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May 30, 1904.]
his alleged connection with their chiefs; and the third is e-tafu, a general term in the Philip- pine laws for fraud, which will mean an effort to prove that the accused obtained money under false pretences. The prosecution of this man has already cost the Government a large sum, and there is still greater cost to the public treasury in prospect. It is needless to say that if the Supreme Court sustains the decision to the pre- sent case it will establish an important prece- dent, and one that will allow greater latitude to a certain not too well-meaning class.
The native and Spanish Press appear to con- sider Messrs. Kincaid's and Del Pan's legal victory over the Government a great feat, several devoting much space to a rehearsal of the case and eulogisms for the counsel as well as the jud e, as though the latter had done other than perform an impartial duty. One newspaper publishes their photographs. Possibly it is something new in the Philippine annals to: defeat the Government in a law case of this char cter: perhaps it was rare in former days but if so the native people have something yet to learn about the fairness of Anglo-Saxon justice, and this instance may serve to have a beneficial effect on the unfriendly element.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
number of certificates issued during the year
was :-
To the United States
To the Hawaiian Islands To the Philippines
19
119
The number of certificates issued for the Philippines in 1902 was 43.
POPULATION.
The following is an estimate of the popula- tion of the Colony, exclusive of the New Terri- tory, on the 30th June, 1903 :----
British and Foreign Community Chinese
Total
18.581 307,500
326,081
The population of the New Territory, accord- ing to the census taken in 1901, was 102,254.
MARRIAGES.
The number of marriages solemnised during the year was 146, as compared with 120 in 1902.
BIRTHS.
The births registered during the year were as follows:----
Males. Females. Total.
749
Chinese Non-Chinese
521
228
150
135
285
671
343
1.034
This is equal to a general birth-rate of 3.17 per
REGISTRAR-GENEHAL'S REPORT 1.000. as compared with 3.8 in 1902.
FOR 1903.
The report of Mr. A. W. Brewin. Registrar- General. for the year 1903 is published in the
We make the following extracts :— REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
Guzette.
The birth-rate among the non-Chinese com- munity alone was 18.2 per 1.000 as compared with 12.6 per 1,000 in 1902. The nationalities of the non-Chinese parents were as follows: British 118, Portuguese 75, Indian 38, Malay 13, German 11, French 5. Spanish 3, Austrian, Japanese, and Persian 2 each, and five other nationalities 1 each.
in the Colony, for many of the infants that die during the first month or so of life remain registered to obtain the necessary burial orders. unregistered, although their deaths must be It has been customary, therefore, to add to the registered births the number of infants of one month old and under that die in the various convents, or are found by the police in the streets or in the harbour. 1903 was 250 males and 276 females, making a The number during
total of 530, and the addition of these figures to the registered Chinese births gives a total of 1,279 as compared with 1.569 during the previous year. The corrected birth-rate is. therefore, 4.7 per 1,000, while among che Chin- ese alone the rate becomes 4.2 per 1,000.
DEATHS.
The revenue collected during the year
The number of the Chinese births registered amounted to $160,351.81. as against $136,888.13 collected in 1902, being an increase of $23,463.68.number of births of Chinese that have occurred does not give an accurate record of the total The number of Chinese who were granted certificates of identity to enable them to enter the Philippine Islands increased from 43 in 1902 to 119 in 1903. The increase to the revenue under the heading certificates to Chinese entering Manila and the U.S.A. is $1,650.00. Market revenue shows a further increase of $9.315.81. All markets with the exception of Taikokt ui share in the increase. The revenue from the Des Voeux Market, which is situated in Des Voeux Road Central near Wing Shing Street, and was opened in September, was $1,824.16, but this revenue will not be maintained. There is very little demand for stalls, and most of the original lessees have already surrendered their holdings. Fees under the Marriage Ordinance show an increase of $997.00 and under the regulations for emigra- tion houses one of $1,350.00. The revenue from hawkers' licences shows 81 inerease of $8,722.00. In August the regulations govern- ing the issue of hawkers' licences were altered. Previous to that date the licence fee, which was $2.00, was paid quarterly. The fee has now been raised to $4.00 and is paid half-yearly. The number of licences issued during the last quarter of the year was 5.997 compared with 7,773 in the last quarter of 1902.
The expenditure during the year was $26,755.64, compared with $24,230.33 in 1902. The increase is due to various increases of salary to some of the members of the staff and to re- gular increments of salary to others.
PO LEUNG KUK INCORPORATION ORDINANCE
There has been a very large increase in the number of women and girls whom the Regis- trar-General had reason to believe required protection. 826 persons were admitted to the Pó Leung Kuk during the year, compared with 617 in 1902. The disturbed state of parts of the Canton Province, the famine in Kwangsi, and certain restrictions imposed on the boats at Canton, are some of the causes to which this increase is due.
EMIGRATION.
One hundred and forty-four emigrants were detained for inquiries, and the usual arrange- ments were made for restoring to their friends and relatives those who were found to have been persuaded to emigrate under false pretences. During the year 1903, six hotels and seven emigration houses (for men only) were licensed. At the end of the year there were 50 hotels and 16 emigration houses holding licences.
CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY TO CHINESE.
The revenue derived from this source was $3,925 compared with $2,275 in 1902. The
Foreign Community was 309, as compared with The number of deaths in the British and
352 in 1902. The number of deaths among the Chinese was 5,875 as compared with 6,431 in 1902. Four Europeans and 1,251 Chinese and other Asiaties died from plague.
TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
403
The new wing of the hospital in Taipingshan was opened on the 26th March. The Infectious Disease Hospital at Kennedy Town was opened on the 6th June, but a laundry and some other out-buildings are not completed owing to difficulties with the contractor. The financial
than it was two years ago. position of the hospital is much more satisfactory An influential Committee was appointed in 1902 to inquire into and report on the finances of the hospital, and with its support it has been found possible to considerably increase the amount of subscrip- tions and the revenue from the hospital's property. Hitherto the only annual subsoribers to the hospital have been the various guilds, but on
the recommendation of the Finance
individual subscriptions invited. In answer to Committee a new departure was made and the appeal 54 gentlemen have promised subscrip- tions of a hundred dollars a year and 10 of fifty. A welcome addition to the revenue of the hos pital has been made by the Government grant of $6,000 a year.
The number of patients under treatment at the Tung Wa Hospital duing the year (Mr. Brewin states under another heading) was 2,457 as compared with 2,730 in 1902. Of these, 1,569 were discharged and 889 died. The percentage of deaths compared with admissions during the year was 36.2. In 1902 the percentage was 45.34, and in 1901 24.40. The number of out-patients during the year was: --Males, 49,376; Females, 23,467, Total, 2.843.
MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT
FOR 1903.
Medical Officer of Health, for 1903 is published The report of Dr. W. W. Pearse, Acting in the Guzette. We make the following extracts:-
just within the northern tropic (N. 22 deg. 5min.) The geographical situation of the Colony
part of the Chinese Empire, the annual cycle of and its relation to the mainland of the southern
meteorological phenomena, the configuration of tion. all combine to produce a state of things the island of Hongkong and its geological forma- which, summed up under the word Climate, must have directly a great, though perhaps a not easily perceptible, affect on the health of the inhabitants.
Although Hongkong is an island, yet its proximity to the mainland modifies the solar climate considerably. The range of tempera- yet it is not so great as is found to be the case ture throughout the year is considerable, in places not very far inland in the Kwang- tung Province.
The effect of the ocean is. seen in that the highest monthly mean was only 82 F, while the effect of the proximity of the mainland of South China is felt in the compará- tively low temperatures in the first two months of the year, when the mean temperatures were 58.3 and 58-4 respectively. The highest rise of The nature and number of permits issued the thermometer therefore in the hot season is during the year were as follows:
The number of deaths in hospital amount to 1,486, or 24 per cent. of the total number of deaths registered during the year.
To fire crackers
PERMITS.
To hold processions To perform theatricals.. To hold religious ceremonies
Total
DISTRICT WATCHMEN.
512 28
39
40
619
Convictions were obtained before the police magistrate during the year through the in- strumentality of district watchmen. The con- tributions to the fund for the year were $22,495.29 as compared with $17,461.69 in 1902, being an increase of $5,033.60. This is due chiefly to the increased rate at which contribu- tions are paid. The increase came into force in July, 1902. The expenditure for the year was $17,540.37. Included in this sum are $3,000, a refund of a Government loan, $1,372.39 for uniform and equipment, $435.83 for loss on ex- change. The balance to the credit of the fund on the 31st December was $12,415.05.
CHINESE RECREATION GROUND.
The total expenditure for the year was $508.27. The revenue obtained from the lease of shops, &c., was $1,359.82, compared with $1,257.02 in 1902. The balance to the credit of the fund is $4.509.75.
small when compared with that which occurs in Calcutta, which is in about the same latitude, and the cool bright days of the cold season are, considering the low latitude of the Colony, a wonderful advantage from a climatic point of view.
There is no doubt, however, that the condition of the atmosphere in the City of Victoria is dur- ing the summer months very depressing. This is due to a great extent to the high percentage of moisture in the air at the same time when the temperature is high. But there are, in my opi- nion, other factors to be considered. The posi-- tion of the City of Victoria on the northern side of the Island and at the foot of high hills outs it off to a great extent from the influence of the prevailing winds of the hot season, and moreover the crowding together of the houses owing to the steepness of the site of the City and the lack of room for expansion, the resulting narrow streets, high buildings, and the heavy verandahs to the houses, all tend to produce a condition of stagnation in the atmosphere of the City during the time when free ventilation is most desirable.
The configuration of the ground upon which the City of Victoria is built is undoubtedly a great factor in the sanitary condition of the Colony. The steepness of the hills has rendered it necessary to cut deeply into the hillsides when
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