U
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added from time to time, as funds will allow. The building was erected in 1866-9 by subscription.
Small grants are also given to the Italian Convent, the French Convent (both of which take in and tend abandoned or sick infants), the West Point Orphanage, the Seamen's Hospital, and other charitable institutions.
The Chinese Public Dispensaries are institutions maintained in order to provide the Chinese with the services of doctors, whose certificates will be accepted by the Registrar of Deaths, and with the services of interpreters, who can assist the inmates of houses, where a case of infectious disease has occurred. Coolies are engaged and ambulances and dead vans provided in order to remove cases of infectious disease to the Infectious Diseases Hospital and dead bodies fo the Mortuary. The Dispensaries receive sick infants and send them to one or other of the Convents and arrange for the burial of dead infants. Free advice and medicine are given and patients are attended at their houses. There are eight Dispensaries in existence. The The
$45,363.83/ total cost of maintenance was-$45,863,69- for the year 1919.
Government makes an annual grant of $7,000, and the rest of the cost is defrayed by voluntary subscription. The Dispensaries are conducted by committees under the chairmanship of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
VIII-VITAL STATISTICS.
(a)POPULATION.
The civil population of the Colony, according to the Census taken on May 20th, 1911, was 456,739, of whom 104,287 reside in the New Territories and in New Kowloon; at the Census taken in 1906 it was 301,967 exclusive of the New Territories and of New Kowloon. The estimated total population at the middle of the year under review was 596,100, but this includes the New Territories; and, as the birth and death figures given below do not include those from this area (with the exception of New Kowloon), the population for the purposes of calculating these rates is estimated at 499,000, of whom 13,600 were Non-Chinese.
The distribution of population estimated to the middle of 1919 was as follows:-
Non-Chinese Civil Community
13,600
Chinese Population-
City of Victoria (including Peak)
320,080
Villages of Hongkong
16,520
Kowloon (including New Kowloon}
86,550
New Territories
97,100
Population afloat
64,250
Total Chinese Population
584,500
Total Civil Population
598,100
(b)-PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
The activity in building operations, which has been so notice- able a feature since 1912, has not abated, and the demand for housing
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accommodation by the Chinese continued to be greatly in excess of the supply, as many of those who fled with their families to Hong- kong during 1911, 1912, and 1913 elected to remain in the Colony.
The birth-rate for the year was 3.9 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 20-6 per 1,000 among the Non-Chinese community, as compared with 3-6 and 22-1 for 1918.
The death-rate for the year was 23-3 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 19-9 among the Non-Chinese civil community, as compared with 29-6 and 19-5 for 1918.
The number of deaths from malaria (319) shows a decrease on the previous year (398). The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 101 out of a population of 320,080 or a rate of 0.3 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 426 as compared with 251 in 1918.
Small-pox deaths numbered 15, ali Chinese.
There were 3,049 deaths from respiratory diseases as compared with 3,316 in 1918, and 74 of these were among the Non-Chincse community. Pulmonary Tuberculosis claimed 980 Chinese and 26 Non-Chinese victims, whilst other forms of Tuberculosis represent an additional 539 deaths, making a total of 1,545 or 13-2 per cent. of the total deaths among the community.
Beri-beri was responsible for 555 deaths, as compared with 804 during 1918 and 654 in 1917. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour calling their attention to the fact that Beri-beri is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice, when fresh nieat or fresh fish cannot be afforded.
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A tabular statement of the principal causes of death is appended.
(c.)-CLIMATE.
The principal features of the weather in 1919 were :—
(a) The large departures from normal from month to month
in atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind.
A typhoon, which produced a wind velocity of 60 m.p.h. at p.m. on the 22nd and a squall at the rate of 84 m.p.h. at 1h. 17. p.m. on the 22nd atheligh the centre passed about 150 iniles to the South- West of Hongkong.
(c) Heat waves from June 15th to July 3rd, July 8th to 25th, July 31st to August 9th, and August 12th to 17th.
Barometric pressure was moderately above normal in February, July and December, and considerably above in September. It was considerably below in June and August. In the latter month it was 29-530 ins. or the lowest on record except in 1911 when it was 29.521ins. The mean pressure for the year at station level was 29-842 ins. as against 29.847 ins. in 1918, and 29-844 ins. for the past 36 years. The highest pressure was 30-398 ins. on February 4th as against 30-391 ins. in 1918 and 30-509 ins. for the past 36 years. The lowest pressure was 29 287 ins. on August 26th as against 29-108 ins, in 1918 and 28-735 ins. for the past 36 years.
The temperature of the air was considerably above normal in March and April, and moderately above in June. It was moderately below in February, October, November, and December. The mean tem-
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