ENG-1960 — Page 66

POPULATION

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families live afloat. Like the Hoklo, whom they resemble in many respects, they have been in the area since time unknown. The Tanka speak their own distinctive dialect of Cantonese. At Tai O, on Lantau Island, there is the striking instance of a fairly large group of Tanka living ashore, or rather half-ashore, in huts built on stakes over a muddy inlet.

Many of the present inhabitants of the New Territories are refugees by any definition. A substantial number are now going through a process of absorption and integration, but others can hardly be so described. Much the largest single body of im- migrants to have arrived in the New Territories since the Chinese revolution consists of the community of Shanghai Chinese who arrived during 1948-51. These, since they form the majority of the Tsuen Wan labour force, cannot be readily absorbed into rural New Territories society. There are also other smaller groups which may be expected to resist assimilation; these include groups origi- nating in the East River area and in the Swatow district as well as some well organized miners from north China.

Apart from the old-established rural inhabitants and the more recent refugee immigrants there are in the New Territories an increasing number of families of all nationalities from the urban areas who prefer a country life. The total population of the New Territories, excluding New Kowloon, is probably in the region of 400,000 but as in the case of the rest of the Colony it is difficult to give an accurate figure. The principal centres of popula- tion on the mainland are the towns of Tsuen Wan (80,000); Yuen Long (20,000); Tai Po (9,000 plus 4,000 boat dwellers); Shek Wu Hui (4,800); Castle Peak (including Old Town, New Town and Sam Shing Hui) (4,400 plus 2,000 boat dwellers) and Sài Kung (3,000 excluding boat dwellers). In the islands the main centres of population are at Cheung Chau (25,000 plus 7,000 boat dwellers); Tai O, Lantau (12,600 plus 2,000 boat dwellers); and Peng Chau (South) (4,500). These population figures, based on an unofficial New Territories census held in 1955, are no longer reliable and are included only as a guide to the relative size of these places.