HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953
Company Ltd., and the London Tobacco Company Ltd. Cigarettes and cigars of all qualities are manufactured and the production of packaging is also carried out in the Colony. The local tobacco industry has found itself in increasing diffi- culties since the closure of the China market in 1949, and the year has been marked by a series of staff retrenchments carried out by the British-American Tobacco Company (Hong Kong) Ltd., in particular. There was some improvement in the em- ployment position in this industry towards the end of the year. Exports of cigarettes were valued at £165,600.
Footwear. The principal items of footwear manufactured locally are rubber shoes and boots. There are 51 factories engaged in the production of these items, with a total labour force of over 6,000. Exports, during 1953, amounted to 911,402 dozen pairs valued at £3,291,000. The United Kingdom is by far the largest market.
Cement. Only one factory, the Green Island Cement Co., Ltd., is engaged in the manufacture of cement in the Colony. It has a capacity of 110,000 tons a year and employs 260 workers. Apart from clay and iron ore, all the raw materials required are obtained from overseas. The great bulk of the company's output is absorbed locally, but some exports are sent to Malaya and Borneo and other South East Asian territories. Exports, in 1953, were valued at £159,054.
Cordage, Rope and Twine. There are 40 factories employ- ing some 800 workers in this section of local industry. The most important of these is the Hong Kong Rope Manufacturing Company Ltd., which produces ropes and hawsers of various kinds from raw fibre imported from the Philippines.
Matches. There are four match factories in the Colony, with a total labour force of 500. Their products are of good quality and find their largest markets in Malaya, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and Indonesia. The value of exports during the year was £72,081.
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