June 10, 1907 ]
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S REPORT.
The report of the Registrar-General for the year 1906 is published in a supplement to the current Gasetle. Here are extracts:- The revenue collected during the year amounted to $177,284 21 and exceeded the amount collected in 1905 by $4,336.32. The estimated revenue for the year was $170,250.00. The principal increase are under the leads-Hawk rs and Markets. The number of bawkers' licences was 14,165 compared with 13,782 in 1905. The increase of $3,976 in the revenue from the lease of market premises comes principally from the Central, Western and Hunghom Marketa, but the new Mongkoktsui market also contributes $849. This market contains 40 stalls and by the 1st April they had all been let at a monthly dental of $104.50. In the usual course rents began to find their proper level and had fallen to $79.90 in December. The New Western Market was complete during the year and by the end of November the poultry and fish-dealers had been transferred from the old to the new market. The tenants complain that there has been a great falling off in their business since their removal to the new pre mises and I believe there is some foundation for the complaint. The accommodation provided for the poultry dealers has been found in Aufficient. The licensing of Postmen and Postal Hongs was taken over by the Post Office on the 1st May, and the licensing of boats by the Harbour Department at the close of the year. The total expenditare during the year was $36,947.46 compared with $31,761.32 in 1905. Of this increase $3,734.98 were spent on the Census which was taken on the 21st November. The actual expenditure fell short of the estimate by 89,415.45, of which a little
$8,500 is
due
to the height of exchange and obanges in the staff. The number of women detained under warrant WAS 160 compared with 262 in 1905 299 persons were admitted into the Po Leung. Kuk. Of these eight were runaway maidser. vants. The total number of persons sent by the Registrar General to two institutes during the year was 31, 10 to the Italian Convent, and 21 to Miss Eyre's Refuge.. The number sent ander warrant was six and seven respectively. Both these places of refuge have been visited more than once during the year. Miss Eyre's has been lately moved into more roomy and suitable premises. In two cases in which the production of a girl, when called for, was guaranteed under bond, the amount of the bond bas been forfeited.
J
over
The examination of emigrants is conducted by the Assistant Registrar General and occupied about 109 hours; this is exclusive of the time spent by the Registrar General in re-examining suspected cases. Out of 11,071 women and children examined before embarkation, 35 or 0.32 per cent. were detained for enquiries as against 78 or 0.69 per cent in 1905. 3 cases were still under consideration at the fend of the year. Of the remaining 32, 6 or 19 per cent, were ultimately allowed to leave without any order being made, as against 34 per cent. of the emi- grant examined were going to the Straits ettle- ments. On two occasions during the year I have visited ships taking Chinese third class passen- gers to the Straits Settlements and have been successful in detecting a certain number of cases in which men or boys were being taken abroad under false pretences. It is expected an opportunity will soon be given to discuss the whole question of emigration to the Straits Settlements with the Secretary for Chinese Affairs in that Colony. On a third occasion Sergeant GEANT brought off from a ship 11 men who were unwilling to proceed on their journey; the recruiter who had brought them down to Hongkong had disappeared, and the men had got scared. Hongkong is also directly interested in emigration of Chinese to British North Borneo, As far as I have an opportunity of judging, emigra tion of labourers to that Colony from Hongkong does not seem to be very flourish. ing. The class of men who now go compare very unfavourably with the Hakka farm- labourers who used to be recruited some years ago, but the terms offered on the tobacco-planta- tions do not seem attractive enough. In the Canton river delts the farm labourer receives
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
-887
$36 a year and board and lodging, and something inducement to parents to report a birth. It is more than that will be needed to attract good time a district office was opened at Hongkong. labourers. In June a number of coolies were discovered on
The registers of births and deaths at the British North Borneo. They were shut up in typhoon of the 18th September, but copies of board 8.8. Mausang bound for Shamshuipo district office were destroyed in the the wheel-house and forepeak. been questioned before embarkation and had been made and forwarded to the Registrar They had all the entries up to the 30th June had already expressed their willingness to go. There is no direct emigration to Samoa from Hongkong.permits were issued to exhume human remains General's Office. Three hundred anil thirty-six but it is believed coolies are taken from the for removal to Chins or for re-burial in the neighbourhood of Hongkong and Canton to Colony. Six hundred and six certificates were Swatow and embarked there. In June a plaissued by the Police for removal of bodies from card was found posted in Queen's Road pur- the Colony. porting to be a letter addressed by a Chinese labourer in Samoa to his clansmen complain ing of ill-treatment. The emigration from Swatow appears to be conducted under regula- tions made by the Chinese Local Authorities.
During the year 52 hotel-licences and 36 emigration house licences were issued. The former houses accommodate men and women, and are patronised not only by intending emigrants but by visitors to Hongkong. The boarding houses are made use of by male emigrants or returning emigrants, of the labouring class. The increase in the number of licensed emigration-houses is satisfactory, and may be attributed perhaps to the supervision exercised by the Police. Sergeant
One European and visit emigrant houses, and reports re- detailed to board emigrant ships gularly to the Registrar General.
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The work of enlarging the Central District Watchmen's Quarters at Tapingshan was completed on the 1st March. The balance to the credit of the fund on 31st December was $10,276 as against $9,452 for the preceding year. The total expenditure for the year is less by $7,253 than for 1905, but this is more than accounted for by the small expenditure on new quarters-83,607, compared with $12,347 for the previous year. Wages show an increase of $749. The item rent has now disappeared from the accounts. It was in 1897 that it was first decided to quarters for the watchmen. since then quar. ters in which all the watchmen are now accom.
build
modated have been built in Taipingshan, at West Point and at East Point. One hundred and sixty-eight convictions were obtained before the Police Magistrate through the in- strumentality of district watchmen. The Dis- trict Watchmen Committee met eleven times during the year. The Committee lost by re- signation the services of Mr. Chat Pan-po, a gentleman universally respected. Mr. Choa Leep Chee was appointed to fill the vacancy.
The number of marriages solemnized during the year was 125, as compared with 149 in 1905. Twenty marriages were contracted at the Registrar General's Office. 225 permits were issued to fire crackers on the occasion of Chinese marriages, as against 292 in 1905.. St. Andrew's Churo, Kowloon, (Govt. Not. No. 865 of 19 6) and the Wesleyan Chapel, Aberdeen Street, (Govt. Not. No. 1,080 of 1906) were licensed for the solemnization of marriages. | The Births registered during the year were as follows:-
Males.
Chinese, Non-Chinese,
684
Females. 341
Total.
1,028
161
132
845
476
293*
1,321
* Including two males and ope female registered after the expiration of 12 months.
Four hundred and sixteen (416). births were registered during the year in the West Point registration offices in Victoria, The total number of Chinese births registered in Victoria shows a slight increase over the number for 1905. On two occasions the Chinese Press bave kindly inserted a notice pointing out the benefits of registration and these are no doubt better appreciated than they were. The number of deaths registered during the year was :-
Chine⚫e, Non-Chinese,
Total,
8,087
292
8.379
It is difficult to see how to increase the proportion of births registered. Without domiciliary visits it is impossible to ascertain where a birth has occurred. Something may be done to make registration more convenient by an increase in the number of offices but it is not certain that convenience of itself is a sufficient
the villages. They are not quits satisfactory, Vaccination retorns have been obtained from
bat at any rate a commencement has been made with the keeping of a record. The officer in charge of Kowloon City office thinks that in a
vaccinated no number of cases where the children have been
registrar. This is probably true not only of certificate is received by the Kowloon City but of Shankiwan, Yanmati and other out-districts as well. The increase in the number of vaccinations is most satisfactory. House-to-house vaccination was carried out by the Public Dispensary doctors in Victoria in the cold season of 1905-1906,531 vacoinations were performed and is being carried out this cold season not only in Victoria but in Yaumati and Hunghom as well.
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The funds of the Tang Wa Hospital are in a satisfactory condition, the credit balanos at the close of the year being $17,782.28. The expenditure was $72,519.63 as against 867,644 in 1905. A trusted employee of the hospital absconded at the end of the year and defalcations to the extent of $5,927.95 were discovered. present directors of the hospital and others. A This amount was made good by past and small committee was appointed to enquire into the keeping of the socounts and to recommend what safeguards should be adopted, and their report W89 submitted to His Excellency the Governor. There are certain disadvantages connected with a complete change every year in the personnel of the Board of Directors and to reduce these and to obtain continuity I have invited sixteen gentlemen to assist me as an Advisory Board. This is an informal body not provided for in the constitution of the hospital but its duties
past directors and eight of them have are purely consultative. All members are
acted as Chairmen. Oa more than one occasion I have found their advice of great value.
The hospital has vaoated the old dis- pensary building and leased it to the Po Leung Kuk, and out-patients are now seen in the hall of the new wing. The Government has sanotion- ed the establishment of a hospital for Chinese in the Kowloon Peninsula and promised to provide a site. A committee has been formed, and estimates of the cost of erection and maintenance have been drawn up. $37,850 have been subscribed but it was thought unwise to || open & publio subsoription list until after Chinese New Year. A public meeting has been held at Yaumati and the hospital will receive, I think, the active rapport of the inhabitanta of Yaumati and Hunghom,
The Chinese Public Dispensaries were in- stituted in March last under the style of Tang Wa Hospital branch offices. It has now been thought better to sever a connection—which was almost nominal—and to regard them as distinct institutions. At the close of the year a committee of nineteen. was formed to under- take the charge of the dispensaries and it is hoped ultimately to obtain fuller support in Victoria by the formation of local committees, similar to those which manage the dispen saries in Yaumati, Hunghom and Kowloon City. The dispensary at Kau Ue Fong for the central part of the town was completed on the 4th September at a cost of $1,732,50. The cost of the building and of the furniture and equip- ment will not be a charge on the dispensary funds, thanks to the generosity of Mr. Ho Kom-tong_who made a gift of $2,000 for that purpose. The site cost $8,391. One-third of it has already been promised and I am sanguine that the remaining two-thirds will be forthoom- ing. On the 27th May a dispensary was opened in Yaumati at the request of thei habitants, and another at Hanghom on the 17th June. Well attended public meetings were held in both places to mark the opening. In Victoria the 'number of patients treated is three times the