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the night time. It appeared to the Major General and Council that all the ends of nocturnal security might be obtained without these unnecessary noises, and a Proclamation to that effect was first issued. This however, from want of legal power to enforce it, produced an aggravation of the evil, and rendered a specific Ordinance necessary, to prevent the Government being treated with contempt. As the subject matter is scarcely of sufficient importance for a separate enactment it is my intention to have it comprised in the Police Ordinance: No. 5 of 1844, which by Your Lordship's directions, is under revision with the assistance of the Chief Justice.
+ Ordinance No: 18, Entitled, An Ordinance to repeal the Ordinance. * Vide Dup 7/7 - 11 June (1847)-
No: 80
"No: 16 of 1844, and to establish a Registry and Census of the inhabitants of the island of Hongkong, was reported on in my despatch No: 70, of December 14.
As far as regards the European population, the object was to obtain the means of taking that census which is required by the instructions relating to the Blue Book. The Community of this place have made no objection whatever to contributing the returns and information hereby required, on the principle of the last Census Act in England, although when coupled with the payment of money, as provided by Ordinance 16 since repealed, they offered a factious opposition.
The necessity of registering the Chinese population obviously arose from the peculiar character of the place, only