1904-1919
HONG KONG, 1914.
321
27
Small grants are also given to the Italian Convent, the French Convent (both of which take in and tend abandoned or sick infants), the West Point Orphanage, the Seamen's Hospital, and other charitable institutions.
The Chinese Public Dispensaries are institutions maintained in order to provide the Chinese with the services of doctors whose certificates will be accepted by the Registrar of Deaths, and with the services of interpreters, who can assist the inmates of houses, where a case of infectious disease has occurred. Coolies are engaged and ambulances and dead vans provided in order to remove cases of infectious disease to the Infectious Diseases Hospital and dead bodies to the Mortuary. The Dispensaries receive sick infants and send them to one or other of the convents and arrange for the burial of dead infants. Free advice and medicine are given and patients are attended at their houses. There are eight Dispensaries in existence, including one for the boat population on a hulk in Causeway Bay. The total cost of maintenance, which is defrayed by voluntary subscription, was $39,664.60 for the year 1914. The Dispensaries are conducted by committees under the chairmanship of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
VIII-CRIMINAL AND POLICE.
The total of all cases reported to the Police was 8,817, being a decrease of 3,194, or 26.59 per cent., as compared with 1913. There was in 1914 a decrease in serious offences of 467, or 13.54 per cent., as compared with the previous year. The number of serious offences reported was 596 below the average of the quinquennial period commencing with the year 1910. The number of minor offences reported shows a decrease of 2,727 as compared with 1913, and was 1,099 below the average of the quinquennial period.
The total strength of the Police Force in 1914 was Europeans 175, Indians 487, Chinese 621, making a total of 1,283 (as compared with 1,223 in 1913), exclusive in each case of the five superior officers and staff of clerks and coolies. These figures include police paid for by the Railway and other Government Departments and by private firms. Of this force 16 Europeans, 141 Indians, and 49 Chinese were stationed in the New Territories during the year, under an Assistant-Superintendent.
The District Watchmen Force, numbering 100, to which the Government contributes $2,000 per annum, was well supported by the Chinese during the year. These watchmen patrol the streets in the Chinese quarter of the City. They are placed on police beats and are supervised by the European police on section patrol.
The total number of persons committed to Victoria Gaol was 4,050 as compared with 6,885 in 1913. Of these 935 were committed for criminal offences, against 1,369 in 1913. Of committals for non-criminal offences there were 538 less under the Prepared Opium Ordinance, and one more for infringement of sanitary bylaws, than in 1913.