Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 517

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The total number of births registered in the Colony was 1,205, and of deaths 6,118. This gives an annual birth-rate of 3.3 and a death-rate of 16.94 per 1,000, as compared with 3.2 and 18.9 in 1903. The death-rates both in the Chinese and non-Chinese sections of the community were lower than any recorded in the last 15 years. The excess of deaths over births is explained by the fact that thousands of Chinese families are represented in Hongkong by inen only, there being a very large floating population of adult males, and that many of the Chinese in case of illness return to their own country. It should also be re- membered that a large proportion of births among the Chinese remains unregistered, though steps are being taken to remedy this irregularity as far as possible.

(b.) PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.

It is satisfactory to note that during the year under review a better acquain- tance on the part of the Chinese with the requirements of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of 1903 has resulted in a marked decrease in the opposition, especially with regard to the cleansing and disinfection of houses, that at first did much to impede its successful operation.

The houses that are in course of erection in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance show considerable improvement on the existing type of house as regards adequate lighting and ventilation. The question of overcrowding is still an urgent one, the number of persons per acre in the built over area of the Central Districts having increased from 562 in 1902 to 608 in 1904. It was hoped that the Electric Tramway, opened early in the year, would cause the coolie classes to move to the outskirts of the City, but it has rather had the opposite effect, the tendency being for labourers to come into the centre of the City to live and to take advantage of the cheap fares to go out to their work.

Under the Insanitary Properties Resumption scheme an area of 24,898 square feet has been resumed in one of the most densely populated areas of the City for the purpose of forming a wide street through the existing block of houses, and a further open space has been given to the public by the opening of Blake Park in the Western Taipingshan District.

There were 495 deaths from plague; this was 756 less than in 1903 and except for the years 1895 and 1897 the lowest mortality since the first outbreak of the disease in 1894. Respiratory diseases accounted for 1,394 deaths among the Chinese, or 23.7 of the total number of Chinese deaths. The deaths from beri-beri were high, totalling 735 for the year. The result of the measures adopted for the prevention of malaria is seen in the continuous reduction in the number of deaths from this disease from 574 in 1901 to 301 in 1904.

(c.) CLIMATE.

The

The average monthly temperature throughout the year was 71-6° F. as com- pared with 715° F. in 1903 and 72.0° F. during the ten preceding years. maximum monthly temperature was attained in August, when it reached 86.0° F., and the minimum monthly temperature was recorded in January, when it was 55-4° F. The highest recorded temperature during the year was 91-1° F. on the 26th June, and the lowest 448° F. on December 24th.

The total rainfall for the year was 80.41 inches as compared with an average of 77.33 inches during the past ten years. The wettest month was August, with 27.64 inches, the dryest, January, with only 0.12 inch. The greatest amount of rain which fell on any one day was 11.135 inches on the 25th August, while no rain fell on 137 days of the year. The relative humidity of the atmosphere through- out the year was 7.7 per cent., as compared with an average of 77 per cent. during the past 10 years. The average daily amount of sunshine was 5.2 hours being 46 per cent. of the possible duration.

X-POSTAL SERVICE.

The total Receipts paid into the Treasury in 1904 by the Postal Department amounted to $532,742.94 from which sum $124,282 was transferred to other heads of General Revenue under which fees and duties are paid in stamps, which are now sold exclusively by the Post Office, leaving the sun of $408,418.92 as