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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 19TH MARCH, 1870.
These men have done good service during the past year and continue to render valuable assistanc in preventing and detecting crime.
Again, regard for the wants of the destitute sick led the Chinese Compradores, Merchants and others to consider the feasibility of building and supporting a Hospital. This matter has been under consideration and discussion for about three years, out of which has been matured a scheme likely to meet adequately the charitable object in view.
The subscription lists shew that the collections have already reached Forty-seven thousand Dollars. By Government a site, near Possession Point, has been granted, and on this the Buildings, calculated to hold about 140 patients, will be erected. In addition however, a donation of $15,000 from the Special Fund has been devoted towards the expenses of the undertaking.
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That the institution will be well conducted, and be a great boon to those for whom it is intended there is every prospect.
Three Doctors of good repute will be engaged, on one of whom will specially devolve the task of vaccinating all those brought for that purpose to the Hospital. There is at present a Native Doctor who, on four stated days in each month, attends for this purpose at the neighbouring building and he reports having been successful in 275 cases since the 14th December last. The system adopted is that which is in vogue in Western countries, while to ensure as far as possible that the patient be brought back to the vaccinator after the expiration of seven days, the fee of twenty cents is promised to be returned, and this inducement has in almost every case had the desired effect.
The Fire Brigade still meets with the hearty co-operation of the Chinese, who have now on foot the establishing of a Salvage Corps to work with the Brigade.
To refer to the trade of the Native population, of course as usual, it is impossible to forward accurate returns, and the Departinent has to depend for information, on the statements of different leading firms. But one and all concur in the fact that a great depression still continues, and in some instances, as Cotton, is very marked. It is stated that in respect of this article only 110,000 bales have been exported in place of 200,000 in the previous year, while of Rice there has passed through Hongkong only the small amount of 335,000 peculs. The abundant harvest, however, of 1868 will account in a great measure for the falling off in so important an article of trade.
In Sugar it is estimated that the Native trade did not exceed 150,000 bags, thus shewing a consi- derable decrease compared with previous years.
That sold from the Refinery at East Point is not, I learn, much consumed by the Chinese here, as it is dearer than the other Sugar, and does not possess, in their opinion, the same amount of sweetness. It may be interesting to note that of live stock (the majority of which comes from T'am-Shui, in a neighbouring District) about 39,600 Pigs, 9,000 Bullocks and 3,240 Sheep have been slaughtered in the Eastern and Western Slaughter Houses for the use of the Community and shipping.
In the Markets there has been an increasing improvement in the Meat and Vegetables therein sold and both are slightly cheaper. Indeed as regards the latter they frequently compare well with those grown in the numerous private gardens in the Colony.
The dealers, however, complain of a depression in this trade and report sales amounting only to $146,000 against nearly $165,000 in the previous year. Still the Revenue derived by Government from the various lettings in the Markets being in 1869 $31,941.08 against $32,131.18, shewing a decrease of $190.10, exhibits the fact that in the different kinds of business a thriving state continues.
The trade in Salt Fish remained on the decrease as had been the case since the establishment of the cordon of Revenue Stations in our neighbourhood. Ping-chow and Tam-Tsai opposite Macao, have apparently reaped the benefit of the falling off of the trade here, but I am glad to report that this year has opened with a great improvement and the dealers in this important trade are anticipating better times than the last three years have produced.
A large business has been done in prepared Opium, the exports to Australia and California reaching an aggregate of about 2,562,000 tuels in weight. The value of this Opium is 5 mace and 5 candareens of silver per tael, so that the value of the amount exported was $1,950,000. In Hongkong about 648,000 taels weight was purchased.
The rent of Chinese houses has fallen about twenty-five per cent. There was very little building during the year and there are about 250 houses in some of the principal streets alone empty and unoccupied.
In the few buildings, however, both in the Foreign and Native districts, which have been erected or restored, attention has been paid to a recognized system, which has a decided tendency towards utility as well as appearance.
In conclusion I may refer to the Ordinances which are peculiarly connected with this Department. The Registration Ordinance still works satisfactorily, and under it 663 Householders have been regis- tered, while the re-registration or removals amounted to 169, thus shewing the changeable nature of the Native population in the Colony. Regarding the Registration of Servants, matters remain almost in statu quo, owing to the lack of co-operation on the part of Employers.
The Special Watchmen complain that they are unable to display the same success as formerly, owing to the manifest decrease in crime. They have been engaged in 48 cases of any note in the
Police Courts.
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