Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 383

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One hundred and five thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven (105,967) emigrants left Hongkong for various places, during the year, of these 78,576 were carried in British ships and 27,391 in Foreign ships. The year 1907 has proved to be the record year in the history of the Colony for the numbers of emigrants shipped.

One hundred and forty-five thousand eight hundred and twenty-two (145,822) immigrants were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from the several places to which they had emigrated, either from this Colony or from Coast Ports. This includes 905 returning from South Africa. Of the total number 112,742 arrived in British ships and 33.080 in Foreign ships.

The total Revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $348,300 (including $24,098 previously collected by the Registrar General's Department for Boat Licences, the issuing of which was transferred to this Department from the 1st Janaary, 1907), as against $298,106 collected in the previous year, showing an increase of $50,193 :-

1. Light Dues,

|

2. Licences and Internal Revenue,

3. Fees of Court and Office,

4. Miscellaneous Receipts,....

Total,..

•

$ 80,389.00

116,122.40

151.746.30

42.40

$348,300.10

(6.) INDUSTRIES,

During 1907 the price of refined Sugars in the East still further declined, principally as a result of the lower cost of Raw Sugar, but also owing to the determined competition of Japanese Refineries seeking to capture the local Refineries' old established Chinese connec- tions. The quantity of Sugar refined in Hongkong was however larger than for years past, and was disposed of in China and other markets, although at a loss in some instances, and on very small margins of profit in others. By the end of 1907 the strenuous competi- tion from Japanese quarters had however, exhausted itself, and it is confidently expected by those best able to form an opinion that local industries will be able to maintain and improve their position.

The demand for Yarn during 1907 was even more unsatisfactory than during the previous year, which was undoubtedly due to the failure of almost every Yarn Shop in the Colony. These failures threw a quantity of Yarn on the market which had to be disposed of at a reduction of $20/25 per bale on the contract price. Owing to the large stocks on hand it was found necessary to decrease the output of the local Cotton Mill by reducing the number of spindles running, and during the last three months of the year "short time' was also resorted to.

Both exchange and the price of raw material have been in favour of the Rope Factory, enabling them to reduce their selling price to their customers to a lower limit than for some years. On the other hand the lower price induced a greater demand and the Factory's turnover accordingly showed a fair increase.

No further additions have been made to the plant of the Cement Company, which with a good demand for Cement has been kept continuously employed throughout the year.

The Flour Mills at Junk Bay were kept running continuously night and day, including many Sundays.

Four hundred and twenty-two (422) vessels of 1,001,001 tons and 112 launches, lighters, &c., were docked and repaired, compared with 449 vessels of 1,063,454 tons and 79 launches, lighters, &c., in 1906. One hundred and eleven (111) steam-launches and other vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 6,311 were built during the year.