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serious offences reported was 900 over the average of the quinquen- nbul period commencing with the year 1915. The number of minor offences reported shows an increase of 1,135 as compared with 1918 and was 214 below the average of the quinquennial period.
The total strength of the Police Force in 1919 was Europeans 159, Indians 477, Chinese 592, making a total of 1,228 (the same number as in 1918) exclusive of the five superior officers and staff of clerks and coolies. These figures include police paid for by the Railway and other Government Departments. Of this force 15 Europeans, 128 Indians, and 51 Chinese were stationed in the New Territories during the year,
During the year 1919, 16 members of the Hongkong Police Force returned to the Colony from active service, and resumed their police duties. There are still 5 men who have hot yet returned.
The District Watchmen Force, numbering 100, to which the Government contributes $2,000 per annum, was well supported by the Chinese during the year. These watchmen patrol the streets in the Chinese quarter of the City. They are placed on police beats and are supervised by the European polico on section patrol.
The total number of persons committed to Victoria Gaol was 5,213 as compared with 3,577 in 1918. Of these 2,552 were committed for criminal offences against 1,498 in 1918. Of committals for non- criminal offences there were 150 more for hawking without a licence, and 19 more for unlawfully boarding steamers, than in 1918.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 756, the average for 1918 being 601, and the highest previous average being 720 in 1901. The percentage of prisoners to population, according to the daily average of the former and the estimated number of the latter, was 0.15. The average percentage for the last ten years was 012. Owing, however, to the large floating population, which is constantly moving between the Colony and Canton, the percentage of crime to population does not convey an accurate idea of the comparative criminality of the residents of the Colony. The Gaol has accommodation for 707 prisoners.
The prison discipline was satisfactory, the average of punish- ments per prisoner being 0.96 as compared with 105 in 1918 aud 1.36 in 1917.
=
Long sentence prisoners serving two years aud upwards are taught useful trades, including printing, book-binding, tin-smithing, mat-making, tailoring, carpentering, etc. The profit on the work done was $67,735 as against $60,202 in 1918, A sum of $3,363 was received and credited to Government for nou-Government work as against $3,954 in 1918.
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VITAL STATISTICS. (a)-POPULATION.
The civil population of the Colony, according to the Census taken on May 20th, 1911, was 456,739, of whom 101,287 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 590,100, 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:—
Chinese
Population
Non-Chinese Civil Community,
1*013,600
City of Victoria (including Peak),
320,080
Villages of Hongkong,
16,520
Kowloon (including New Kowloon)...
80,550
New Territories,
97,100
Population afloat,.
64,250
584,500
598,100
Total Chinese Population,
Total Civil Population,
(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 accommodation by the Chinese continued to be greatly in excess of the supply, as many of those who fled with their families to Hongkong during 1911, 1912, and 1913 elected to remain in the Colony.
The birth-rate for the year was 39 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 20G par 1,000 among the Non-Chinese community, as compared with 36 and 221 for 1918.
The death-rate for the year was 233 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 199 among the Non-Chinese civil com- munity, as compared with 296 and 195 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, all Chinese.
There were 3,049 deaths from respiratory diseases as compared with 3,316 in 1918, and 74 of these were among the Non-Chinese community. Pulmonary Tuberculosis claimed 980 Chinese and 26
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