557
- 6-
One hundred and five thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven (105,967) emigrants left Hongkong for various places, during the year, of these 78,576 were carried in British ships and 27,891 in Foreign ships. The year 1907 has proved to be the record year in the bistory of the Colony for the numbers of emigrants shipped.
One hundred and forty-five thousand eight hundred and twenty-two (145,822), immigrants were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from Coast Ports. This includes 905 returning from South Africa. Of the total muber 112,742 arrived in British ships and 33,080 in Foreign ships.
The total Revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $348,300 (including $24,098 previously collected by the Registrar General's Department for Boat Licences, the issuing of which was transferred to this Department from the 1st January, 1907), as against $298,106 collected in the previous year, showing au increase of $50,193:-
1. Light Dues,
2. Licences and Internal Revenue,
3. Fecs of Court and Office,
.$ 80,389.00
116,122.40
151,746.30
4. Miscellaneous Receipts,.
42.40
Total,.
$348,300.10
(6.) INDUSTRIES.
During 1907 the price of refined Sugars in the East still further declined, principally as a result of the lower cost of Raw Sugar, but also owing to the determined competition of Japanese Refineries seeking to capture the local Refineries' old established Chinese connec- tions. The quantity of Sugar refined in Hongkong was however larger than for years past, and was disposed of in China and other markets, although at a loss in some instances, and on very small margins of profit in others. By the end of 1907 the strenuous competi tion from Japanese quarters had however, exhausted itself, and it is confidently expected by those best able to form an opinion that local industries will be able to maintain and improve their position.
The demand for Yarn daring 1907 was even more unsatisfactory than during the previous year, which was undoubtedly due to the failure of almost every Yarn Shop in the Colony. These failures threw a quantity of Yarn on the market which had to be disposed of at a reduction of $20/25 per bale on the contract price. Owing to the large stocks on hand it was found necessary to decrease the output of the local Cotton Mill by reducing the number of spindles running, and during the last three months of the
year "short time was also resorted to.
*1
Both exchange and the price of raw material have been in favour of the Rope Factory, enabling them to reduce their selling price to their customers to a lower limit than for some years. On the other hand the lower price induced a greater demand and the Factory's turnover accordingly showed a fair increase.
No further additions have been made to the plant of the Cement Company, which with a good demand for Cement has been kept continuously employed throughout the year.
The Flour Mills at Junk Bay were kept running continuously night and day, including many Sundays.
Four Indred and twenty-two (422) vessels of 1,001,001 tons and 112 launches, lighters, &c., were docked and repaired, compared with 449 vessels of 1,063,454 tons and 79 launches, lighters, &c., in 1906. One hundred and eleven (111) steam-launches and other vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 6,311 were built during the year.
7
A small new industry has recently been established in this Colony, ie, that pursued by the Wai San Knitting Co., Ld., but the Company is still in its infancy.
Another recently established industry is carried on by the Imperial Brewing Co., Ld. Large quantities of their products are being exported to the various ports in China. The empacity of the plant is 2,750,000 gallons per annum.
(c.) FISHERIES,
A considerable proportion of the boat-population of Hongkong supports itself by deep- sea fishing, in which pursuit a large number of junks are engaged. The villages of Aberdeen, Stanley, Shaukiwan, and many others in the New Territories are largely dependent upon this industry for their prosperity. Fresh water fish is imported from Canton and the West River. There are oyster beds of considerable valne in Deep Bay.
(d) FORESTRY, BOTANICAL SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE.
Tu Hongkong fifty-four thousand two hundred and ninety-five (54,295) pits were dag and sown with pine seeds by the departmental staff. Thirty thousand pits were sown by contract with no result in the majority of cases. In the New Territories 111,156 pits were dug by contract and sown by the department; while 24,557 were planted by the department, and 8,000 by contract. One hundred and fifty-two shade trees were planted in streets in Kowloon, and 45 in streets in Hongkong; while 265 trees were planted along the newly formed banks of May Road and Conduit Road. Six hundred and ninety-six bamboos were planted along roads at the Peak and elsewhere, while 92 Hydrangeas and 102 Azaleas were planted out on Crown land in various parts of the leak.
(e) LAND GRANTS AND GENERAL VALUE OF LAND.
The amount received from sales of Crown Land was $161,459, being $154,274 less than the receipts for the previous year. This falling off may be attributed to the continued depression of business throughout the year and to general tightness of the money unrket. The principal items were for sites for a Cigar Factory in Kowloon and for a Brewery at Lai Chi Kok in the New Territories, a lot at North Point and land for an extension of the Standard Oil Company's new premises at Lai Chi Kok.
HI-LEGISLATION.
Sixteen Ordinances were passed during 1907 two of which No. 9 of 1907 and No. 10 of 1907 afford facilities to certain foreign companies for carrying on their business in the Colony in the same manner as if they had been incorporated under the law of the Colony; whilst another No. 6 of 1907 continued the incorporation granted under the Ordinance of 1866 of the leading locul banking concern for a further period of 21 years and empowered it to increase its capital subject to certain conditions.
A Life Insurance Companies Ordinance (No. 11 of 1907) was passed in accordance with Imperial precedent to secure the solvency and permanency of companies carrying on the business of Life Insurance in the Colony,
A Seditious Publications Ordinance (No. 15 of 1907) was enacted in order to prohibit the publication in the Colony of matter calculated to excite disorder, or to incite to erime, in China.
A Companies (Local Registers) Ordinance (No. 16 of 1907) was passed based on the Imperial Act of 1883 and makes provision for companies registered in the Colony but carrying on business elsewhere to keep local registers of members.
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