large class of persons, who were known to the Police as old or notorious offenders, and who could not venture to frequent the Licensed Houses, whilst the Licensed Houses were of course obliged to be shut during Sundays or 52 days in the Year, a circumstance which worked in favor of illegal or any other Gambling Haunts that might remain open, whilst the Licensed Houses were shut, amongst a people so prone to indulge in gambling as the Chinese visitors to and residents in this City,
14 Reverting now more immediately to Mr. Keswick's question, he must repeat that none of the money received under the License system could as yet be considered available for public purposes. He would not deny that his reason told him that inasmuch as this money had really accrued accidentally, in consequence of a measure which was introduced solely for Police purposes, it was unwise not to use it. Still he could not help a certain sympathy with those who cried out, however wildly, against the acquisition of a revenue from such a source as this, and the Council must not expect him to exert himself personally to obtain the use of that money for the Colony. Nevertheless, that point was one of detail, and not of principle. If it were the only difficulty, the money could be thrown into the sea, and the question be at once disembarrassed of that casual encumbrance.
The amount charged, which had already fallen to $14,500 a month, might perhaps eventually be reduced to $12,000, if that sum proved sufficient to secure the zealous co-operation on the part of the License Holders so that whilst securing fair profits, they might be enabled at the same time to render their establishments more efficient for Police purposes. As yet, however, the experience of Government had not been sufficient to justify more than conjecture on that point.
16 On the whole he thought that every dispassionate inquirer must admit that the system had diminished crime. He declined, however, to argue with those who virtually maintained, that a Government was bound rather to ignore the existence of a vice and tacitly permit its continuance to the injury of the Public interests, rather than take any measure to suppress it, which, admitting the truth of its unavoidable existence, endeavoured to control what could not be suppressed. There certainly was no room at all for doubt that recent measures had increased the efficiency of the Police, by removing the chief element of corruption, viz., the receipt of bribes for their protection of the illegal Houses which kept them on pay. That, moreover, was the opinion of the Chinese themselves. When he had lately received a number of respectable Chinese residents to confer with him as to the Kidnapping Ordinance, the subject of gambling had then arisen, and they all admitted the general diminution of crime and the great improvement in the Police.
'Nevertheless several had declared themselves desirous that the recent legislation should be done away with. It was some time before he could reconcile this wish with the admissions which they had previously made, till he found that they shrank from the responsibility thrown on them by the Registration Ordinance, which compelled them to take care that the Houses of which they were owners should not be converted into Gambling Houses or houses of ill-fame. He, therefore, specially warned them that they must never under any circumstances expect to see that arrangement modified, and he would now warn the Council that when they heard of any feeling on the part of the respectable Chinese against the Licensed Gambling Houses they might rely on it that such feeling, if it existed at all, was merely a selfish dislike in 9 cases out of 10 to the responsibility imposed on Landlords by the new Registry Ordinance for the conduct of their tenants in certain matters, whilst so far as he could judge from his interviews with the better class of Chinese, the latter mixed up the two questions, and supposed that if the Licensed Houses were closed, their responsibility under the Registration Ordinance would cease. In point of fact they sought thereby what was opposed to their real interests, because the establishment of places where play could be legally followed diminished the responsibility to which they objected, as it left less temptation to their tenants to start illegal Gambling in their houses, and he had tried to explain this to them. These discursive remarks, however, the Governor said, had better come to an end, though the statement which he had been led by Mr. Keswick's question into making would probably not be without interest to the community.
The CHIEF JUSTICE asked what was the total amount of the sums which had accumulated under the Gambling Licenses.
The GOVERNOR said about $155,000.
Mr. RYRIE asked if the Governor thought it likely that the keepers of the houses really would exclude respectable persons.
The GOVERNOR thought that all Foreigners of respectability would be able to gain admittance, but that the majority of the upper class of Chinese servants would certainly find it necessary to go to their own clubs.
Mr. RYRIE said these measures were not found necessary in other large Eastern cities.
JUDGE BALL said that there could be no doubt about the fact that crime had diminished in this Colony.
The CHIEF JUSTICE corroborated this.
Mr. RYRIE asked whether it could not be attributed to something else than the Gambling Houses.
The CHIEF JUSTICE said that the depression of trade would naturally have the effect of increasing crime. What did Mr. Ryrie allude to?
Mr. RYRIE would not pretend to find an explanation himself.
The GOVERNOR said that if anyone wished to bring forward a motion to test the opinion of the Council on this subject, he had no objection, provided it could be done consistently with the Rules which governed their proceedings as a Legislative body. The Council he was sure was not a body which would form an opinion hastily or without taking trouble and ascertaining facts.
Mr. RYRIE thought there must be some other means of stopping crime; other Governments did not find it necessary to resort to this expedient.
The GOVERNOR said that the circumstances of Hongkong were altogether peculiar and they must adapt themselves to circumstances, if they could not bend the latter to their will. Most unquestionably such a policy would in Europe be wholly unjustifiable, and in England would be at once criminal and disreputable.