D 19
11.—Sunday Cargo Working.
25. During the year 262 Permits were issued under the provisions of this Ordinance as compared with 282 in 1908. Of these 99 were not used as it was found unnecessary to work cargo on the Sunday and the fees in such cases were refunded.
The Revenue collected under this head amounted to $29,200 as against $28,600 in 1908.
12.—New Territories.
Eleventh year of British Administration.
The Outstations attached to the Harbour Department, six in number have continued to perform the work allotted to them, and during the year Licences, Port Clearances, Permits, &c., have been issued by them as follows:-
1909 1908 Cheung Chau opened 1899 11,002 9,146 Tai O Tai Po opened 1900 6,811 6,271 Deep Bay opened 1901 2,458 4,882 Sai Kung opened 1902 2,040 1,628 Long Ket opened 1905 13 4,350 3,580 31,804 33,408The Revenue collected by this Department from the New Territories during 1909 was $25,102.50 as compared with $22,008.05 in 1908.
13.—Commercial Intelligence, Board of Trade.
27. Thirty-nine (39) letters were received during the year from firms and individuals, principally in Great Britain, asking for information upon various points in connection with their business, requesting me to place them in communication with local firms, or to obtain local agents for the sale of their goods, or submitting samples or price lists. My replies have been as full as the information and time at my disposal permitted, and my negotiations have, I understand, been productive, in many cases, of desired effects.
14.—General.
28. During the year the Harbour Department has had the misfortune to lose, by death, two valuable officers, Mr. Botelho, 1st Clerk, Harbour Office, and Mr. Watson, 1st Clerk, Mercantile Marine Office. The former had been 38 years in the Office, and had proved himself invaluable.
In September the Imports and Exports Sub-department was temporarily separated from the Harbour Department, and the staff largely increased to deal more especially with the Liquor trade in the Colony. The report of this Sub-Department is annexed—Annexe B.