CO129-293 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [8-9]

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21.26 acres of land were surveyed in connection with the issue of leases and re-adjustment of boundaries; 5.61 acres were surveyed in connection with land sales; 2.37 acres in connection with extensions, and 1.37 acres in connection with grants on short leases.

The sales of Crown Land were considerably short of the estimate for the year, owing to the few applications for land in the Taipingshan resumed area. Only five lots were sold, at prices varying considerably. The price of building lots between Kennedy Road and Bowen Road went up from 6 to 12 cents a foot, and in one case even 25 cents a foot was paid. In Kowloon there was also considerable demand, and as much as 80 cents a foot was realised for lots in Yaumati.

A considerable area of land at Causeway Bay has been reserved for the purpose of a Public Recreation Ground; whilst in Kowloon a hill known as the Hill of the Emperor of the Sung Dynasty, which has some Chinese historical associations, has also been reserved.

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ANALYSIS OF SHIPPING ENTERED AND CLEARED, 1897 AND 1898.

1897 1898 INCREASE DECREASE Ships Tonnage Ships Tonnage Ships Tonnage Ships Tonnage BRITISH 6,783 8,205,766 7,436 8,705,648 673 499,882 FOREIGN-- Chinese Junks 67,349 3,813,675 69,571 4,018,047 1,222 204,372 German 1,364 1,637,571 1,486 1,837,043 122 199,472 Japanese 304 599,276 481 1,789,575 177 1,190,299 Chinese 896 $11,508 Norwegian 285 258,994 424 410,314 139 151,320 French 200 341,504 314 523,667 114 182,163 American 226 148,706 231 179,534 5 30,828 Austrian 51 133,188 51 132,395 793 Danish 145 70,810 137 86,451 15,641 Italian 28 69,414 28 59,578 9,836 Hawaiian 8 16,512 14 27,710 6 11,198 Dutch 8 6,576 17,678 11,102 Russian 10 29,170 7,796 10 21,374 Belgian 4 4,348 4 4,348 Spanish 17 4,816 2,591 17 2,225 Siamese 6 3,242 618 6 2,624 Swedish 26 24,436 26 24,436 ENTERED Steamers in 8,071 4,262,283 8,624 4,750,148 553 487,865 River Steamers in 1,547 1,694,077 1,575 1,768,489 28 74,412 Sailing Vessels in 356 107,280 226 84,276 130 23,004 Junks in 33,739 1,904,966 34,276 2,004,475 537 99,509 TOTAL TOTAL 77,293 15,939,174 79,629 17,265,780 2,336 1,327,606 CLEARED Steamers out 8,067 4,263,459 8,319 4,798,952 252 535,493 River Steamers out 1,548 1,690,644 1,548 1,765,555 74,911 Sailing Vessels out 355 106,862 230 95,866 125 10,996 Junks out 33,610 1,908,609 34,295 2,004,475 685 95,866 TOTAL TOTAL 38,580 7,969,568 39,814 8,617,506 1,234 647,938 GRAND TOTAL Entered and Cleared 1897 77,293 15,938,174 1898 79,629 17,265,780 2,336 1,327,606

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF TOTAL SHIPPING ENTERED AND CLEARED, 1894-1898 INCLUSIVE.

1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 Total Entered and Cleared 62,791 14,248,670 73,761 15,632,113 80,463 16,515,953 77,293 15,938,171 79,629 17,265,720

The nationalities in this table are arranged according to the relative amounts of tonnage carried under the various flags in 1898. As compared with the figures of 1897, it will thus be seen that four countries, Norway, Hawaiian, Holland and Belgium have improved their relative positions, and that France and Russia have gone down one and two places respectively. Sweden, in 1898, deserted the port altogether, taking 24,436 tons with her.

A very noteworthy increase in tonnage was achieved by Japan, the shipping of which country sprang from less than 600,000 tons in 1897 to over a million tons in 1898. The Norwegian increase is also noteworthy. No other features call for special remark. British shipping and tonnage preserve their supremacy, the tonnage being nearly quintuple that of the next nationality (omitting the Chinese Junk trade), namely, Germany.

III-LEGISLATION.

There were no important changes in the law of the Colony enacted in 1898.

The law relating to Trade Marks was amended to allow of interested parties, residing outside Hongkong, obtaining due notice of applications for registration, while the Liquor License Ordinances were re-enacted with some slight changes.

Ten Ordinances of the thirty passed related to Naturalization while most of the rest consisted of slight amendments to the existing laws. Two, Nos. 3 and 14, were intended to provide for the more effectual punishment of bribery and conspiracy in connection with Government Officers and the course of public justice respectively.

IV. EDUCATION,

The total number of Educational Institutions open during 1898 amounted to 109, (of which 93 were Grant-in-Aid Schools and 16 were Government Schools), with an enrolment of 8,522 scholars, as compared with 109 schools and 7,999 pupils in 1897.

No material change has taken place as regards the nature of the education given in the local schools.