M 8
The Colony has several times since 1911 been subjected to the influx of many thousands of Chinese seeking refuge from disturbances in their own country and of these not a few appear to remain after the majority have returned to China.
In connection with anti-plague measures to keep rats as much as possible out of houses 217 ground surfaces have been cemented in Victoria and 17 in Kowloon (111 and 27 in 1917) whilst 852 buildings have had rat-runs filled with cement in Victoria and 660 in Kowloon (496 and 487 respectively in 1917).
Obstructions have been removed from backyards in 21 houses in Victoria and 3 in Kowloon (26 and 2 in 1917).
6,095 notices were issued for the abatement of sanitary nuisances in Victoria (5,229 in 1917) and 1,227 in Kowloon (1,458 in 1917); while 2,715 and 206 represent the number of notices for the prevention of nuisances, in contravention of the Buildings Ordinance, in Victoria and Kowloon (2,335 and 303 respectively in 1917).
Notices prohibiting the breeding of mosquitoes were served to the number of 46 in Victoria and none in Kowloon (38 and 15 in 1917).
Other sanitary improvements have been carried out by the Public Works Department during the year, including additional nullah training to the extent of 2,608 feet (10,383 in 1917), and scavenging lanes have been provided to the extent of 19,866 feet.
METEOROLOGICAL RETURNS.
The following table gives the meteorological data recorded by the Royal Observatory during the year:-
Month Barometer at M.S.L. TEMPERA-TURE. HUMI-DITY. Cloudiness. Sunshine. WIND. Rain. ins. Max. Mean. Min. Rel. Abs. p. c. hours. Direction. Vel. ins. January, 30.27 59.2 | 54.0 | 49.8 46 0.19 30 ENE | 10.8 71 February. 30.17 64.5 | 59.2 | 55.7 51 0.37 81 E | 14.4 0.49 March. 30.07 68.6 | 64.0 | 60.7 77 0.64 84 E | 13.6 0.77 April, 29.96 75.0 | 70.4 | 67.0 84 0.77 241.9 E by S | 10.6 0.010 May, 29.85 80.3 | 76.2 | 73.1 85 0.86 203.6 E | 12.6 0.015 June,.. 29.76 83.6 | 79.5 | 76.5 86 0.86 122.1 SE by E | 10.6 1.105 July, 29.63 86.5 | 81.8 | 78.4 80 0.91 158.6 SE by S | 7.6 4.440 August, 29.75 83.6 | 79.3 | 78.4 86 0.86 124.5 SE | 12.6 6.655 September,... 29.84 83.5 | 79.6 | 76.5 81 0.82 171.3 E | 11.5 18.450 October,..... 29.98 81.6 | 76.4 | 72.5 66 0.62 234.5 ENE | 10.8 0.050 November,. 30.11 72.7 | 69.2 | 66.1 80 0.51 124.6 E by N | 11.3 5.075 December,.. 30.13 68.9 | 65.2 | 62.4 76 223 108.9 E by N | 13.6 0.140 Mean or Total,....... 29.96 75.6 | 71.2 | 67.7 770.63 68 162.4 E | 11.5 8.467