HONGKONG.
REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, FOR THE YEAR 1904.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 8th February, 1905.
No. 1905
9
1.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
Tables.
I (A). Comparative Statement of the Revenue received during the years 1903 and 1904.
1 (B).
Return of Fees from Boat Licences.
I (C).--Return shewing the number of Boat Licences of various descriptions issued during the year 1904.
I (D). Return shewing the revenue from the Markets, and the number of Shops and Stalls occupied and unoccupied during the year.
The revenue collected during the year amounted to $167,083.66, being an increase of $6,159 over the amount collected in 1903. The principal increases are under the heads Hawkers, Markets, and Market Licences.
The increase in the revenue from hawkers' licences is $4,348. In October, 1903, the fee for a hawker's licence was doubled and is now $4 a year paid half-yearly. The number of licences issued during the year was 12,768 The licences run for twelve months from the 1st of October, and the fee being paid half-yearly, a number of hawkers allow their licences to lapse at the close of six months, as is shewn in the following table:-
Nuinber of new licences issued, Number of licences re-issued,
Total number,
Half-year ending 31st
March, 1904,
6,633
6,633
Half-year coding 30th
September, 1904.
2,318 3,965
6,283
A comparison between the figures for the last quarters of the years 1902, 1903 and 1904, which are respectively 7,773, 5,997, and 5,849, shews the effect the raising of the fee has had on the number of hawkers. Hawkers as a class claim so much attention from the Government that the following return shewing the articles sold by hawkers who took out licences during the months of April and May, 1904, will be of interest :-
Articles sold,
Cooked eatables of all kinds including pickles,
sweetmeats, and preserves,
Ice-creams and drinks of all kinds including ærated
Number of Hawkers.
1,065
400
waters,
Fruit,
1,226
Vegetables,
605
Eggs,
31
Rice,
24
Salt,
5
Salt Fish,
133
Chickens,
2
Ducks,
1
Marine delicacies,
42
Soy,..
20
Cloth,
195
Foreign goods,
275
Clothes, &c.,
98
Silver ornaments,
45
Marine Stores.....
56
Tobacco & cigarettes, Flowers,
Miscellaneous,
50
19
246
4,538