K 12
The following Table of population, births and deaths is given for the purpose of ready comparison with similar tables given in the reports from other Colonies:-
Europeans and Whites. Total. Number of Inhabitants in 1909 11,390 323,811 13 4,384 4,246 313,877 Number of Births in 159 1,215 11 96 " 1,517 Number of Deaths in 110 7,023 " 84 50 7,267 Number of Immigrants in " 144,821 77,430 13 Number of Inhabitants in 1908 11,252 316,850 10 4,116 4,260 336,488 Increase, 138 6,994 3 268 ... 7,403 Decrease, 14 11There is an enormous passenger traffic between Hongkong and the mainland of China, the passenger figures by river steamers alone being as follows:-
Arrivals 1,240,207: Departures 1,175,575.
It must not be assumed, however, that the excess of passenger arrivals by steamer over the departures (64,632) or the excess of immigrants over emigrants (67,391) represents an increase in population of the Colony, for thousands of those who arrive by passenger steamer subsequently leave for China and these figures are not available.
AGE DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS.
The number of deaths of infants under one year of age was 2,295 or 31.6 per cent. of the total deaths, as compared with 22.6 per cent. in 1908 and 22.9 per cent. in 1907.
The infant mortality amongst the Non-Chinese community during the year was 111 per 1,000 as compared with 91 per 1,000 in 1908 and 91 per 1,000 in 1907. This increase in the Non-Chinese infant mortality was not due to any extensive epidemic but to the fact that the climate during the year was unfavourable to infant life.