177
it be
prohibited by their own laws.
11. that the Gambling Farm subserves purposes of Police, and
12. that it is
agreeable to the Chinese
theirselves.
£
The minor, but still very important, point of Revenue is not much put forward, but is frequently alluded to in the papers of which the foregoing is an abstract.
(Signed)
W. Z. Mercer. Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary's office,
21st September 1855
True Copy
Colonial Secretary
Crawford.
(Copy)
Memorandum
*J44270
I submit that I do not attach much importance to the objection supposed to exist at common law
as stated by Sir Ralph Rice, (Synopsis, re: the Licensed Gambling houses in the Straits Settlements.)
If gaming be an indictable misdemeanour at the common law, it must not be forgotten that the present question is a preparation to which that law never intended to apply. But I am strongly of opinion that apart from the circumstance always stated by the text writers as an ingredient in the offence, viz., a concourse of idle and disorderly people resorting together to game, an indictment did not lie at the common law against gamesters.