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Engineering and Shipbuilding.-This section of the Colony's Industry was carried on under adverse circumstances. The great trade depression from which the local Shipping suffered severely made its influence felt in this industry and the amount of new construction turned out by the local Companies was not very encouraging.
In regard to War Vessels, the active operation of the floating Docks at Tsingtau and at Olongapo in the Philippine Islands, installed by the German and United States Govern- ments respectively, was responsible for the continuance of a very large falling off in the docking and repairing of Foreign War Vessels, the tonnages dealt with by the Hongkong) and Whampoa Dock for 1906, 1907 and 1908 being 64,318, 3,692 and 3,652 respectively, with apparently no prospect of future improvement. The tonnage of British War Vessels docked was on a level with those prevailing during the year immediately preceding.
Work in the nature of large repairs to Steamers was scarce during the earlier half of the year.
The Typhoon in July, however, contributed to a large extent towards the improvement experienced in this direction during the latter half.
During the year a large Dock built by Messrs. Butterfield & Swire at Quarry Bay was opened. It is 787 feet long. 88 feet wide at the top of the entrance and 81' 8" at the sill. There are 35 feet over the sill at ordinary high water. In addition to the Dock there are three slipways, one of them about 350 feet long and 80 feet broad, capable of lifting vessels up to 3,000 tons weight. The other two are about 900 feet long by 60 feet broad and are capable of accommodating vessels up to 2,000 tons. There are also Machine Shops, Boiler Shops, a Forge and Smithy, a Foundry, Galvanizing Shop, Saw Mill and a Wood-working Department. The Building Yard is laid out for four big berths capable of taking on vessels up to 600 feet in length, and the machinery is adapted to dealing with this sort of work. The power is supplied by Gas Engines and is transmitted throughout the Yard electrically.
FISHERIES.
A considerable proportion of the boat-population of Hongkong supports itself by deep. sea fishing, in which pursuit a large number of junks are engaged. The villages of Aberdeen, Stanley, Shaukiwan, and many others in the New Territories are largely dependent upon this industry for their prosperity. Fresh water fish is imported from Canton and the West River. There are oyster beds of considerable value in Deep Bay.
FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE.
Forestry work has consisted (1) in the formation of 400 acres of pine plantations in continuation of the Harbour Belt now extending some seven miles from Lai-chi-kok towards Lycemun (2) the continuation of afforesting the catchment areas of Tytam, Pok- fulam and Kowloon Reservoirs, (3) the replanting of felled areas at Aberdeen and Mount Kellett (4) the extension of the avenues of shade trees in Kowloon (5) the care of existing plantations.
The year was marked by exceptionally good crops of fruits, vegetables and rice in the New Territories; especially may be mentioned the abundance and excellence of the output of Pineapples, Plums, Pears, and Peanuts.
The chief economic works other than the above have been the successful establishment of the rare and valuable Naumu or Coffin Wood-tree in our nurseries from seeds obtained from Szechuen, and the collection of information and materials relating to the trade of the Colony in vegetable products.
With a view to placing the botanical resources of the Botanical and Forestry Department as far as possible at the service of the mercantile community of Hongkong the Superintendent has been instructed to collect all possible information upon the vegetable products of the neighbourhood or for which Hongkong is an emporium. This information is to refer chiefly to the raw or partly inanufactured products exported from China and include the locality of of their production, quantity available, country to which exported, price at port of export and in the markets to which they eventually go. Considerable progress has been inade during the year with this scheme and information with regard to a few of our more important vegetable products, such as China-root and Galangal was collected.
A considerable amount of scientific work upon the flora of the Colony and neighbouring parts of China has been done in England and other countries with materials supplied by the Forestry Department.
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GLAND GRANTS AND GENERAL VALUE OF LAND.
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The net amount received from Sales of Crown Land and Pier Rights after deducting expenses of the Sales was $69,358, a decrease of $92,101 on the previous year and $218,481 less than the average amount received for each of the past five years. Of this amount $14,665 was received in respect of sales of Pier Rights and the right of extending existing Piers, $7,078 was received in respect of Sales of Crown Land in the New Ter ritories and the balance from Sales of New Lots of Crown Land and Grants of Extension
exisiting Lots in the Island of Hongkong and Old Kowloon.
The chief items were for an extension to a Soy Factory at West Point (Inland Lot No. 1300) and for a renewal of the Lease of the Dairy Farm Company's premises in Wyndham Street for a period of 75 years, the existing lease of which is about to expire.
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The considerable decrease in Revenue from Sales of Crown Lant may be partly attributed to the fact that in the City of Victoria there is little available building land left and partly to the fact that at the present time there is no great demand for new houses in the City and in Old Kowloon, a considerable number of Chinese shops and dwelling houses being now unlet. The general depression in the land market, which commenced few years ago, still continues and capitalists who invested in land and buildings at the high pric's ruling some ten years ago have suffered very considerable losses in many cases properties have been sold by mortgagees at far less than the amount of their securities while many other mortgage's are holding on awaiting a more favourable opportunity for realizing their securities. There is however a very fair demand in the City for property at reduce i prices. There appears to be no lack of money in the Colony and a considerable number of transactions in land have taken place during the past year.
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There have been a large number of sales of small lots of Crown Land for native dwellings and industries in the New Territories, and the demand for these is likely to further increase, as the native population now realize the reasonable terms upon which Crown Land can be obtainel and the security of tenure afforded by holding under a long lease direct from the Crown.
Three areas of over 40 acres of land at Tai in the Island of Lan Tao for use as Salt Pans were put up for anerion on an 18 years' lease at the upset annual rental of $15 per acre per annum and after considerable competition one Lot of over 21 acres realized as much as $170 per acre per annum which shows that Salt Pans in a good locality are apparently very remunerative undertakings. During the year a second area of one square mile in the New Territories was lease 1 to Sir Paul Chater for 75 years for mining purposes.
III-LEGISLATION.
Twenty-two Ordinances were passed during 1908 of which nine were Amendment Ordinances. A Fire Insurance Companies Ordinance (No. 3) was passed to authorize the removal of Fire Insurance Companies from the Register of Companies in curtain cases. Ordinances were also passe:l to enable Foreign Corporations to acquire and hold land in the Colony (No. 7): to provide for the grant of brewery licences (No. 8): to empower a Magistrate to hold a Small Debts Court in the New Territories (No. 22): to provide for the registration of Chemists and Druggists and to regulate the sale of poisons (No. 12); to regulate theatres and other places of public resort (more especially in regard to precautions against fire) (No. 18): and to transfer the Widovs' ant Orphans' Pension Find and its management to the Government of ilongkong (No. 15).
IV.-EDUCATION.
There are 73 Government and Grant Schools, the most important of which is Queen's College. Of these 23 are Upper Grade Schools with a staff competent to give instruction in all subjects of the 7th Standard, and above. These latter schools have an average attendance of 3,992, and the medium of instruction in all of them with the exception of one girls' school, is Engish. The 50 remaining Schools are all Lower Grade. They comprise 1 school for British Indians where English and Urdu are taught; 5 Government and I Grant Anglo- Chinese Schools; and 43 Grant Vernacular Schools. The average attendance at all these Lower Grade Schools is 2,186. The total average daily attendance, at both Grades of School, is 6,178.
The revenue derived from school fees is $54,792 (of which $31,073 is from Queen's College) and is rapidly increasing this is mainly to be accounted for by the increasing numbers of Chinese desirous of an English education.