Sessional_Paper_1931 — Page 110

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There appears, therefore, to have been a definite transfer of a portion of the population from Hong Kong to Kowloon, and Kowloon has, therefore, developed partly at the expense of Hong Kong. This is an expansion and wider distribution of the population that cannot but be welcomed.

All districts in Hong Kong, except two, show an increase, though in some cases the increase is comparatively small. It is interesting to note that the Praya East Re- clamation already houses over 8,000 persons, and Wanchai, apart from this, has been increased by a further 8,150. There has been considerable development in Wongnei- chung Valley accounting for the increase there. Former Health District 3, which in- cluded the European business section of the town from Pedder Street to Garden Road, extended up the hill to Queen's Gardens and westwards above Caine Road to about Breezy Point, shows a decrease of over 3,000. Of this decrease 1,700 are non- Chinese and this is no doubt accounted for by the reduction in the number of hotels in this area; part of the Hong Kong Hotel, the King Edward Hotel and other hotels having given place to non-residential business premises. In the area above Caine Road the houses are somewhat old fashioned and seem to have lost their popularity. There is a tendency for rents to fall in this area and it would appear that tenants are leaving the locality to obtain more modern accommodation else- where.

A decrease is also shown in Health Districts 6 and 6A, the latter of which is the most densely populated area in Hong Kong. The decrease is mainly in Health District 6 where there are many Chinese hotels and boarding houses; these were comparatively empty on the Census date which was less than 3 weeks after the Chinese New Year's Day. Several houses were also demolished in this area recently, to accommodate a large Cinema Theatre.

There has been a large increase at West Point. There was considerable build- ing activity in this area in the earlier years of the decade but for a long time the houses remained practically empty. They have now been filled up.

(b) Kowloon Peninsula.

Table 4.

KOWLOON PENINSULA.

1921

1921

FORMER HEALTH DISTRICTS

Increase

Males

Females Total

Males Females

Total

No. 11. Kowloon Point

10,241

6,259 16,500

7,749

4,506

12,255

4,245

11A. Hunghom

9,422

7,317 16,739

9,459

5,287

14,746

1,993

12. Yaumati

37,284

31,312 68,596

18,722

13,650

32,372

36,224

13. Mongkok

32,266

27,474

59,740

17,635

11,779

29,414

30,326

14.

Taikoktsui

and

Shamshuipo...

37,512

29,672

67,184

10,550

5,971

16,521

50,663

15. Hunghom Villages

6,601

5,026 11,627

5,465

3,188

8,653

2,974

Kowloon City

11,637

10,997 22,634

5,118

4,369

9.487

13,147

Totals

144,963 118,057 263,020

74,698 48,750 123,448

139,572

The total increase in Kowloon is 139,572 or 113.06% on the figure for 1921. This is a phenomenal increase and shows more clearly than any other aspect the enormous expansion that has taken place in Kowloon during the last ten years.

The greatest expansion has been in Yaumati, Mongkok, Shamshuipo, and Kowloon City.