M(1)50
THE OFFICE OF THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE PORT
REPORT BY DR. B. H. MELLON, Health Officer of the Port.
I. THE INSPECTION OF SHIPS ARRIVING IN PORT.
During the year the number of inward-bound ocean-going steamers was 6,321 and these were visited by the Health Officers.
Particulars of the voyage such as the names of ports of call, dates of departure, numbers of passengers and crews and any cases of illness or death which occurred were noted on the prescribed forms and attested by the master of the vessel, under Table II, section 22(2), of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance of 1899.
Of the 6,321 steamers arriving, 2,691 were on the British register and 3,630 on the foreign register. The river steamers from Canton, Wuchow and Macao, Junks and smaller craft, are only visited in the event of illness or death occurring on board.
Steamers arriving in port with a dead body on board are required to obtain a permit from the Health Officer before landing it for burial or otherwise, and before this is granted an investigation is held into the cause of death.
A similar procedure is followed in the case of persons dying on steamers in the harbour. During the year 153 special visits were made for this purpose and 39 corpses were sent to the mortuary at Kowloon for further examination as doubt existed as to the cause of death.
II. EMIGRATION.
The total number of emigrants for the year was 120,784 showing an increase of 22,374 over 1922, and 60,815 more than for 1919.
The majority of the emigrants proceeded to the Straits Settlements and Dutch East Indies. Approximately equal numbers left for Belawan Deli, United States of America and Canada as shown in Table 1. Emigration figures attained their height during the months of April and May. February is the least favoured month, probably on account of the incidence of the Chinese New Year festivals about that time. Table II gives the number of emigrants leaving the Port each month of the year.
Under sections 25-28 of the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance all Asiatic Steerage passengers embarking on outward-bound vessels and their crews require to be examined by the Health Officer and those medically unfit are refused permission to proceed. The total number rejected was 850 and the cause of their rejection is shown in Table III.