HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953
western influence was now accepted. Kowloon as far as Boundary Street became part of the Colony, together with Stonecutters Island, in 1860. Missonary activity was definitely allowed, with the right of residence, to the various Christian churches. The chief result of these more settled conditions, as far as Hong Kong was concerned, was the increasing migra- tion of Chinese families into the Colony, and during this formative period, 1858-1882, Hong Kong became two communities, Chinese and foreign, each making an essential contribution to the Colony's development, and yet each hold- ing studiously aloof from the other. There followed naturally new problems in the organization of the social life of the Colony. The attempt to give the Chinese their own administra- tion based on respect for Chinese customs broke down, and gradually the principle was adopted that the law must be equally binding on all. Under Western influence the Chinese themselves took the initiative in changing their customs. Thus in connexion with the much criticised Muitsai custom, the Chinese in 1878 formed the Po Leung Kuk to combat the kidnapping of women and girls. Again in 1872 the Tung Wah Hospital was established by the Chinese to care for the indigent sick and dying and to meet criticism that they were left to die without attention. Much care was now given to the question of seeing that the Chinese population was accurately informed of the steps taken by Government, and that Government should be similarly informed of the views of the Chinese. The issue, in Chinese, of the Hong Kong Government Gazette was started in 1862, and efforts made to secure accuracy in translation culminated in the establishment of the Cadet Scheme, which provided for the appointment of student-interpreters who would eventually be marked out for the most responsible administrative posts. At the same time, the office of the Registrar-General was made responsible for all questions relating to the Chinese. The problem of public gaming houses was tackled, and after some attempt at control by licensing they were abolished, chiefly at the
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