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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
Flour.-The decrease of 14,675 tons is due to Chinese flour competition and high prices ruling for American and Canadian product, also shortage of tonnage and high freight.
Kerosene Oil.-There is a decrease of 37,593 tons shown in bulk oil, which is due to falling off in demand on account of high price brought about by general war conditions, and what would appear to be an increase in case oil is really not so, as the demand has also fallen off as in bulk oil. Large stocks of case oil are carried over to the present year, and if conditions become worse, this apparent increase will be wiped out.
Liquid Fuel.-A decrease of 2,943 tons due to the scarcity of tank steamers.
Rice.-The increase of 71,144 tons is due to great demand from North and Central American market principally, which was formerly supplied by the European market when freights were low.
Timber.-A decrease of 31,477 tons chiefly accounted for by the stoppage of supplies of Oregon pine through high rates of freight, Philippine hardwood being used instead.
Opium.-The clearances of certified opium from the Colony during the past year were much reduced. After the first two months of the year the disturbances that took place in the Kwong Tung Province appear to have prevented the carrying out of the agreement which the Opium Combine entered into on October 1st, 1915. The actual imports and exports of certified opium during the year are as follows:--
Import Export Malwa 31 Chests 111 Chests Patna 4 Chests 72 Chests Benares 35 Chests 80 Chests Total 263 ChestsOf these, however, the imports all came from Shanghai, and of the total export of 263 chests 180 went to Shanghai. Very little was therefore done to reduce the actual stock of uncertified Indian opium held in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Six hundred and forty-one (641) chests of Persian opium were imported during the year and 734 chests were exported, of which 29 chests were exported to London and the remainder to Formosa.
One thousand and thirty (1,030) chests of uncertified Indian opium were imported. 360 chests were imported by the Government monopoly, 500 chests were imported for the Macao opium farmer, and the remaining 170 chests were nominally intended for Mexico, but, owing to suspicious circumstances connected with the shipment, they were returned to Calcutta.
General Cargo.-The large decrease of 255,423 tons is due to shortage of supplies from manufacturers at home, on account of war conditions.
EXPORTS.
Exports show an increase of 140,869 tons.
Transit Cargo.-An increase of 158,313 tons is shown under this head.
Emigration and Immigration.
One hundred and seventeen thousand six hundred and fifty-three (117,653) emigrants left Hong Kong for various places during the year.