337
In the Markets there has been an increasing improvement in the Meat and Vegetables therein sold and both are slightly cheaper. Indeed as regards the latter they frequently compare well with those grown in the numerous private gardens in the Colony.
The dealers, however, complain of a depression in this trade and report sales amounting only to $146,000 against nearly $165,000 in the previous year. Still the Revenue derived by Government from the various lettings in the Markets being in 1869 $31,941.08 against $32,131.18, shewing a decrease of $190.10, exhibits the fact that in the different kinds of business a thriving state continues.
The trade in Salt Fish remained on the decrease as had been the case since the establishment of the cordon of Revenue Stations in our neighbourhood. Ping-chow and Tam-Tsai opposite Macao, have apparently reaped the benefit of the falling off of the trade here, but I am glad to report that year has opened with a great improvement and the dealers in this important trade are anticipating better times than the last three years have produced.
this
A large business has been done in prepared Opium, the exports to Australia and California reaching an aggregate of about 2,562,000 tacls in weight. The value of this Opium is 5 mace und 5 candareeus of silver per tael, so that the value of the amount exported was $1,950,000. In Hongkong about 648,000 taels weight was purchased.
There was very little building The rent of Chinese houses has fallen about twenty-five per cent. during the year and there are about 250 houses in some of the principal streets alone empty and unoccupied.
In the few buildings, however, both in the Foreign and Native districts, which have been erected or restored, attention has been paid to a recognized system, which has a decided tendency towards utility as well as appearance.
In conclusion I may refer to the Ordinances which are peculiarly connected with this Department. The Registration Ordinance still works satisfactorily, and under it 663 Householders have been regis- tered, while the re-registration or removals amounted to 169, thus shewing the changeable nature of the Native population in the Colony. Regarding the Registration of Servants, matters remain almost in statu quo, owing to the lack of co-operation on the part of Employers.
The Special Watchmen complain that they are unable to display the same success as formerly, owing to the manifest decrease in crime. They have been engaged in 48 cases of any note in the Police Courts.
The Contagious Diseases Ordinance, 1867, well serves the aim and object of Government in passing such a measure; what is now most wanted is the building of a suitable and commodious Hospital. The control of the Registered Houses is good and it is believed that but few breaches of the Ordinance are committed. It is noteworthy how the feeling at home is changing on this subject, and how rapidly the opinion of the necessity of extending the powers of the Act (on which the Ordinance is founded) is gaining ground. There is not, I believe, any general feeling in Hongkong, amongst those who interest themselves in public affairs, against the working of such a legislative measure here, but I may add that the Magisterial functions exercised and the method of procedure which is clearly defined by the Ordinance, are based entirely on the provisions of the Imperial Act.
During the year, 61 cases were heard in this Office, of which 9 were dismissed, convictions being obtained in the remaining number. The amount of Fines paid was 329 Dollars.
The Honorable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
CECIL C. SMITH, Registrar General.
No. 35.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
His Excellency SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B., directs the publication of the subjoined Annual Report of the Hongkong General Post Office, for the Year 1869.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Alongkong, 28th March, 1870.
No. 19.
J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary},",
GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONGKONG,> 19th March, 1870.
Sin, I have the honor to present to His Excellency SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B., the tenth annual Report on the Post Office, being that for the year 1869.
2. The alterations of any importance which have taken place in the Postal service are as follows, viz : 3. The Imperial Postmaster General consented to an application made by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company that they might be allowed to convey the Yokohama Mails from and to Hongkong direct, instead of via Shanghae as theretofore.
4. This change doubtless afforded satisfaction to the mercantile community of Yokohama, whose correspondence with the United Kingdom viâ Suez is materially expedited by the new arrangement. 5. The time allowed for the voyage from Hongkong to Yokohama during the north-cast mon- soon is 170 hours, and in the south-west monsoon an extra allowance of 24 hours is made for the packets from Yokohama; but the service has not been satisfactorily performed hitherto. The Packets carly always exceed the time allowed, and in one case more than 13 days were occupied in the voyage to Yokohama with a fair monsoon. These delays are attributable to various causes, the most import- ant of which are that the direct course from Hongkong to Yokohama has been little travelled, and is not yet thoroughly surveyed, and furthermore it traverses the region of typhoons and constant bad weather. On two occasions during the year, the homeward British Contract Packets started after their appointed time owing to the late arrival of the Mail from Yokohama.
6. The practice referred to in the 15th paragraph of the last Report on the Post Office, under which Mails brought to Yokohama by United States' Packets were forwarded to Shanghae by British Packets when time could be thus saved, and Mails brought to Hongkong by British. Packets were, under similar circumstances, forwarded to Yokohama by United States' Packets, has, under the new plan for performning the Japan Mail service, necessarily come to an end.
7. The book and pattern post has been reestablished between Hongkong and the Australian Colonies.
8. A reduction has been made in the rates of postage chargeable on packets of printed papers and patterns if under 2 ounces in weight sent between the United Kingdom and Hongkong. This alteration applies to all printed papers other than newspapers, and to price lists, printed circulars and market reports.
9. The registration of letters and other descriptions of correspondence and the transmission of book puckets and packets of samples of merchandize at low rates of postage, betwecu Hongkong and each of the Postal Agencies in China and Japan, and also between any two of such Agencies, has been sauctioned both as regards articles sent in the Mails by Private Ships and those sent by the British Contract Packets.
10. Arrangements have been completed for the transmission of Mails by the fast Opium steamers plying between "Calcutta, the Straits, and Hongkong. These steamers are now classed as Judian Mail Packets, instead of as private vessels, and the correspondence thus conveyed is governed by the same rules as to rates of postage and conditions of transmission as govern the correspondence sent by the British Contract Packets.
11. The privilege granted some years ago to Officers serving on board Her Majesty's ships of war abroad, of sending and receiving their letters at a reduced rate of postage, and which was subsequently extended to Officers in the Arny serving abroad and in the Colonies, ceased at the end of the year. 12. The route by Brindisi has been adopted since November last for the transmission of letters papers addressed to the United Kingilom and to places beyond the United Kingdom. The
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