50
26
Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
this area (with the exception of New Kowloon), the population for the purposes of calculating these rates is estimated at 585,880, of whom 14,100 were non-Chinese.
The distribution of population estimated to the middle of 1921 was as follows:-
Non-Chinese Civil Community 14,100 Chinese Population- City of Victoria (including Peak) 360,000 Villages of Hongkong 18,360 Kowloon (including New Kowloon) 120,000 New Territories 100,800 Population afloat 73,420 Total Chinese Population 672,580 Total Civil Population 686,680(6)-PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
The activity in building operations, which has been so noticeable 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 5.68 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 25.88 per 1,000 among the non-Chinese community, as compared with 3.96 and 19.78 for 1920.
The death-rate for the year was 20.29 per 1,000 among the Chinese community and 18.08 among the non-Chinese civil community, as compared with 22.78 and 17.9 for 1920.
The number of deaths from malaria (332) was the same as for 1920. The deaths of Chinese from this cause in the City of Victoria numbered 142 out of a population of 360,000, or a rate of 0.39 per 1,000 per annum.
The deaths from plague numbered 130 as compared with 120 in 1920.
Small-pox deaths numbered 162; all but two were Chinese.
There were 3,832 deaths from respiratory diseases other than pulmonary tuberculosis, as compared with 3,834 in 1920, and 80 of these were among the non-Chinese community. Pulmonary tuberculosis claimed 1,318 Chinese and 25 non-Chinese victims, whilst other forms of tuberculosis represent an additional 576 deaths, making a total of 1,894, or 15.9 per cent. of the total deaths among the community.
Beri-beri was responsible for 526 deaths, as compared with 361 during 1920 and 555 in 1919. During the past few years circulars have been distributed to all large employers of coolie labour calling their attention to the fact that beri-beri is produced by the consumption of white rice as the staple article of diet without a sufficiency of other foods, and advising that beans should be supplied with the rice, when fresh meat or fresh fish cannot be afforded.
* This figure is wholly misleading, as it is impossible to register more than a portion of the births.