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are small items and relatively unimportant in the great bulk of the workers of the Colony, but the figures and the reasons for them

be noted. Of more importance is the great lack of detail in some of the groups-the "omnibus' sub- head at the end of "other skilled workers" outnumbering all the rest within the group.

Finally, one must understand the custom of dealing in proportions per thousand of those occupied, taking care to distinguish these from percentages or fractions of the population or from proportions per thousand of the whole population. In con- sidering only those who are gainfully occupied we discard the children and the old people, those who are not yet ready for work and those who are past work. In the case of females we discard also those who are employed solely in home duties: they may be fully occupied but they are not gainfully occupied.

The proportion of the whole population which is gainfully occupied is 52.87% 71.28% in the case of males and 27.58% in the case of females. In considering then the occupations of males, it must be remembered that we are dealing with only 71.28% of the total male population and that the proportions per thousand, stated to be in this or that occupation, are the proportions per thousand of the 71% that are gainfully occupied. Similarly with females we are dealing with less than 28% of the total female population.

It is convenient to quote the proportion per thousand in order to avoid a decimai fraction of a human being.

1.

OCCUPATIONS.

The full Occupational List is printed as Appendix C to this Report, and a synopsis of the classification is given in the following Table 35 which shows also in respect of all Males, Females and the Total Population the proportion per thousand of those occupied who come within each of the occupational groups.

(a) Occupations of Males.

The largest group of male employees appears in Order No. XXII-Transport and Communication, in which group 195 persons per 1,000 of those occupied are employed. The actual number so engaged is 68,539. This includes the large body of unskilled labour, carrying coolies, who numbered 21,500; ships' crews, of various grades; and bargemen and boatmen who number nearly 13,000.

Next on the list come those following Commercial, Finance and Insurance Occupations (Order No. XXIII). The Chinese are also "a nation of shopkeepers' and they are to be found selling every type of product. The number in this group is 53,686 or 153 persons per 1,000 occupied; the largest single subhead in this group is, of course, hawkers who number over 13,000.

Persons engaged in Personal Service (Order No. XXVII) numbered 49.008 or approximately 140 per 1,000 of those occupied. 32,579 were returned as in private domestic service.

Clerks, Draughtsmen, and Typists (Crder No. XXVIII) totalled nearly 26,000, the majority, 24,020, being returned as clerks only.

Workers in Wood and Furniture (Order No. XV) come next in order with 53 persons per 1,000; the number being 18,579. The returns were not wholly satis- factory as regards detail, 10,000 being described simply as "carpenters.'

Agricultural Occupations (Order No. II) employed 51 persons out of a thousand, the number being 17,772 and Fishermen (Order No. I) amounted to 15,488 in number or 44 persons per 1,000 of those occupied..