159
5. Migratory character of the population. A comparison of the Directories for 1911 and 1921 showed that of European adult males, exclusive of Government servants, resident here in 1911, only 197 were still in the Colony at the time of the Census; these were British 187, aliens 10; of the British 43 were in the employ of the Dock Companies. Of these many had had a tour of duty elsewhere in the meantime in various parts of the Far East. If the year 1914 is taken, the figures are British 270, aliens 16. In the case of adult females the figures would be still lower. Except for a few professional men, employees of the Dock Companies and Civil servants, the European population almost completely changes every 5 years. Most of the employees of the various firms only complete one tour of duty here, and then after the expiration of their home leave are transferred elsewhere. These facts fully explain the allegations of the lack of public spirit in the Colony.
6. Alteration of location.--In 1911 the upper levels west of Peel Street, and south of Caine and Bonham Roads, part of the European reservation so called, were occupied almost entirely by non-Chinese mostly Europeans; in this Census the figures are non- Chinese 463, Chinese 4,658, and of the non-Chinese few are Europeans except within and near the University. East of Garden Road and south of the Military Reservation, a district formerly occupied entirely by Europeans with the exception of 3 Boarding Houses, very few Europeans are now found, most of the houses being occupied by Japanese of the merchant class.
The Portuguese have largely moved to Kowloon, where a new Gardien City has been formed at Ho Muu Tin near the Yaumati Railway Station, and another large scheme at Kowloon Tong is under consideration for their accommodation. They have suffered more acutely than any other part of the community from the rapacity of absentee landlords and lessees who were enabled to raise their rents enormously owing to the influx of rich Chinese refugees from Canton during the last ten years seeking temporary house accommodation at any price.
The Europeans displaced from the upper levels have partly removed to flats in Kowloon, partly to the Hill District, the non-Chinese population of which increased by 17 per cent in spite of the fact that a large Boarding House was temporarily closed and that the number of houses remained about the same as in 1911. At the time of the Census a number of European houses were in course of erection or projected in the Hill District.
A beginning has been made with the developement for residential purposes of the south side of the Island, rendered accessible by the construction of good motor roads, the pioneers being the Hongkong Hotel Co., who have erected a palatial hotel at Repulse Bay.
Section III.-New Territories.
(Tables IX to XVIII).
1. The Census of the New Territories was begun on March 24th and completed in about three weeks. The work was supervised by the Police Officer in charge of each district, who had under him a head enumerator and a sufficient number of assistants selected from the inhabitants of the district. All enumerators were carefully instructed beforehand, and I visited personally all the districts on the mainland and examined them as to their knowledge of their duties before they commenced work. The enumerators obtained the required information direct from the heads of each household and themselves entered it in specially prepared books of convenient size. The Census of 1911 was taken by the European Police Officers themselves accompanied by interpreters, the time taken was over three months and the work very arduous especially during the hot weather. The