the Harbour Office in 1901, as compared with 9,943 in the previous year. Of this number, 82 women were detained for enquiries, 73 of whom were found to have been persuaded to go abroad under false preteno-s. The usual arrangements were made to restore them to their relatives and friends,Emigration to the Straits Settlements was suspended for nearly four months during the prevalence of plague in this Colony.
CONTRACT CHINESH LABOUR IN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the British and Foreign community and 3,043 | Your. among the Chinese were certified to by a 1891, registered medical practitioner or were the 1892, subject of a coroner's enquiry. The following 1893, 1895, table shows the number of deaths and the death. | 1894, 1896, rate për 1,000 during the last eight years :-
ESTIMATED POPULATION, - British and Foreign. Chinese.
1894 ... 1895 1896 1897... 1898
...
150.594
Patiente admitted,
2514
2,454
979,471
2,857
· 135,608-
...
2,354
124,094
144
2,732
163,292
2,041
129,695
•
Total.
1897,
2,764
116,826
10,783
£35,224
246,006
1898,
2,898
90,880
10,828
237,670
243,498
1899,
2,542
90,082
12.709
226,710
239.419
1900,
2,981
94,755
...
13,700
235,010 248,710
1901,
3,116
79,842
15,190-
239,210
254,400
1899
15,822
243,49
259,312
***
1900
14,778
247,900
262,678
1901
20,096
280,564
300,660
DEATHS.
British and Foreign.
29,28
17.64
19.91
24.75
24.48
14.89
19.08 18 85
19.15
22.50
22.30
15.23
24.4 23.84
20.44
...
DEATH RATÉ PER 1,000.
Chinese. Total. 30.42
MISCELLANEOUS,
There have been several labour disputes'dur- ing the year though none has forced itself on In each case that came to public attention.
my notice the employés obtained a rise of wages. No attempt has been made to collect 30.11aconrate statistics, as the object of the enquiries
might have been misunderstood
21.92 21.73
The negotiations with the British North Borneo Government relative to the advance coolies proceeding to of wagos made to
in the following Borneo have resulted arrangement. In future, the cost of bringing the coolie to Hongkong, housing him there, and providing him with a small outfit, will 1894, 7,107 be reckoned as $10. 35 will be handed to him | 1895, 5,400 on board the steamer before leaving and $10 1896, 5,880 will be paid to him on his signing the contract 1897, 4,688 on his arrival in British North Borneo. This 1898, 5,674 secures the coolie $15 in cash out of a nominal 1899, 6,181
26,10 25.78 advance of $25 and will, I hope, put an end to all | 1900, 6,773
20.50 1901, 7,082 difficulties.
23 77 23.55 Four hundred and sixty-nine certificates were granted by the Police for the removal of dead bodies from the Colony, as compared with
CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY TO CHINESE ENTERING THE UNITED STATES, &C. The revenue under this head was, $1,750, as compared with $11,100 in 1900. This large decrease is due to a much more rigid inter- pretation of the rules governing the im- migration of Chinese, by the American aut horities. The wives and children of Chinese : now resident in the States and of Chinese pro- ceeding there with certificates, are no longer required to take out certificates themselves.
The number of certificates issued during the To the United States, 24; to the Hawaian Islands, 17; to the Philippines, 7.
POPULATION.
year was:--
The following is the estimate of the popula. tion of the Colony on the 30th June, 1901:— British and Foreign Chinese. Total.
Community. 20,096
300,660
The number of marriages solemnised during the year was 140, as compared with 125 in 1900.
280,564
MARRIAGES.
BIRTHS AND DEATHS..
The births among the British and Foreign community numbered 240, as compared with 261 in 1900; of this numder, 124 were males and 116 females.
The births registered as having occurred in the Chinese community were 848, as against 678 in 1900.
The subjoined table shows the number of births of Chinese registered during the years
1891-1901 inclusive :--- Year. Number of Births. 1891,
1,529 1892.
Year. Number of Birtha. 1897, 1,125
***
1,660
1898,
1,575
1899,
1,250
1900,
...
963
852 678 848
1,195
1901, 1896,
978 The decrease is very striking, and on the suggestion of the Sanitary Board directions have been given by the Government for special efforts to be made to secure the registration of all births. During the last eleven years three censuses of the Colony have been taken and the following information was obtained regarding the number of females and the number of families in the Chinese community :
***
1891. 1897. 1901.
事
Number of females over
15 in the Colony 40,492 46,247 51,489 Number of females over
15 in Victoria ... 26,762 31,385 32,930
families in
14,120 21,740 25,123 There is apparently an increased reluctance ister births, and very probably an in. reluctance among Chinese woman to
ined in Hongkong. The 15th July, the Kowloon City Police declared a District Register Office to the end of the year 29 births and 52
registered..
of deaths in the British and mmunity was 412, as compared with 30% 2* 1900. Of these, -99 died from plague, åber of deaths among the Chinese was 1 compared with 6471 in 1900. 1,513 from plague. 367 of the deaths among
735 in 1900.
EXHUMATIONS.
Two hundred and seventy-two permits were issued to exhume human remains for removal to China or for re-burial in the Colony.
HOSPITAL DEATHS.
The number of deaths in hospital amount to 1,880 or 26.54 per cent. of the total number of deaths registered during the year.
year was:- total, 79,842.
PERMITS.
The nature and number of permits issued during the year were as follows;--
To fire crackers, 501; to hold processions, 8; to perform theatricals, 43; to hold religious ceremonies, 23; total, 575.
INTERPRETATION DEPARTMENT.
|
COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS IN THE POLICE FORCE,
In January of last year the Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., lately appointed to be Colonial Secre tary of the Colony, but at that time occupying the office of Captain Superintendent of Police, offered a prize of twenty-five sovereigns, or a gold watch of equivalent value, for competition among all the sergeants, lance-sergeants, and constables of the Police Force, in an examina- tion which was to include amongst its subjects knowledge of police regulations, The Ordinances of the Colony and the regulations made there- under, drill, and the Cantonese dialect. The five competitors presented themselves, and of examination was held in October, 1901, when these the successful candidate was Sergeant
James John Watt.
The number of patients under treatment [at the Tung Wa Hospital] during the year was
On the 23rd ult., at half-past three, a 3,116, as compared with 3,135 in the year 1900. Of these, 1,9) were discharged and 1,072 died. parade of all available members of the Police Force was held on the compound of the Central The percentage of deaths compared with admissions during the year was 34,40. In Police Station in connection with the presenta 1900 the percentage was 40.41 and in 1899tion of the watch to Sergeant Watt by Mr. May, who was received with the general salute. 33.52. The number of out-patients during the In handing the prize to the winner, be said that Male, 57,005; Females, 22,537; Sergeant Watt had passed a very good examina- tire indeed, especially in Chinese. The second candidate in order of merit was Lance-Sergeant Kent, who, as a matter of fact, Mr. May said, obtained more marks than Sergeant Watt in all subjets except Chinese, Of course, being the best in Chinese, Sergeant Watt got to the head of the list. Mr. May trusted that Lance- Sergeant Kent would not be discouraged and he hoped to have the pleasure in some future year of presenting him with a prise Thanks were due to Mr. Dyer Ball, who examined in Chinese; to Lient Cowie, in the Royal Artillery (now absent from the Colony), who examined in drill; and to His Honour T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Puisne Judge, who examined in all the other subjects. Continuing, Mr. May said there had been some delay in presenting the prize. Sergeant Watt selected a watch, and the order had to be placed where Mr. May know he would get a good one. Thenaz error was male in the insoriling of it, for he mistook Sergeant James Watt for that guardian angel of the arms-dealers in the Colony, the well-known Sergeant George Watt of the de- tective staff whose name was now inscribed on the watch. Mr. May hoped that Sergeant George Watt would regard this as a good omen, and that in a future examination he would secure a watch all to himself.
The institution of an Interpretation Depart ment which was recommended by a Committee appointed by His Excellency Sir Henry Blake in October, 1899, has been approved, and regula tions fixing the salaries of the various classes of interpreters and other details, have been drawn up and were published in Government Notification No. 581 of 1901. Under these regulations six student-interpreters were appoiut- ed on the 1st of December and are making satisfactory progress with their studies.
CHINESE RECREATION GROUND."
The total expenditure for the year in $1,416,17. This includes a sum of 8756.55 which had to be spent on repairing the buildings and seats damaged by the typoon of November, 1900. A revenue of $1,090 52 was obtained from the rent of shops, letter-writers' tables, &c. There is a balance of $2,993.64 to the credit of the Fund.
TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
During the year a subscription of $40,000 was raised towards the cost of erecting a branch hospital for the treatment of contagious diseas- es at Kennedytown The foundation stone was laid by His Excellency the Governor on the 18th November. The financial position of the hospital is now receiving the serious attention of the Chinese. For some years the expenditure has exceeded the ordinary revenue and it is generally recognised that the time has come to re-establish the hospital on a sound financial basis. Subjoined is a table showing the number of patients admitted for treatment and the number of out-patients for each of the last eleven years. Whilst the number of in-patients has increased by 24 per cent., the number of out-patients has decreased by as much as 47 per cent." Attention was drawn to the decrease in the number of out- patients in the Departmental Annual Report for 1898 and the causes to which the Directors of the hospital attributed it, were mentioned :--
I
Sergeant James Watt then stopped forward and received his prise from the hands of Mr. May, who congratulated him on the very good examination he had passed.. His only regret, he said, was that so few competitors came forward, and he hoped there would be more next time.
On behalf of the Force and spanking, also for himself, the Hon. F. J. Hadaley, Acting Captain Superintendent, thanked Mr. for bis very generous gift. He should like, he said, to have given some ao the many reforms instituted and the work done during Mr. Maya tenure as Captain Superintendent, of Pol that would take a long time, and could only do it very inade not let the pccasion go expressing their regret very valuable, nervioss, and the opinion of all when
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