CO129-334 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [5-7] — Page 63

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May, 1905, and that in the latter half of the year ships

under the Japanese flag recommenced ruming to this Colony.

That the figures for the whole year represented abnormal

conditions during the first part of it is evidenced by a

decrease of 160 British Ocean-going Steamers with 220,565

registered tonnage in the first quarter of 1906 compared

with the first quarter of 1905 and an increase of 27

Foreign Ships with 126,220 registered tonnage in the same

period. The special circumstances of the war seem therefore

merely temporarily to have arrested the decline in the

proportion of British to Foreign Ocean-going shipping

which has been continuous since the year 1894.

3.

As has frequently been reported

the trade returns, as far as they deal with the various

commodities imported and exported, are compiled from in-

-formation voluntarily supplied by Ships' Officers and

Agents and are not to be relied on. Their inaccuracy is

evidenced by the fact that an abnormal increase of 51.5

per centum in the amount of sugar imported this year, a8

compared with the importation in 1904, is to be attributed

to the compulsory returns which are required under the

Sugar Convention Ordinances of 1904 and 1905, it having

been