House
of Commons
Putty
7382 trong trong
CFIVE MINUTE PAPER.
C:0: JULY27 1871
8
14. Mr. M'Arthur,-To ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether it is true that for the purposes of revenue fifteen gaming houses are licensed in Hong Kong under the protection and with the sanction of the representative of the English Government:
Whether he has received information that a Petition praying that the licensing of these houses may be discontinued has been addressed to the Governor, signed by 917 Chinese firms and individuals :
Whether his attention has been called to the statement that at least ten millions a-year are lost and won across the tables in these gaming houses, and to the statements contained in the Petition referred to, "that of late years innumerable cases of fraud and theft arising out of losses in the gaming houses have been brought before the courts; that in consequence some have lost their means of livelihood, others their property, others have sold their sons and daughters, and others have swallowed opium and put an end to themselves;" and also to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Colony has remarked that from these causes "a tone of dishonesty has been engendered in the trades- men as well as the lower classes, and that this tone has infused itself into and demoralised the police :"
And, whether any steps are being taken by the Colonial Office to put a stop to such a state of things.
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