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authority of the Government. The council has power to make by-laws, which are submitted to the Governor and subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, under the Public Health (Food) Ordinance, the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance, the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance, in matters appertaining to public health, subject always to an over-riding power in the Legislative Council. The Urban District over which the Council presides consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon.
Local administration in the New Territories and in the several small islands within the territorial waters is in the hands of two District Officers. In addition to their administrative work these officers are the Magistrates and Land Officers for their districts, and are empowered to hear small debts cases and to decide summarily certain cases relating to land. The District Officers are also Coroners for their districts and are assisted in many of their duties by the advice of Councils of Elders.
There are a number of advisory boards and standing committees such as the Board of Education, Harbour Advisory Committee, Labour Advisory Board, etc., composed of both official and unofficial members. They are frequently consulted and are of much assistance to the Government.
The reorganization of the financial administration was carried a stage further in 1938 by the Financial Secretary's assumption of a purely administrative function in the Secretariat. The Treasury remained under his control but was divided into three sub-departments: the Accountant-General's Office to deal with the Colony's finance generally, the Assessor's Office for the assessment and collection of rates, and the office of the Superintendent of Inland Revenue for the administration of the Estate Duty Ordinance, the Stamp Ordinance, and the Entertainment and Betting Tax Ordinances.
Later in the year the Accounts and Stores Office of the Public Works Department was made into a separate department supervised by the Financial Secretary and under the direct charge of a Controller of Stores.
An Air-Raid Precautions Officer was sent out from England early in 1938 to organize general precautionary measures on behalf of the Government. He is now in charge of a small department housed in the Colonial Secretariat.
The new post of Labour Officer was created on the 14th of November, 1938. During the remainder of the year the new Labour Officer was engaged in investigating general conditions in factories and the position regarding Trades Unions, on which subjects a report will be prepared in due course. Wages and cost of living, arbitration in trade disputes and the application of the Workman's Compensation Ordinance are other matters with which this officer will deal.
Chapter III.
POPULATION AND BIRTHS AND DEATHS.
Hong Kong is a free port and this fact coupled with its geographical proximity to the mainland of South China makes effective control of emigration and immigration impossible. It is, therefore, very difficult to give accurate estimates of the population of the Colony. The 1938 mid-year population obtained by extrapolation from the last two census results is 1,028,619. The excess of immigrants arriving by railway and sea over emigrants during 1938 was more than 300,000, and when it is remembered that this figure takes no account of those entering the Colony by sampan, junk or across the land frontier, it is easy to realise that the normal population of Hong Kong has been increased by at least 500,000* during 1938.
* To this figure must be added the increase due to refugees in 1937 which is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of 100,000.
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authority of the Government. The council has power to make by-laws, which are submitted to the Governor and subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, under the Public Health (Food) Ordinance, the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance, the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance, in matters appertaining to public health, subject always to an over-riding power in the Legislative Council. The Urban District over which the Council presides consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon.
Local administration in the New Territories and in the several small islands within the territorial waters is in the hands of two District Officers. In addition to their administrative work these officers are the Magistrates and Land Officers for their districts, and are empowered to hear small debts cases and to decide summarily certain cases relating to land. The District Officers are also Coroners for their districts and are assisted in many of their duties by the advice of Councils of Elders.
There are a number of advisory boards and standing committees such as the Board of Education, Harbour Advisory Committee, Labour Advisory Board, etc., composed of both official and unofficial members. They are frequently consulted and are of much assistance to the Government.
The reorganization of the financial administration was carried a stage further in 1938 by the Financial Secretary's assumption of a purely administrative function in the Secretariat. The Treasury remained under his control but was divided into three sub-departments: the Accountant-General's Office to deal with the Colony's finance generally, the Assessor's Office for the assessment and collection of rates, and the office of the Superintendent of Inland Revenue for the administration of the Estate Duty Ordinance, the Stamp Ordinance, and the Entertainment and Betting Tax Ordinances.
Later in the year the Accounts and Stores Office of the Public Works Department was made into a separate department supervised by the Financial Secretary and under the direct charge of a Controller of Stores.
An Air-Raid Precautions Officer was sent out from England early in 1938 to organize general precautionary measures on behalf of the Government. He is now in charge of a small department housed in the Colonial Secretariat.
The new post of Labour Officer was created on the 14th of November, 1938. During the remainder of the year the new Labour Officer was engaged in investigating general conditions in factories and the position regarding Trades Unions, on which subjects a report will be prepared in due course. Wages and cost of living, arbitration in trade disputes and the application of the Workman's Compensation Ordinance are other matters with which this officer will deal.
Chapter III.
POPULATION AND BIRTHS AND DEATHS.
Hong Kong is a free port and this fact coupled with its geographical proximity to the mainland of South China makes effective control of emigration and immigration impossible. It is, therefore, very difficult to give accurate estimates of the popula tion of the Colony. The 1938 mid-year population obtained by extrapolation from the last two census results is 1,028,619.]]The excess of immigrants arriving by railway and sea over emigrants during 1938 was more than 300,000, and when it is remembered that this figure takes no account of those entering the Colony by sampan, junk or across the land frontier, it is easy to realise that the normal population of Hong Kong has been increased by at least 500,000* during 1938.)
* To this figure must be added the increase due to refugees in 1937 which is estimated to
be in the neighbourhood of 100,000.
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