108
No. 34.
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH MARCH, 1868.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Report, with the Census Returns annexed for the Year 1867, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 14th March, 1868.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 29th February, 1868.
In forwarding the Annual Census Returns for the Year 1867, I avail myself of the opportunity of offering a few cursory remarks in elucidation of their contents, and of the progress of which they bear evidence.
2. My last Report furnished details shewing a decrease in the population generally of more than 10,000 Souls, and as I then pointed out such a decrease might faithfully be attributed to the fresh legislation which had been so lately introduced, and explanations of the purport of which had been extremely well circulated among the Chinese, although its operation had not then commenced.
3. That such was the case, time has since completely proved; but as the provisions of the new Ordinances began to be understood in their working, and their effect upon the Native Community, those who had left, soon returned, and before the Year closed, more than 10,000 Chinese had taken up their residence here, as compared with the numbers shewn in the Returns of 1866.
4. Much labor was expended at the commencement of last Year in ascertaining the basis of the fears which were generally reported to exist among the Chinese. I found that idle rumours were added to well grounded fears. The scope of the legisla- tion was in many cases wilfully misinterpreted, and many individuals, instead of learning for themselves by reading the ex- planatory notices which were conspicuously published and placarded by Government, and the translation of the Ordinances which they held in their hands, took fright and left the Colony.
5. It will be remembered, too, that the Festival of the New Year fell much earlier than usual, and thus, having a good reason for visiting their native places, the Chinese residents seized the opportunity of going home, thereby reaping the double advantage of pesforming an almost sacred duty and being absent from Hongkong when the provisions of the new Ordinances were to be carried into effect. I may here add that the only Ordinance which created apparently the principal spirit of anta- gonism was that by which power was given to a Medical Inspector to chose his own opportunity for intruding on the privacy of their family houses.
6. But as year by year, uninfluenced by local causes, the Chinese do leave the Colony at Christmas time to spend their own nearly approaching festive season in their own country, it is impossible to compile Census Returns, shewing the real popula- tion of Hongkong, at that time. There are, undoubtedly, more residents on shore and more boats in the Harbor during any other months in the Year than December and January, and while pointing out what I consider an error on the part of those who fixed the 31st December as the day for taking the Census, I would suggest the easy remedy of postponing the Census which would in due course be taken at the end of December 1868 to June 1869.
7. Analysing however, the present Returns, it appears that in the gross there has been an increase of 2,373 souls over that of 1866. But the increase is, I hold, still larger, for I have taken the liberty this Year of crossing out from the Census a Return of 2,000 persons which have hitherto been described as Vagrants. Since the mat sheds which everywhere dotted the hills have been so properly pulled down I see no justification for such a Return, and have, therefore, erased it from the present Tables. It is true that those figures were inserted in 1866, and I must plead guilty to having allowed them to stand although grave doubts existed in my mind as to the truth of the estimate. My only excuse is that I followed the practice introduced by my predecessors.
8. Taking into consideration, then, this point, the total population being 117,471, may well be considered as shewing an increase of 4,373 for the past Year. In Victoria, alone, however, the Chinese population has increased to the extent of 9,731 souls, and that this amount is not apparent in the grand total is to be explained by an inspection of the figures showing the boat population, where there has been a falling off, of nearly 5,000; this great decrease is to be found almost entirely in the Villages, and may be due to the fact that, whereas prior to the introduction of the Harbor and Coasts Ordinance, numerous craft of all descriptions left the main Harbor, and retired to the Villages, where the Ordinance was not expected to reach them, thus increasing the boat population in those places from 7,738 in 1865 to 13,099 in 1866, a few months enabling them to see the futility of their conduct, they gradually came back, and the Returns shew that the numbers have nearly reached their former amount, a state of affairs to be expected, since there has been little or no increase of trade in the Villages.
9. I would next draw attention to Keturn No. 3 which shews that during the past Year a fair increase in the number of buildings for the Chinese, and in the number of families, viz., 189, over the previous Year, which settled in the Colony. This latter point is, I hold, of considerable importance as evincing a gradual surmounting on the part of Native of Residents, of old prejudices-formerly deemed insurmountable by many,-against bringing their wives and families to live in a British Colony, or indeed in any place out of their own country.
10. To gather a correct estimate of the progress made, it must not be forgotten that during the great fire of October last more than 300 Houses were burnt to the ground. The Returns, however, being compiled in December shew a slight decrease of 189, which taken into account with the 300 burnt down, proves as I have stated, that in this important point there has been no retrogression, but the contrary, during the Year under review.
11. The decrease in the number of houses in the Villages is to be explained by the fact that in the Assessment books, which form the basis of the computation, no mention is now made of Tenements under the assessed value of $10 per Annum, and thus numerous hovels usually included in the Returns have been omitted.
12. Trade among the Chinese, as may be expected, was far from flourishing. Great losses were sustained, more especially in Gold, Rice, Peas and Sugar. In Salt-fish, too, owing it is reported to the action of the Chinese Authorities, and the string- ency of the regulations of the salt revenue, the business fell from about $700,000 in 1866 to $600,000 in 1867. Live stock paid but badly, although the trade in Pigs alone is stated to have reached $300,000, and in Poultry $130,000.
13. Great losses in the Gold trade, which is calculated by the Chinese at about Four Million Dollars for last Year, seem at last to have induced the Dealers to turn their attention to the Mint. It appears to have been the custom for the seller to enter into a contract with the buyer that the Gold landed in India should on assay prove of the same touch as that stated at the time of sale. Much difference, however, has been alleged, which the Native Dealer has had to make good, and at last he has arranged that the assay should take place at the Hongkong Mint, when, before the purchase is completed, the position of all parties to the transactions can be well known.
14. The trade of the Opium Farm has been considerable during the past Year. No less than 644,200 taels weight of prepared Opium has been exported to California and Australia, and 252,800 taels weight has been sold in the Colony. The former is valued at 80 cents, and the latter at 65 cents per tael, thus making the value of the total exported $505,360 and of the latter $229,320, or a gross total value of $744,620,
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