1869 — Page 145

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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ILLICO. 133

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH~NOT TO | BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-|

26 ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

2755

139

No. 30.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Annual Report of the Honorable the Registrar General for the Year 1889, published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 17th March, 1870.

J. GARDINER AUSTIN,

Colonial Secretary,

No. 25.

REGISTRAR General's Office,

HONGKONG, 8th March, 1870.

SIB, I have the honour to transinit herewith the Blue Book Returns for last year which are connected with this Department.

Owing to my having so lately resumed the duties of any post, I am unable to furnish a general Report of the doings of the past year, and will, therefore, only refer to one or two subjects, connected with the Chinese Community, which are matters of interest and worthy of note.

Perhaps the most important point to which I should call attention is the manifest desire shewn by the more substantial and intelligent members of the Native Community to take a part in public matters and to render some assistance to the Government in Chinese affairs.

This feeling took an active form, when in 1867, the inhabitants of the several Districts of this City, acting on the provisions of certain Sections in the Registration Ordinance, recommended a body of men as District Watchmen to be paid for by themselves, whose duties should be connected with the Chinese portion of the City.

These inen have done good service during the past year and continue to render valuable assistance

in preventing and detecting crime.

Again, regard for the wants of the destitute sick led the Chinese Compradores, Merchants and others to consider the feasibility of building and supporting a Hospital. This matter has been under consideration and discussion for about three years, out of which has been matured a scheme likely to meet adequately the charitable object in view.

The subscription lists shew that the collections have already reached Forty-seven thousand Dollars. By Government a site, near Possession Point, has been granted, and on this the Buildings, calculated to hold about 140 patients, will be erected. In addition however, a donation of $15,000 from the Special Fund has been devoted towards the expenses of the undertaking.

That the institution will be well conducted, and be a great boon to those for whom it is intended. there is every prospect.

Three Doctors of good repute will be engaged, on one of whom will specially devolve the task of vaccinating all those brought for that purpose to the Hospital. There is at present a Native Doctor who, on four stated days in each month, attends for this purpose at the neighbouring building and he reports having been successful in 275 cases since the 14th December last. The system adopted is that which is in vogue in Western countries, while to ensure as far as possible that the patient be brought back to the vaccinator after the expiration of seven days, the fee of twenty cents is promised to be returned, and this inducement has in almost every case had the desired effect.

The Fire Brigade still meets with the hearty co-operation of the Chinese, who have now on foot the establishing of a Salvage Corps to work with the Brigade.

To refer to the trade of the Native population, of course as usual, it is impossible to forward accurate returns, and the Department has to depend for information, on the statements of different leading firms. But one and all concur in the fact that a great depression still continues, and in some instances, as Cotton, is very marked. It is stated that in respect of this article only 110,000 bales have been exported in place of 200,000 in the previous year, while of Rice there has passed through Hongkong only the small amount of 335,000 peculs. The abundant harvest, however, of 1868 will account in a great measure for the falling off in so important an article of trade.

In Sugar it is estimated that the Native trade did not exceed 150,000 bags, thus shewing a consi- derable decrease compared with previous years.

That sold from the Refinery at East Point is not, I learn, much consumed by the Chinese here, as it is dearer than the other Sugar, and does not possess, in their opinion, the same amount of sweetness It may be interesting to note that of live stock (the majority of which comes from Tam-Shui, in a neighbouring District) about 39,600 Pigs, 9,000 Bullocks and 3,240 Sheep have been slaughtered in the Eastern and Western Slaughter Ilouses for the use of the Community and shipping,

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