the end of the year, between police officers and representatives of the press, at which the former answered freely and factually questions put to them about triad societies. The resulting articles and photographs of triad signs and insignia published in the Colony newspapers have done much to destroy the aura of mystery surrounding the triads, and to show the triad members in their true light as criminals battening on the poorer sections of the community, and generally profiting from all aspects of vice including trafficking in narcotics.
Arms and Ammunition
108. Following a series of robberies in which firearms were carried, one person was shot and killed and a prominent citizen wounded during a daring daylight raid on his home, the possibility of bringing back the death penalty for the possession of arms was the subject of comment by the Solicitor-General in a speech on the occasion of the opening of the Courts in January 1959. The regulation empowering imposition of the death penalty was rescinded in 1956.
109. Forty four persons were prosecuted in connexion with the forty cases of possession of arms and/or ammunition disclosed during the year. Many of these offences were not of a serious nature, and involved old weapons which were rusted and ineffective. Seizures of rifles, revolvers and automatics during the year totalled forty five, while many more, together with old ammunition, bombs, grenades, etc. were found abandoned.
ARRESTS-AGE GROUPS
110.
OFFENCES
16 & Under
Number of Persons Arrested Aged
17-20 21-30
61 &
Total
31-49 41-50 51-60
Over
Serious Off. Agt. the Person
37
70
258
138
72
21
7
603
Burglary
2
25
14
9
2
1
53
Other Breakings
2
17
50
34
23
7
133
Robberies & Assaults w.i.
2
12
40
15
1
70
Larceny from Dwelling
26
38
104
37
12
4
222
Larceny from Person
116
29
268
213
40
30
5
701
Receiving
8
10
27
13
7
7
2
74
Other Larceny Offences
551
345
1,315
1,253
606
347
54
4,471
Embezzlement & Larc. Servant
10
37
84
67
37
4
1
240
Offences involving Fraud
17
52
242
150
87
51
14
613
Unlawful Possession
49
46
355
577
395 197
28
1,647
Other Serious Offences
61
441 1,825 1,336
549 147
20
4,379
Total
879
1,099 4.593 3,847 1,838 817 133 13,206
111.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Crime committed by juveniles during the first nine months of the period under review was still low; the increase in the annual figures
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