Sessional_Paper_1931 — Page 108

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In 1911 and 1921 no Census was taken locally of the Naval and Military Establishments though both had been enumerated on previous occasions. There seems to be no valid reason for omitting the Navy when the Mercantile Marine is included. The Navy is stationed on Hong Kong and is longer present than individual ships of the Mercantile Marine whose presence in the Colony on the Census night is largely a matter of chance. The Army was also probably excluded on the grounds that individually the members are temporary residents only, but the Army as a body is always present and many civilians reside in Hong Kong for a shorter period than do most of the members of the Army.

For purposes of comparison with the 1921 figures, therefore, it is necessary to exclude the Navy, Army and Air Force. The following table gives the comparative figures for the civilian population only

1931

Table 2.

1921

Increase

Males Females Total

Males

Females Total

Island of Hong Kong

246,249 162,954 409,203

221,085 126,316

347,401

61,802

Kowloon Peninsula

144,963

118,057

263,020 74,698 48,750 123,448 139,572

New Territories

49,399

48,758

Population Afloat

41,969

28,124

70,093 45,307 25,847 71,154

98,157 41,767 41,396 83,163 14,994

Decrease

1,061

Totals

482,580

357,893 840,473 382,857

242,309 625,166 215,307

The increase of 215,307 in the Civilian population during the last decade is the largest that has ever taken place in the Colony during a similar period. Relatively, however, it is somewhat less than the corresponding figure for the previous decade. The increase from 1911 to 1921 was 168,427 or 36.87% on the figures for 1911; the present increase is 34.44%. on the figures for 1921.

The urban area of the Colony has been divided by the Sanitary Department into Health Districts and these form convenient units for comparing the distribution of the population by smaller sections than the City of Victoria or Kowloon Peninsula. The term "City of Victoria" is, now rarely used except on maps and in official returns as the urban area extends considerably beyond its boundaries. Unfortunately the boundaries of the Health Districts have been altered since 1921 and it is not possible to make a simple comparison. The enumeration districts were, however, so arranged as not to cross the boundaries of either the old or the new Health Districts and it is, therefore, possible to compare the numbers present within the old districts in 1921 and in the same areas in 1931.