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The mean monthly temperature varies between 59°F. in February and 82°F. in July, seldom falling below 40°F, or rising above 95°F. Humidity remins persistently high in Sumer at times exeeding 95.
There appears to be little in the climate t at might affect the tuberculosis figures although it is noticeable that climio
This Sumer attendances are higher in the warmer Sunmer months, rise in attendances is not however peculiar to the tuberculosis clinics but occurs in all public clinics,
Density of Population
Almost 80% of the population is concentrated in the cities of Victoria ani Kowloon in conditions of over-crowding probably without
The total built up aren parallel in any other part of the world, including factories and open spaces is 8 square miles giving an average density of population over 350 per acre. The maximm density recorded in any area wa 2,268 per aore,
This over-crowding which, under present conditions the Government is unable to remedy, is undoubtedly the most important factors in the tuberculosis problem and a reduction of the population is an urgent necessity. Due to lack of suitable building land – most of the modern part of t e city of Victoria is built on land reclaimed from the sea,
rehousing projects on any but a very limited scale are out of the question, Meantime tha permanent buildings are arowded to capacity while thousands live as squatters in small huts built of whatever material that happens to be available, crowded round the fringes of the city, with a complete lack of the most elementary sanitary facilities. The over-crowding is general through-out the Colory and exists also in the out-lying villages,
Employment and Cocupation of the People
Due to Hong Kong's position as an entrepot, a large proportion of the population is engaged in trade and commerce, ship building and repairing, stevedoring and such ancillary trades and occupations. Since the war there (as been a steady increase in the mabers employed in light industry of almost every kind. Many new factories have been established some laving been transferred from Shanghai and Canton, Agriculture and fishing support leɛs than one-tenth of the population. A considerable and variable proportion is enaged in casual mama). labour, females as well as males,
with the exception of Government and the larger firms, work is usually 7 days per week, with an occasional holiday at the principal
Hours of work may Chinese festival days about four times per year.
total 12 hours daily and are usually long, in many instances at reduced terapo.
Industrial health and physical protection of the worker in factories and workshops registered under the Factories and workshops Ordinance are taken care of by the Labour Department of the Government, which, since its inception a few years ago, has done mucù to improve working conditions, and to restrict hours of work particularly with relation to women and young persona,
There are, however, large numbers of small busineses, in many cases conducted in domestic premises, which escape registration under the Ordinance and are therefore under no legal obligation to implement its provisions.
There is no local industry which through dust hazard is known to contribute to tuberculosis morbidity.
The Boonomic Position of the People
No figures are available of the muber of adult males not in employment and wages vary considerably. Trade unionism is however gradually superceding the old guild system and wages are on the way to standardisation.