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2. The island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain in January, 1841, the cession being confirmed by the Treaty of Nanking in August, 1842. The charter bears the date of 5th April, 1843. The Kowloon peninsula and Stonecutter's Island were ceded to Great Britain under the Convention signed at Peking in October, 1860, and under the Convention signed at Poking in June, 1898, the area known as the New Territories including Mirs Bay and Deep Bay was leased to Great Britain by the Government of China for 99 years. The total area of the Colony including the New Territories is about 390 square miles.
3. The importance of Hong Kong has grown with the in- crease of China's trade with foreign countries. It is now in respect of tonnage entered and cleared one of the largest ports in the world. It is the most convenient outlet for the produce of South China as well as for the incessant flow of Chinese emigration to the Netherlands East Indies, Malaya, and else- where. It is also the natural distributing centre for imports into China from abroad.
4. The Colony is not primarily a manufacturing centre, the most important of its industries being those connected directly or indirectly with shipping, such as dock and warehouse, banking and insurance undertakinge. Sugar refining and cement manufacture are also major industries, and in recent years considerable quantities of knitted goods, electric torches and batteries, and rubber shoes have been produced and exported.
5. The climate of Hong Kong is sub-tropical, the winter being normally cool and dry and the summer hot and humid; the seasons are marked by the prevalence of the S.W. monsoon in summer and the N.E. monsoon in winter. The temperature seldom rises above 95°F. or falls below 40°F. The average rainfall is 85.16 inches, May to September being the wettest months. In spring and summer the humidity of the atmosphere is often very high, at times exceeding 95% with an average over the whole year of 79%. The typhoon season may be said to last from June to October though typhoons occasionally occur before and after this period.
6. The rainfall for 1933 was 62.35 inches. The mean temperature of the air was 72°.5 against an average of 71°.9. The maximum gust velocity of the wind was at the rate of 67 m.p.h, from 8.S.W. on June 29th, and again of 67 m.p.h. from N.N.E. on September 20th.
7. During the course of the year Admiral Sir Frederic C. Dreyer, K.C.B., C.B.E., took over the command of the China Station from Admiral Sir W. A. Howard Kelly, K.C.B., C.M.G., M.V.O., and the Chief Justice, Sir Joseph Kemp, Kt., C.B.E.,
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and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, Mr. E. R. Hallifax, C.M.G., C.B.E., left the Colony on leave prior to retirement. Among the honours conferred by His Majesty the King were:- K.B.E. Sir Thomas Southorn, C.M.G., Knight Bachelor: Sir William Shenton.
8. The Colony's transport facilities were improved by the unification of the omnibus services on the Island and Mainland respectively and the establishment of a vehicular ferry service between Victoria and Kowloon.
9. Among factors helping to develop Imperial trade may be mentioned the appointment of Mr. G. C. Pelham as H. M. Trade Commissioner for Hong Kong and Commercial Secretary for South China and the holding of the second British Empire Fair, which was attended by some 200,000 people,
10. No major fluctuation in the dollar occurred during the year. The average was 1s. 41d., the dollar appreciating gradually from 18. 31d. in January to 1s. 41. in December.
Chapter II.
GOVERNMENT,
The Government is administered under Letters Patent of 14th February, 1917, and Royal Instructions of the same and subsequent dates, by a Governor aided by an Executive Council, composed of six official and three unofficial members, and by a Legislative Council composed of nine official and eight unofficial members. Prior to 1928 the numbers of the Legislative Council members were seven and six respectively. The six official members of the Executive Council are the Senior Military Off- cer, the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Colonial Treasurer, all of whom are members ex-officio, and the Director of Public Works, appointed by the Governor. The three unofficial members, one of whom is Chinese, are appointed by the Governor. The six official members of the Executive Council are also members of the Legislative Council; the other three official members of this Council, who are appointed by the Governor, are the Inspector General of Police, the Harbour Master, and the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services. Of the unofficial members of
the Legislative Council two are appointed by the Governor on the nomination respectively of the Justices of the Pence and of the Chamber of Commerce; the Governor also appoints the remaining members three of whom are Chinese. Appointment in the case of unofficial members is for five years for the Executive and four years for the Legislative Council
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