316
It will be observed that I have not exactly followed the directions contained in the Terms of charging certain particular items of Police expenditure against special fund; because I found it quite impracticable to decide how far any
The
Agent
was employed at
any
particular time
on duties which might be considered as specially connected with
439 2790-6
and
the Gambling System.
The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos states in his despatch No. 80 of 30th April 1868 that, "the determined propensity of the Chinese to gambling
The Establishments which that propensity calls into existence render it necessary to maintain a Police far more expensive
than
would otherwise be required." This is undoubtedly the case, and I have therefore thought it best to fix upon some sum by which the Colony shall be chargeable with what may be called its normal Police Force,
and the special fund simply charged with such surplus expenditure for the suppression of
The
Gambling
and Crime generally as the revenue received from the Gaming Houses, have alone enabled the Government to incur.
I have taken therefore the expenditure of the year 1866 (the year before the Gambling Licenses were granted) as representing what may be called the regular expenditure of the Colony on its Police Force. The expenditure of that year was higher than any previous one, and the Colony has not since then increased
50