CO129-492 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1925 [12] - 1926 [1-5] — Page 208

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Small-por deaths numbered 795, of which all but seven were Chinese.

There were 4,319 deaths from respiratory diseases other than Pulmonary Tuberculosis as compared with 4,317 in 1923, and 44 of these were among the Non-Chinese community. Pulmonary Tuber- culosis claimed 1,718 Chinese and 31 non-Chinese victims whilst other forms of Tuberculosis represent an additional 009 deaths making a total of 2,358 or 15:16 per cent. of the total deaths among the community.

Beri-beri was responsible for 1,502 deaths, as compared with 1,270 during 1923 and 992 in 1922.

A tabular statement of the principal causes of death in appended.

(e.)-CLIMATE.

The climate of Victoria is similar in its broad features to that of Kowloon and the New Territories, but at the higher levels, from 1,400 to 1,800 feet above sea level the temperature is on the average about 3 lower than at the Observatory, Kowloon, in the winter, and 8 lower in the summer. The humidity is usually greater than in Kowloon and approaches saturation for several days at a time during March and April when mist is very prevalent. In summer the city of Victoria, and the rising terraces behind it. derive little or no benefit from the SW monsoon, being sheltered by steep hills from SE to SW In winter it is exposed to the NE monsoon, which occasionally blows along the harbour through Lyemun Pass with considerable violence. On the other hand the south-west side of the Island is protected from the NE monsoni in winter and enjoys the benefit of the SW monsoon in summer,

For further particulars see Appendix F.

Enclosures of

POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES.

The total revenue from the postal service in 1924 amounted to $754,928.26 being $40,588.23 more than that collected in 1923. The not expenditure amounted to $269,568.06. The balance of revenue over expenditure amounted to $485,360,20.

The revenue collected in 1924 from radio-telegrams amounted to $69,496.41 being $23,383.17 more than that collected io 1923. Advices of vessels signalled at the lighthouses yielded $916.40 and semaphore messages $11.85 making a total of $70,424.46 for the telegraph service. The expenditure amounted to $51,561.93 The number of radio-telegrania forwarded during the year was 11,720 consisting of 107,771 words, and 12,628 received consisting of 142,325 words.

CLAUD SEVERN,

Colonial Secretary.

28th July, 1925.

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