17. The expenditure of the Harbour Department for 1908 was $163,579.54, including $844.42 specially expended on Buoys, but not including Crown Agents' December Account paid this year. Compared with 1907, this shows an increase of $3,190.06.
4. Steam-launches.
18. On the 31st December, there were 286 Steam-launches (including 8 Motor Boats) employed in the Harbour, of these, 140 were licensed for conveyance of passengers, &c., 128 were privately owned, 14 were the property of the Government and 4 belonged to the Imperial Government in charge of Military Authorities.
Twelve Masters' Certificates were suspended for incompetency or negligence in the performance of their duty, 1 for 6 months, 3 for 4 months, 2 for 3 months, 2 for 2 months, and 4 for 1 month; 2 Masters' Certificates were cancelled, 2 were warned to be more careful in future and 1 was cautioned; 1 Engineer's Certificate was suspended for 3 months.
Five hundred and forty (540) engagements and Four hundred and eighty-six (486) discharges of Masters and Engineers were made during the year.
As in 1907, seven (7) Steam-launches were permitted to carry arms, &c., for their protection against pirates, these were all previously permitted.
5.—Emigration and Immigration.
19. Seventy-one thousand and eighty-one (71,081) emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year, of these, 53,118 were carried in British ships and 17,963 in Foreign ships. These figures show a great falling off (from 105,967) of 34,886 Emigrants, or 32.9% compared with those for 1907.
It is difficult to account for this large decrease, but it was probably partly due to the general depression in trade which restricted the demand for labour and partly to the quarantine restrictions placed upon vessels from the Colony to other ports. The anti-Chinese feeling in certain parts of the world culminating in legislation against Asiatics, no doubt also had a deterrent effect upon emigration. But the chief causes undoubtedly were :—
(1.) The cessation of Assisted Emigration to Banka and Billiton. This branch of the business was commenced only in 1907, and served to largely swell the figures for that year. The demand for labour in those islands was not very large, and all the plantations there were fully manned before the beginning of 1908.
(2.) The floods in Canton and up the West River checked recruiting during the first six months of the year.
(3.) There was a considerable demand for labour on the several railways under construction in China, which restricted the recruiting area.
157,809 returning emigrants were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from Coast Ports, as against 145,822 in 1907. This includes 106 returning from South Africa. Of the total number 116,094 arrived in British ships and 41,715 in Foreign ships.
6.—Registry, &c., of Shipping.
20. During the year, 18 ships were registered under the provisions of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, and 10 Certificates of Registry were cancelled. 134 Documents, &c., were dealt with in connection with the Act, the fees on which amounted to $699 ($1,309 in 1907).
7.—Marine Magistrate's Court.
21. Three hundred and twenty-five (325) cases were heard in the Marine Magistrate's Court (145 in 1907). Breach of Harbour Regulations, Disobeying lawful orders of the Harbour Master, Neglecting to exhibit lights, Using steam-whistles for other purposes than of navigation, and Carrying excess of passengers were the principal offences.
8.—Marine Court.
(Under Section 19 of Ordinance No. 10 of 1899.)
22. The following Courts have been held during the year :—
On the 29th January, 1908, inquiry into the circumstances attending the stranding and loss of the British Steamship Fuk Sang, Official number 113,824 of London. William Shadrach Thomas, number of whose Certificate of Competency is 1,392. Hongkong, was Master. The accident was due to a very abnormal set of current and the Officers' Certificates were not dealt with.
- E 9
17. The expenditure of the Harbour Department for 1908 was $163,579.54, including $844.42 specially expended on Buoys, but not including Crown Agents' December Account paid this year. Compared with 1907, this shows on increase of $3,190.06.
4. Steam-launches.
18. On the 31st December, there were 286 Steam-launches (including 8 Motor Boats) employed in the Harbour, of these, 140 were licensed for conveyance of passengers, &c., 128 were privately owned, 14 were the property of the Government and 4 belonged to the Imperial Government in charge of Military Authorities.
Twelve Masters' Certificates were suspended for incompetency or negligence in the performance of their duty, 1 for 6 months, 3 for 4 months, 2 for 3 months, 2 for 2 months, and 4 for 1 month; 2 Masters' Certificates were cancelled, 2 were warned to be more careful in future and 1 was cautioned; 1 Engineer's Certificate was suspended for 3 months.
Five hundred and forty (540) engagements and Four hundred and eighty-six (486) discharges of Masters and Engineers were made during the year.
As in 1907, seven (7) Steam-launches were permittel to carry arms, &c., for their protection against pirates, these were all previously permitted.
5.-Emigration and Immigration.
19. Seventy-one thousand and eighty-one (71,081) emigrants left Hongkong for various places during the year, of these, 53,118 were carried in British ships and 17,963 in Foreign ships. These figures show a great falling off (from 105,967) of 34,886 Emigrants, or 32.9% compared with those for 1907.
It is difficult to account for this large decrease, but it was probably partly due to the general depression in trade which restricted the demand for labour and partly to the quaran- tine restrictions placed upon vessels from the Colony to other ports. The anti-Chinese feeling in certain parts of the world culminating in legislation against Asiatics, no doubt also had a deterrent effect upon emigration. But the chief causes undoubtedly were :—
(1.) The cessation of Assisted Emigration to Banka and Billiton. This branch of the business was commenced only in 1907, and served to largely swell the figures for that year. The demand for labour in those islands was not very large, and all the plantations there were fully manned before the beginning of 1908.
(2.) The floods in Canton and up the West River checked recruiting during
the first six months of the year.
(3.) There was a considerable demand for labour on the several railways under
construction in China, which restricted the recruiting area.
157,809 returning emigrants were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from Coast Ports. as against 145,822 in 1907. This includes 106 returning from South Africa. Of the total number 116,094 arrived in British ships and 41,715 in Foreign ships.
6.-Registry, &c., of Shipping.
20. During the year, 18 ships were registered under the provisions of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, and 10 Certificates of Registry were cancelled. 134 Documents, &c., were dealt with in connection with the Act, the fees on which amounted to $699 ($1,309 in 1907).
7.-Marine Magistrate's Court.
21. Three hundred and twenty-five (325) cises were heard in the Marine Magistrate's Court (145 in 1907). Breach of Harbour Regalations, Disobeying lawful orders of the Harbour Master, Neglecting to exhibit lights, Using steam-whistles for other purposes than of navigation, and Carrying excess of passengers were the principal offences.
8.-Marine Court.
(Under Section 19 of Ordinance No. 10 of 1899.)
22. The following Courts have been held during the year :—
On the 29th January, 1908, inquiry into the circumstances attending the stranding and loss of the British Steamship Fik Sang, Official number 113,824 of London. William Shadrach Thomas, number of whose Certificate of Competency is 1,392. Hongkong, was Master. The accident was due to a very abnormal set of current and the Officers' Certificates were not dealt with.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.