539487-1905-Registrar-General--Report-for-1904 — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 31ST MARCH, 1905.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION—-No. 189. The following Report of the Registrar General, for the year 1904, is published.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 24th March, 1905.

F. H. MAY, Colonial Secretary.

REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, FOR THE YEAR 1904.

353

1.

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 8th February, 1905.

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

Tables.

I (A). Comparative Statement of the Revenue received during the years 1903 and 1904.

I (B).-Return of Fees from Boat Licences.

I (C). Return shewing the number of Boat Licences of various descriptions issued during the year 1904.

I (D).-Return shewing the revenue from the Markets, and the number of Shops and Stalls occupied and unoccupied during the year.

The revenue collected during the year amounted to $167 083.66, being an increase of $6,159 over the amount collected in 1903. The principal increases are under the heads Hawkers, Markets, and Market Licences.

The increase in the revenue from hawkers' licences is $4,348. In October, 1903, the fee for a hawker's licence was doubled and is now $4 a year paid half-yearly. The number of licences issued during the year was 12,768. The licences run for twelve months from the 1st of October, and the fee being paid half-yearly, a number of hawkers allow their licences to lapse at the close of six months, as is shewn in the following table:-

Half-year ending 30th September, 1904.

Number of new licences issued, Number of licences re-issued,

Total number,

Half-year ending 31st

March, 1904.

6,633

6,633

2,318

3,965

6,283

A comparison between the figures for the last quarters of the years 1902, 1903 and 1904, which are respectively 7,773, 5,997, and 5,849, shews the effect the raising of the fee has had on the number of hawkers. Hawkers as a class claim so much attention from the Government that the following return shewing the articles sold by hawkers who took out licences during the months of April and May, 1904,

will be of interest :-

Articles suli,

Cooked eatables of all kinds including pickles,

sweetmeats, and preserves.

Ice-creams and drinks of all kinds including rated

Number of Hawkers.

1,065

400

waters,

Fruit,

1,226

Vegetables,

605

Eggs,

31

Rice,

24

Salt...

5

Salt Fish,

133

Chickens,

2

Ducks,

1

Marine delicacies,

42

Soy,...

20

Cloth,

195

Foreign goods,

275

Clothes, &c.,

98

Silver ornaments,

45

Marine Stores,

56

Tobacco & cigarettes,

50

Flowers,

19

Miscellaneous,

246

4,538