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A small new industry has recently been established in this Colony, ¿.e., that pursued by the Wai San Knitting Co., Ld., but the Company is still in its infancy.

Another recently established industry is carried on by the Imperial Brewing Co., Ld. Large quantities of their products are being exported to the various ports in China. The capacity of the plant is 2,750,000 gallons per annum.

(c.) FISHERIES.

A considerable proportion of the boat-population of Hongkong supports itself by deep- sea fishing, in which pursuit a large number of junks are engaged. The villages of Aberdeen, Stanley, Shaukiwan, and many others in the New Territories are largely dependent upon this industry for their prosperity. Fresh water fish is imported from Canton and the West River. There are oyster beds of considerable value in Deep Bay.

(d.) FORESTRY, BOTANICAL SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE,

In Hongkong fifty-four thousand two hundred and ninety-five (54,295) pits were dug and sown with pine seeds by the departmental staff. Thirty thousand pits were sown by contract with no result in the majority of cases. In the New Territories 111,156 pits were dug by contract and sown by the department; while 24,557 were planted by the department, and 8,000 by contract. One hundred and fifty-two shade trees were planted in streets in Kowloon, and 45 in streets in Hongkong; while 265 trees were planted along the newly formed banks of May Road and Conduit Road. Six hundred and ninety-six bamboos were planted along roads at the Peak and elsewhere, while 92 Hydrangeas and 102 Azaleas were planted out on Crown land in various parts of the Peak.

(e) LAND GRANTS AND GENERAL VALUE OF LAND.

The amount received from sales of Crown Land was $161,459, being $154,274 less than the receipts for the previous year. This falling off may be attributed to the continued depression of business throughout the year and to general tightness of the money market. The principal items were for sites for a Cigar Factory in Kowloon and for a Brewery at Lai Chi Kok in the New Territories, a lot at North Point and land for an extension of the Standard Oil Company's new premises at Lai Chi Kok.

III-LEGISLATION.

Sixteen Ordinances were passed during 1907 two of which No. 9 of 1907 and No. 10 of 1907 afford facilities to certain foreign companies for carrying on their business in the Colony in the same manner as if they had been incorporated under the law of the Colony; whilst another No. 6 of 1907 continued the incorporation granted under the Ordinance of 1866 of the leading local bauking concern for a further period of 21 years and empowered it to increase its capital subject to certain conditions.

A Life Insurance Companies Ordinance (No. 11 of 1907) was passed in accordance with Imperial precedent to secure the solvency and permanency of companies carrying on the business of Life Insurance in the Colony.

A Seditious Publications Ordinance (No. 15 of 1907) was enacted in order to prohibit the publication in the Colony of matter calculated to excite disorder, or to incite to crime, in China.

A Companies (Local Registers) Ordinance (No. 16 of 1907) was passed based on the Imperial Act of 1883 and makes provision for companies registered in the Colony but carrying on business elsewhere to keep local registers of members.