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Hongkong may afford some clue, the number of 'muitsai"'increasing from 6.upwards. But if this is a partial explanation, the migration must be to China since very few 'muitsai' were recorded as born in the New Territories Another possible explanation is that many very young girls are sent into China as 'sanpotsaior prospective brides to be brought up in the family of their prospective: husband: till they reach the age for marriage. This custom is very prevalent in the San On District to which the New Territories once belonged, especially among the Hakkas, and it was noticed that a far larger number of married women were born outside the New Territories than married men, so obviously there must be an exchange of females to adjust the difference but of a different age.
It must however be remembered that far greater care is taken of boys, and the probability is that the death rate for girls is somewhat higher.
7. Marriage Age. The commonest age for marriage seems to be for males 18 to 20, for females 16 to 20. At 17 the married females begin to exceed the unmarried, while in the case of males this point is not reached till between 20 and 25. After 25 the number of unmarried females becomes infinitesimal, while that of unmarried males remains considerable till: 45.
8.. Duration of Life.--At the present time the population of the Northern District can be taken as typical of rural China, there being comparatively few immigrants except from the Sau On District of which it was formerly a part; most of the males who leave emigrate before 25, while the majority of the immigrants are over 25. The following comparison therefore of the wastage between 25 and 60 may be instructive:-
*
器
Between 25 & 50 years. Between 50 & 60 years.
England and Wales,
New Territories North,
Males.
Females. Males. Females.
23·4%
20%
22.8%
18.4%
43·7%
29.9%
35.8%
29.8%
The number alive at 60 proportionate to the number born compares thus:-
England and Wales,..
New Territories North,
Males.
Females.
10.9%
47.3%
19-4%
24.7%
9. Birthrate.-The expectation of life in England at 60 is for males 12.93 years, for females 1412, but in the New Territories North it must be taken as about half these figures.
There is no system for birth registration in the New Territories, but from a calcula- tion based on the Census returns and the death rate for infants for the area of the Colony under the control of the Sanitary Department, I estimate the birthrate to be about 35 per thousand.
10. Widows. The large number of widows recorded, 5,500, shows that the prejudice against remarriage remains as strong as ever, while the number of widowers is compara- tively high, which probably is due to poverty, the man not being able to afford the expense of a second marriage.
11. Nationality and Birthplace. No question as to nationality was asked, but it was assigned in accordance with the birthplace. For the Northern District 60,254 are record- ed as born in the New Territories, i.e., by far the greater portion of the inhabitants, thus
* Percentage is based on a comparison between the number of persons living at the respective ages mentioned.
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