Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/163

 INSTRUCTION — JUSTICE AND CRIME — FINANCE 111

Of the resident white population nearly one-half is British and one-third is Portuguese.

The registered births and deaths for five years were as follows : -

Year

1914 1916 1917 1918 1919

Birthi Deaths

3,001

9,585

2,631

10,558

2,400

10,433

2,321

13,714

2,194

11,647

Birth*

Deaths

per 1,0001

per 1,000 l

7 3

23 3

61

24

53

23 4

4*1

24 4

4 3

23 2

i Birth and death rates are calculated only on the population of Hong Kong and Kowloon, there being no jurisdiction by the sanitary authorities over the New Territories (except New Kowloon).

In 1915 the number of Chinese emigrants was 68,275, and the uumber of immigrants 109,753; in 1916, 117,653 and 72,405; in 1917, 96,298 and 98,232; in 1918, 43,830 and 74,109 ; and in 1919, 59,969 and 136,020 respectively.

Instruction.

Education is not compulsory, but all schools are State-inspected, and required to maintain a certain standard of efficiency. There are 3 secondary Government schools for children of British parentage, with an average attendance of 163 (1920), and 5 Government schools for Chinese boys, and one for Chinese girls, with a total average attendance of 2,444. There are also numerous schools in receipt of grants. The total number of pupils in all schools in 1920 was 25,786. The University Matriculation Examination serves the purpose of a leaving examination. The total expenditure on education in 1919 was 254,302 dollars, net.

The Hong Kong University was formally opened in March, 1912, and during the session 1919-20 the number of students was 230, mostly Chinese. Faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Arts have been established, with a large s^affof British professors and lecturers. There are well-equipped scientific laboratories, and recent additions are schools for instruction in physiology, pathology, and tropical medicine. The engineering laboratories have been equipped with machinery presented by various firms who are interested in technical education. It is the only British University in the Far East.

Justice and Crime.

There are Courts of Justice consisting of a Supreme Court, the second court or Court of Summary Jurisdiction, and a third court or Appeal Court, a police magistrate's court, and a marine magistrate's court. In 1919, 2,552 were committed to Victoria gaol for criminal offences ; in 1918, 1,498. The daily average of prisoners in gaol was 601 in 1918, and 756 in 1919. There is a police force in the colony numbering 1,22S men, of whom 159 are European, 477 Indians, and 592 Chinese.

Finance.

The public revenue and expenditure of the colony were as follows in five years. The dollar of Hong Kong is of variable value; for 1913