue at Brunei for at least one week, and was last heard of 16 days ago. Her Hongkong agents, Blue Eagle Travel Service, approached the Marine Department for help at the weekend. In response, the authorities sent messages alerting ships to watch out for the 495-ton freighter. SEVEN foreigners were fined a total of 2.5 million yen (about HK$175,000) for attempting to bring into Japan around 12 million yen worth of undeclared luxury goods from Hongkong, Customs officials said. Officials said the goods - including cameras, perfumes and watches - were not confiscated because ''we felt the seven did not really intend to smuggle them into Japan.'' Officials said the foreigners all apologise deeply for the incident. The seven returned separately to Hongkong this week. 45 years ago TWO oblique digs were taken at Hongkong during the weekend, either or both of which could be treated with disdain or regarded as covert hostility. One, a suggested change in the status of the colony vis a vis China, came from an ''unimpeachable'' Nanking source; the other that Shanghai could ''kill'' Hongkong by becoming a free port, from officialdom in the person of mayor K.C. Wu of Shanghai. Behind the first suggestion - a change in the status of Hongkong - repulses that delightful red herring, the failure of Hongkong to enforce to the fullest extent the anti-smuggling agreement. IF plans materialise, Hongkong will have its first modern trawler fleet within 18 months, probably comprising 30 vessels. There are about a dozen trawlers at present in the colony which could put to sea within a few weeks. However, it would take some time to bring the fleet up to the proportions that will enable Hongkong's present fish catches to be doubled. The trawling fleet, when it comes into operation, will be operated by local private companies and owners, and it is hoped that the trawlers will fish as far south as the Gulf of Tonkin. FIFTY ''ringleaders in Chinese secret societies'' were rounded up in surprise raids conducted by the Siamese police rece ntly on 10 organisational headquarters. Most of those taken into custody will be deported, officials said this week. 75 years ago A CHINESE motorcar driver was summoned before Mr E.D.C. Wolfe for having driven his car on the left side of Des Voeux Road and Chater Road. An Indian constable stated that while he was on duty near the Post Office he witnessed the car proceeding towards him, driving in an irregular manner.
