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"Persons" have declined from 39 in 1879 to 25 in 1880; cases of Burglary have declined from 101 to 53; cases "Unlawful possession" have declined from 333 to 226; and Larcenies have fallen from 1850 to 1662.
2. The number of persons convicted of Kidnapping has nearly doubled, from 38 in 1879 to 68 in 1880, but this has arisen from the detection and punishment of Kidnappers owing to the action of the Chinese Society, the institution of which Your Lordship sanctioned last year.
3. In what are called in the Police Returns, "Minor Offences", there has been an increase, due to the strict instructions given to the Inspectors of Nuisances and to the Police to look sharply after Nuisances, Gambling, and the night-pass system. In common assaults there has been a decrease.
4. The influx of Chinese from the mainland and the increase of the Chinese population has been unusually great in the past year. I am happy to add that I have been able to enforce the Criminal law without a single case of flogging, of branding or of the deportation of a Chinese during 1880.