used to prevent their horses from being used for illegal purposes, while their better feelings and impulses having been called into play by the line of action adopted by Your Excellency of recognizing them as a part of the Community, they are valuable in matters and are consulted on matters affecting their interests, they are otherwise prepared, as I have learnt from personal communication with them, to co-operate actively in all measures that may be introduced for the suppression of crime.
10. This was not the case in former years. In 1864 when I took charge of the Registrar General's Office, I found the practice such that I saw few Chinese except those who had some business with the Government. But now there is a large class consisting of the most important members of the Chinese Community, who are in continual - almost daily - communication with the Registrar General. They advise him as to what is being done in the native portion of the City. They give him reports on matters affecting trade which have reached them from elsewhere. In short, they enable him to hold that position originally intended when by Ordinance he was styled "Protector of Chinese," and to keep the Executive informed.