1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1908.
115
9
Shanghai, Amoy, Singapore, &c., instead of transhipping here, as heretofore.
There is however a possibility that the Hong Kong Milling Company being in liquidation some small recrudescence in this branch of trade may occur.
The total reported imports during the year amounted to 4,170,000 tons, as against 4,366,000 tons in 1907, a decrease of 4.4 per cent. Exports also show a decrease from 2,354,000 tons to 2,103,000 tons, or 10.7 per cent. Transit cargo declined from 3,396,000 to 3,373,000 tons, or 0.7 per cent,
Seventy-one thousand and eighty-one (71,081) emigrants left Hong Kong for various places during the year. Of these 53,118 were carried in British ships and 17,963 in foreign ships. These figures show a decrease of 34,886 emigrants, or 32.9 per cent., compared with those for 1907.
It is difficult to account for this large decrease, but there were probably several contributing factors, such as the general depression in trade and consequent decreased demand for labour, and the quarantine restrictions placed upon vessels from the Colony to other ports, which probably had a great effect. But the chief causes undoubtedly were:-
1. The cessation of assisted emigrants to Banka and Billiton.
This emigration commenced in 1907, and served to largely swell the figures for that year. The demand for labour in those islands was not very large, and all the plantations there were fully manned before the beginning of 1908.
2. The West River floods checked recruiting during the first six months of the year.
3. There was a considerable demand for labour on the several railways under construction in China, which restricted the recruiting area.
One hundred and fifty-seven thousand eight hundred and nine (157,809) returning emigrants were brought to Hong Kong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from coast ports. This includes 106 returning from South Africa. Of the total number 116,094 arrived in British ships and 41,715 in foreign ships.
## INDUSTRIES
Sugar Refining Industry.-The year 1908 was more favourable for the sugar refining industry of the Colony than 1907 owing to the curtailment of supplies of Java white sugars and of Japanese refined in the China market. As a consequence of this, prices advanced during the year, and the local refineries were able to market their sugars under improved conditions. European beets were conspicuous by their absence doubtless owing to the low silver rate of exchange for sterling remittances.
Yarn Trade.-The extreme depression during the two preceding years adversely affected the market during the beginning of 1908,