Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 687

No.

589

25 1902

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, FOR THE YEAR 1901.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 27th March, 1902.

SIR,I have the honour to make the following Report on the work of this Department for the year 1901.

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

The revenue collected during the year amounted to $127,566.16, as against $132,729.63 collected in 1900. The decrease is due to the large falling off in the number of certificates of identity issued to Chinese entering the United States. The revenue derived from this source is $9,350 less than last year. On the other hand, the revenue from cargo-boat licences shews an increase of $1,481 and that from markets an increase of $1,361.

The expenditure during the year was $16,429.62, compared with $13,058.53 in 1900. The increase is caused by the separation of the posts of Registrar General and Colonial Secretary.

It is now ten years since the Registrar-General's first annual report on the work of his department, and the short comparison which is given below between the years 1891 and 1901 will not be out of place.

Total Revenue,

Revenue from Markets,

Revenue from Boat Licences,.

Revenue from Hawkers,...

Expenditure,

Hawkers' Licences,

Other Licences, Certificates, &c...

Permits,

Female Emigrants examined,

Women and Girls detained,

1901.

1891.

.$76,177

$127,566

.$53,415

$ 84,718

.$11,804

$ 23,832

.$ 4,341

$ 10,990

$22,766

$ 16,430

2,171

11,098

4,599

7,772

241

575

6.227

9,762

330

335

87

Marriages,

140

The revenue derived from the lease of market premises shews an increase of $31,300. More than half of this comes from the Central Market but the rents of all the markets have advanced naturally and inevitably with the increase of population. As a rule, market premises are let by sealed tender, and any other method would, I think, prove unsatisfactory. It is certain that whenever the rent paid to the Government falls much below the rack-rent, the lessee sublets the premises and pockets the difference. Instances of this being done are always coming to light, but it is impossible to put a stop to the practice. The number of shops and stalls occupied has risen from 634 to 824. The Taipingshan Market was closed in 1894 and one at Taikoktsui was opened in 1899. The erection of temporary markets on the Praya Reclamation has been approved and will relieve the pressure on the Saiyingpun and Western Markets, and the extension of the Wanchai Market will most probably prove remunerative.

Exceptional circumstances account for the small revenue derived from hawkers' licences in 1891, but the figures since the year 1894, in which the present system of paying the fees quarterly was reverted to, shew a steady and remarkable increase.

Year,

Revenue.

י

1894..

$· 4,497

1895,

5,842

1896,

5,537

1897,

6,787

1898,.

7,907

1899,

9,538

1900,

10,130

1901......

10,990