143
48
FLUCTUATION IN POPULATION.
The population of the Colony is liable to much variation dependant on political conditions in South China and the state of trade in Hong Kong.
Following the strike towards the end of June, 1925 large numbers of Chinese left the Colony.
Later many returned but that a large number did not return seems obvious from figures furnished by the Harbour Master and the Manager of the Kowloon-Canton Railway.
During the year 1926 the exchange of people between Hong Kong and neighbouring Chinese Territory by river steamships and railway shows a balance of 183,978 in favour of emigrants.
The actual figures so furnished are shown in the following table.
By railway
By Steamships
Total
Immigrants
Emigrants
147,840
243,952
128,661
216,527
276,501
460,479
These figures do not take into account the large interchange of population by sailing vessels.
BIRTHS.
In dealing with Birth Statistics in Hong Kong it is essential to remember that Registration of Births is largely evaded by the Chinese especially in regard to female children.
The births registered during the year 1926 numbered 3541. The distribution of these births according to race and sex is shown in the following table:-
Males,
Females.
Total.
Chinese
Non-Chinese
1925 1926 1925 1926 1925 1926 2,136 2,022 1,145| 1,202| 3,281 3,724
180 163 193 154 373 317
Total...
2,316 2,185 1,338 1,356 3,654 4,041
This gives a general civil birth rate of 4.5 compared with 4.64 per
1,000 in 1925.