ENG-1956 — Page 55

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

In spite of the acute shortage of land suitable for industrial development, industry continued to expand at a rapid pace, and although 380 premises were closed down, or ceased to operate, there was, as mentioned above, a net increase of 394 registered and recorded industrial undertakings, and a net increase of 17,412 workers, of whom 7,542 were women. The sale of a number of sites at the end of the year in the new industrial area at Kun Tong, with more sales following in 1957, should assist in accelerating the rate of industrial development.

The manufacture of textiles, with 42,254 workers, remains the principal source of industrial employment. The textile industry together with the manufacture of metalware (26,062 workers), shipbuilding and repairing (12,859 workers), and the manufacture of wearing apparel and made-up textile goods (10,342 workers) provide employment for 62% of all registered industrial workers. The expansion of industry and industrial employment over the past three years has been as follows:

Industrial

Male

Female

Year

Undertakings

Workers

Workers

Total Workers

1954

2,494

72,011

43,442

115,453

1955

2,925

82,573

47,892

129,465

1956

3,319

92,443

55,434

146,877

A similar table showing the development over the same period of industry by main industrial groups, and by selected industries within certain of these groups is at Appendix II.

Unemployment. The absence of general employment statistics precludes anything but estimates on the broadest basis concerning unemployment and under-employment. Although the growth of industry and the sustained high level of building activity kept large numbers employed, and skilled workers found their services in demand, there was a large surplus of unskilled labour, most of it in the under- employed category.