104
There appears, therefore, to have been a definite transfer of a portion of the population from Hong Kong to Kowloon, and Kowloon has, therefore, developed partly at the expense of Hong Kong. This is an expansion and wider distribution of the population that cannot but be welcomed.
All districts in Hong Kong, except two, show an increase, though in some cases the increase is comparatively small. It is interesting to note that the Praya East Re- clamation already houses over 8,000 persons, and Wanchai, apart from this, has been increased by a further 8,150. There has been considerable development in Wongnei- chung Valley accounting for the increase there. Former Health District 3, which in- cluded the European business section of the town from Pedder Street to Garden Road, extended up the hill to Queen's Gardens and westwards above Caine Road to about Breezy Point, shows a decrease of over 3,000. Of this decrease 1,700 are non- Chinese and this is no doubt accounted for by the reduction in the number of hotels in this area; part of the Hong Kong Hotel, the King Edward Hotel and other hotels having given place to non-residential business premises. In the area above Caine Road the houses are somewhat old fashioned and seem to have lost their popularity. There is a tendency for rents to fall in this area and it would appear that tenants are leaving the locality to obtain more modern accommodation else- where.
A decrease is also shown in Health Districts 6 and 6A, the latter of which is the most densely populated area in Hong Kong. The decrease is mainly in Health District 6 where there are many Chinese hotels and boarding houses; these were comparatively empty on the Census date which was less than 3 weeks after the Chinese New Year's Day. Several houses were also demolished in this area recently, to accommodate a large Cinema Theatre.
There has been a large increase at West Point. There was considerable build- ing activity in this area in the earlier years of the decade but for a long time the houses remained practically empty. They have now been filled up.
(b) Kowloon Peninsula.
Table 4.
KOWLOON PENINSULA.
1921
1921
FORMER HEALTH DISTRICTS
Increase
Males
Females Total
Males Females
Total
No. 11. Kowloon Point
10,241
6,259 16,500
7,749
4,506
12,255
4,245
11A. Hunghom
9,422
7,317 16,739
9,459
5,287
14,746
1,993
12. Yaumati
37,284
31,312 68,596
18,722
13,650
32,372
36,224
13. Mongkok
32,266
27,474
59,740
17,635
11,779
29,414
30,326
14.
Taikoktsui
and
Shamshuipo...
37,512
29,672
67,184
10,550
5,971
16,521
50,663
15. Hunghom Villages
6,601
5,026 11,627
5,465
3,188
8,653
2,974
Kowloon City
11,637
10,997 22,634
5,118
4,369
9.487
13,147
Totals
144,963 118,057 263,020
74,698 48,750 123,448
139,572
The total increase in Kowloon is 139,572 or 113.06% on the figure for 1921. This is a phenomenal increase and shows more clearly than any other aspect the enormous expansion that has taken place in Kowloon during the last ten years.
The greatest expansion has been in Yaumati, Mongkok, Shamshuipo, and Kowloon City.