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2. I estimate the population of pure European descent to be rather over 5,000, of Indian or mixed Indian descent at 2,000. The remainder include Eurasians, Filipinos, and natives of British, Dutch and French colonies.
3. BRITISH (a.) Europeans.—I estimate the number of British nationals of European race at 4,300. On referring to the age table it will be noticed that after age 7 the number of children declines, the reason being all who can afford it send their children home for education at that age these rarely return, since before their education is complete the parents have generally left the Colony. The average attendance of children during 1920 at British schools was 163. I estimate that the total number of British children of European race of all ages to be about 500.
Most males reach the Colony between the ages of 21 and 25, and few remain after 55. In the case of females it is common for the mothers to leave the Colony often for good when their children reach school age, in order to be with them during their education in England; hence at age 40 the number of married women rapidly declines.
Owing to various reasons a comparison of the Health rate with that for a normal population settled in Europe is rather fallacious. However the death rate for 1920 for British Nationals of European race works out at 12 per thousand, an extremely low rate compared with some other colonies, and well demonstrates the success of modern science in a Colony which 50 years ago was regarded as a veritable death trap for Europeans. The birth rate works out at 22 per thousand, an exceptionally high rate for Hongkong, due to the unusually large number of young married women at present resident in the Colony.
The actual number of British firms has not increased since 1911, and there is at present a marked tendency to amalgamation especially in the case of companies. Trade depression in the Far East showed itself early in 1920 before business in England had had time to settle down after the completion of demobilisation: beuce the expected post- war increase in British firms in the Colony did not eventuate and at the present time it does not appear likely that any increase in the British population of European race is likely to take place in the near future.
(b.) Indians.-The number of natives of India remains about the same. Their number depends almost entirely on the demand for Indian Police and Watchmen, about 85 per cent of adult males being employed as Police or Watchmen or in various Govern- ment departments. The birthplace of the majority is the Punjaub and the North West Province. The commercial importance of the Indian community has greatly decreased since the abolition of the trade in Indian opium in which they were chiefly interested, and since the large increase in the manufacture of cotton yarn and piece goods in Japan and North China. Indians are chiefly interested in retail drapery, silk and curio stores, and cotton yarn. Besides those born in India there are 287 males and 341 females born outside India mostly in Hongkong, a large number of whom are of mixed race, for it is fairly common for Indians to marry Chinese especially as secondary wives; these Indians of mixed race are mostly employed as clerks. The Indian watchmen are all Sikhs, and are mostly professional money lenders as a side line. A few Indians are now employed as chauffeurs. Very few Parsee firms now remain, and the Parsee community once so important is now fast disappearing from the Colony.
Occupations.It should be remarked with regard to agriculture that the number shown as farmers is composed of Indians passing through the Colony. The number of British ships' officers and crew shown is much higher than usual, and is due to a large number of the smaller tramp coasting steamers being laid up owing to the prevailing shipping depression. It is to be noticed that of all non-Chinese engaged in religious work in the Colony only 13:4 per cent are of British nationality.
4. ALIENS.-The place of the Germans seems to have been filled by the increased number of Japanese, American and Dutch firms. Americans have in- creased from 295 to 470. A number of American firms opened during and after the close of the war, several for the purpose of managing U. S. Shipping Board ships, but