1. per house obtained after counting 100 houses in that district. In a Colony like Hong Kong where the movement to and fro China is so great such a method of estimation would seem to be more accurate than that of working out the yearly increase of the last intercensal period and assuming that the same rate of increase would persist through subsequent years, and it is surprising that there should be a discrepancy between the Census figures and those estimated.
2. With regard to the floating population the census probably understates the actual population as the fishing fleet and the larger trading junks were absent at the time of counting.
3. In order to compare the vital statistics of 1931 with those of 1930 it is necessary to make revised estimates for the urban population based on the Census figures, and for the floating population to increase the census figures to 100,000 to compensate for the absence of the fishing fleets and large trading Junks.
4. The following table shows the Census population, the revised estimates for the middle of 1930 and the estimates for the middle of 1931:
Census Population Estimated Population for middle of 1930 Estimated Population for middle of 1931 Non-Chinese (mostly resident in Victoria and Kowloon) 19,369 19,000 19,522 Chinese in Victoria 358,351 355,400 359,819 Chinese in Hong Kong Villages 41,156 40,000 41,740 Chinese in Kowloon and New Kowloon 255,095 246,100 259,590 Chinese in Junks and Sampans. Chinese in New Territories 68,72197,781 100,000
96,800 100,000
98,276
5. During the year 2,881,479 persons entered and 2,796,222 persons left the Colony, making a daily average of 7,894 arrivals and 7,660 departures. The daily average for 1930 was 7,396 arrivals and 7,222 departures.
6. Births and deaths are registered in the Colony proper and in New Kowloon but not in the New Territories outside New Kowloon.
The number of births registered was:-
Chinese Non-Chinese 12,055 388 12,443