1868 — Page 136

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PUBLIC

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126

No. 82.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Annual Report from the Registrar General's Department for the Year 1868, is published for general information.

By Cominand,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Ilongkong, 18th March, 1869.

J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary,

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Hongkono, 24th February, 1800.

Sis,-In forwarding the Annual Blue Book Returns of this Department for the Your 1808, I have the honour, to muld

to them a Report on such portions of public business as are more especially its concern.

2. There are no Census Returns this year. Mr. C'en, C. Smirit in his Report for 1887 having shewn that the English New Year is a time when umbers of Chinese have already left the Colony, in preparation for their own New Year, His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to justpone the Census till June.

3. The Registration Ordinance continues to work well so far us houses are concerts. By an Onder of His Excellency

the Governor, the fee for re-registration of houses in the case of large transfers of property has been reduced to one-third_its former amount. This was an amendment much needed, as where a considerable number of houses were transferred, the fees pressed heavily on the holders of property.

4. The Registration of Servants cannot be spoken of so favourably. House Registration has attained its really great success, because a house is that for which somebody will always be found ready to accept a responsibility, and also because it is au approximation to the Chinese method of making someholly responsible for every offence. But where men only are con- cerned, who can run away when they please, no amount of registering, indexing, and classifying will affect their conduct.

5. The blame of the present unsatisfactory state of things should not rest on the community. My own limited obsertation

of people here has found them singularly willing, and even unxious, to observe Registration requirements,

G. There are indeed one or two points on which the community might nid the law more effectively, the first is the most important, but is almost to be despaired of where Compradores are kept.

(#). By making every Servant pay for his via ticket,

(b). By discrediting stories about lost tickets, and preferring old to new ones.

(c). By returning the ticket to this Office, mul not to the Servant himself, on his discharge.

7. Whilst a surveillance of Servants is continued at this Office, it is very desirable that some degree of Magisterial power

he also given with it, especially for the daily increasing and annoying offence of "leaving without notice." A power to lear and determine questions between Master and Servant at the Registration Office, would, in some cases, prevent the defeat of justice, by the objection to appear in a public Court.

8. Une error must be corrected, which might almost be called a “popular delusion," namely, that written statements of elracter, etc.; sent with Servant's tickets are not preserved at this Office and submitted to intending employers. The few obtained are always sent under cover and by proper messengers to any person about to engage the Servant referred to.

D. But all these precautions will never make the present law work well. The great number of Serrnate, the impossibility

of identification, and the utter lack of hold upon them prevent it. The cases in which it has been possible to protect employers ngainst dishonest employés during the past year have not perhaps in all amounted to a dozen.

10. Probably the only way really to regulate Servants would be to induce respectable Chinese to establish Licensed Registration Houses under ample security to Government, allowing them to furnish Certificates of Security up to 8100, $200, or other suitable sums, such Certificates being eina at this Office. Then to leave it voluntary for employers to engage secured

or non-secured Servants as they might choose. Of course such security would involve wages slightly higher than the average suas paid at present, but perfect safety, like other luxuries, must be paid for.

11. The past year has been a gloomy one amongst the Chinese, al there are few signs of a breaking of the clouds as yet. Many circumstances have conspired to aggravate the depression of trade which seems, in Chinese circles, to grow daily worse rather than better. Amongst others may be mentioned the cordon which has been drawn round this Island by the Chinese Government. If the collection of imposts were in the hands of Officers of unquestionable integrity it would be bad enough, but where the inevitable Chinese extortion is added, the hindrance to trade becomes almost intolérable.

12. Certain branches of commerce have not yet recovered from the panic into which they were throwa, by an attempt in October and November last, on the part of the Canton Customs, to stop the whole trade in foreign goods by Chinese bottoms

to any other place than Canton. Full accounts of this will be found in the Chinese Newspapers published here.

13. Some few trades however have prospereil in spite of the prevailing depression. Greater caution has been exercised than in previous years, credit has been less freely granted, and a watch has been maintained against the accumulation of bed debts. The Vermilion trade bas been eren flourishing.

14. General traders (Nám Pák Hangs) dealers in Piace Gouls, Cotton, and Opium, have, with a fer exceptions, done well. The value of the Cotton sent to Canton alone, exclusive of Yara, is stated at nearly Six millions of Dollars. Yarn has fallen off during the year, but not so much us in 1807, since when the Pices Goods trade would seem to have steadily increased. The Opium-farmers report a fairly satisfactory trade, still, if their figures may be trusted, the total of exports and consumption here, was $100,000 less than in 1867.

15. The trade in Itico, though dull and apparently steadily decreasing, has been free from the disastrous losses of 1887 chiefly throngh caution on the part of the buyers induced by bitter experience.

10. Of the large trades, Pawnbroking has been the worst, the losses in this generally prosperous business are pot až $40,000. This has arisen, not because goods were not pawned, but because no remunerative sale was obtained from az immense number of unredeemned pledges. "Gold shops have not done well, and perhaps their losses may be put at £30,000.

17. Mr. SMITH reported the falling off of the Salt-fish trade from $700,000 in 1866 to $600,000 in 1867.” It must be aguia reported as having fallen to $500,000 in 1808. Two of the Lins closed. The Pig trade lias also been dull, and the tenders for the Slaughter Houses were lower than those of 1997. Our Pig-Lân was closed through losses in business, leaving only eight in place of thirteen in former years.