affairs in the Police. The Public look to the Police to protect their lives and property directly, and expect them not to devote themselves,
as they did in former years, they might do again, if the opportunity were afforded, nominally to suppressing but really to protecting Gambling. Though Gambling indirectly interferes with the Government of Colony, such Police duties have always inevitably involved a still more direct and pregnant evil, viz: the receiving of bribes. An equally great bribing power exists at this moment, and it surely is expedient to divert its operation from the Police Force. If hereafter we find that it has affected the present system, it will then be time to alter the latter.
9. It must, however, be borne in mind that bribery of the Chinese detectives could not easily remain long concealed. For in addition to the safeguard already referred to, we have now, actively engaged on the side of good order, a large number of respectable and wealthy Chinese Merchants and Trades, who have been placed in a position to aid the Executive in carrying out the law. They themselves are directly interested in...
taken to