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65. During the year 2,290,700 persons entered and 2,299,313 left the Colony by river steamer and by railroad, making a surplus of emigrants over immigrants by these routes of 8,613. Fuller details are as follows:
Arrived Departed River steamer 1,323,020 1,361,574 Railway 967,680 937,739 Ocean going steamers 496,736 413,076 Total 2,787,436 2,712,889The above does not represent the total movement between Hong Kong and the neighbouring provinces for there are many who arrive and depart by junk or sampan. It is estimated that on an average some 7,000 arrive and 7,000 depart daily.
Births and Deaths Registration.
66. The Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance has since 1911 applied to the whole territory under British jurisdiction but until last year no action was taken to enforce it in the New Territories where registration of both births and deaths had been the exception rather than the rule. Registration in the New Territories has steadily increased and in 1934 should be sufficiently complete for the calculation of rates.
67. Death registration in the Colony Proper being a necessary preliminary to a permit to bury, it may be taken for granted that practically all deaths are registered. Bodies found dumped or abandoned in the streets and open spaces, and they are not a few, are taken to the Public Mortuaries where they are examined by the Medical Officer who fills in the necessary certificates which go through the Coroners' hands to the Registrar. All certificates of deaths are scrutinized by the Medical Officer of Health.
68. It has been found very difficult to obtain anything like complete registration of births and a considerable number of births, especially those of females, are never reported. Every facility is offered for registration, and the Chinese are more and more coming to realise its benefits.
Births.
69. The births registered as having occurred in the Colony Proper were:-
Number Chinese 14,909 Non-Chinese 453 Total 15,362