549
10
The number of minor offences reported Was 1,640 over the average of the quinquennial period.
The total number of persons committed to Victoria Gaol was 7,464, as com- pared with 7,273 in 1993, but of these only 4,027 were committed for criminal offences, against 4,644 in 1903. Of committals for non-criminal offences there were 439 more under the Prepared Opium Ordinance and 133 more for infringe- ment of Sanitary Bye-laws.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 726, the highest previous average being 653 in 1903. The percentage of prisoners to population, according to the daily average of the former and the estimated number of the latter, was .201 as compared with 189, the average percentage for the last ten years. The Prison discipline was satisfactory, the average of punishments per prisoner being 1.1, as compared with 2.34 in 1903 and 3.42′ in 1902.
The continued overcrowding of the Gaol emphasises the necessity for the proposed new Convict Prison, and the question of a fresh site has for some time past been ander consideration.
The remunerative labour carried on in the Gaol consists of printing, book- binding, washing, carpentry, boot-making, net-making, painting and whitewashing, mat-making, tailoring, oakum-picking, etc., the value of the work done being $47,938.13.
The total strength of the Police Force for 1901 was Europeans 133, Indians 375, Chinese 485, making a total of 993, as compared with 921 in 1903 exclusive in each case of the four Superior Officers and a staff of clerks and coolies. of this Force an Assistant Superintendent, who also acted as Magistrate, and 20 Europeaus, 81 Indians and 43 Chinese were stationed in the New Territory during the greater part of the year.
The force of District Watchmen to which the Government contributes $2,000 per aunum was well supported by the Chinese during the year and its strength increased by 13 to a total of 95.
IX.-VITAL STATISTICS.
(a.) POPULATION.
The population of the Colony according to the Census taken in 1897 was 248,880 and according to the Census of 1901 it was 288,975 exclusive of New Kowloon and the Army and Navy Establishments. The estimated population at the middle of the year auder review was 361,206, as follows:-
Non-Chinese Civil Community,.
Hongkong,
10,181
206,301
65,072
Old Kowloon, Chinese Population, New Kowloon (approximate),.- 20,000
Floating Population,...........
Army, Navy,
50,930
342,306
4.359
4.360
Total..........
8,719
361,206
New Kowloon was brought under the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board in 1904, and its estimated population has accordingly been included. The population of the remainder of the New Territories according to the census of 1901 was 85,011 making when added to the present estimate a grand total of 446,217.
The total strength of the British Fleet on the China Station was estimated at 10,067, as compared with 8,905 in the previous year. At the Census taken in
1901 the actual number of members of the Navy present in the Colony was 5,597 and the estimated average number resident in Hongkong during 1904 is put at 4,360.
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The total number of births registered in the Colony was 1,205, and of deaths 6,118. This gives an annual birth-rate of 3.3 and a death-rate of 16.94 per 1,000, as compared with 3.2 and 18.9 in 1903. The death-rates both in the Chinese and non-Chinese sections of the community were lower than any recorded in the last 15 years. The excess of deaths over births is explained by the fact that thousands of Chinese families are represented in Hongkong by men only, there being a very large floating population of adult males, and that many of the Chinese in case of illness return to their own country. It should also be re- membered that a large proportion of births among the Chinese remains unregistered, though steps are being taken to remedy this irregularity as far as possible.
(b) PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
It is satisfactory to note that during the year under review a better acquain- tance on the part of the Chinese with the requirements of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of 1903 has resulted in a marked decrease in the opposition, especially with regard to the cleansing and disinfection of houses, that at first did much to impede its successful operation.
It was
The houses that are in course of erection in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance show considerable improvement on the existing type of house as regards adequate lighting and ventilation. The question of overcrowding is still an urgent one, the number of persons per acre in the built over area of the Central Districts having increased from 562 in 1902 to 608 in 1904. hoped that the Electric Tramway, opened early in the year, would cause the coolie classes to move to the outskirts of the City, but it has rather had the opposite effect, the tendency being for labourers to come into the centre of the City to live and to take advantage of the cheap fares to go out to their work.
Under the Insanitary Properties Resumption scheme an area of 24,898 square feet has been resumed in one of the most densely populated areas of the City for the purpose of forming a wide street through the existing block of houses, and a further open space has been given to the public by the opening of Blake Park in the Western Taipingshan District.
There were 495 deaths from plague; this was 756 less than in 1903 and except for the years 1895 and 1897 the lowest mortality since the first outbreak of the disease in 1894. Respiratory diseases accounted for 1,394 deaths among The deaths from the Chinese, or 23.7 of the total number of Chinese deaths. beri-beri were high, totalling 735 for the year. The result of the measures adopted for the prevention of malaria is seen in the continuous reduction in the number of deaths from this disease from 574 in 1901 to 301 in 1904.
(c.) CLIMATE.
The average monthly temperature throughout the year was 716° F. as com- The pared with 71-5° F. in 1903 and 72.0° F. during the ten preceding years. inaximum monthly temperature was attained in August, when it reached 86-0° F., and the minimum monthly temperature was recorded in January, when it was 35-4° F. The highest recorded temperature during the year was 91·1° F. on the 26th June, and the lowest 44.8° F. on December 24th.
The total rainfall for the year was 80,41 inches as compared with an average of 77.33 inches during the past ten years. The wettest month was August, with 27.64 inches, the dryest, January, with only 0.12 inch. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 11.185 inches on the 25th August, while no rain fell on 137 days of the year. The relative humidity of the atmosphere through- out the year was 77 per cent., as compared with an average of 77 per cent. during the past 10 years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 5.2 hours being 46 per cent. of the possible duration."
X-POSTAL SERVICE.
The total Receipts paid into the Treasury in 1904 by the Postal Department aunotunted to $532,742.94 from which sum $124,282 was transferred to other heads of General Revenue under which fees and duties are paid in stamps, which are now sold exclusively by the l'ost Office, leaving the sum of $408,418.02 as