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division of these cases into serious and minor offences there is an increase in the former as compared with the previous year of 263 or 7.86 per cent.
The number of serious offences reported was 242 over the average of the quinquennial period commencing with the year 1906. The number of minor offences reported shows a decrease of 293 as compared with 1909, and was 823 below the average of the quinquennial period.
The total strength of the Police Force for 1910 was Europeans 133, Indians 384, Chinese 525, making a total of 1,042 as compared with 1,054 in 1909 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 13 Europeans, 99 Indians and 47 Chinese were stationed in the New Territories during the year, under the District Officer.
The District Watchmen Force, numbering 124, 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 4,867 as compared with 5,215 in 1909. Of these 1,212 were committed for criminal offences, against 1,325 in 1909. Of committals for non-criminal offences there were 296 more under the Prepared Opium Ordinance and 21 less for infringement of Sanitary Bye-laws.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 547, the average for 1909 being 560 and the highest previous average being 726 in 1904. The percentage of prisoners to population, according to the daily average of the former and the estimated number of the latter was 1.4, which is the average percentage for the last ten years. Owing, however, to the large floating population, which is constantly moving between the Colony and Canton, the percentage of crime to population does not convey an accurate idea of the comparative criminality of the residents of the Colony. The Gaol, as the result of recent extensions, has now accommodation for 590 prisoners.
The prison discipline was satisfactory, the average of punishments per prisoner being 1.33 as compared with 1.38 in 1909 and 1.27 in 1908.
Long sentence prisoners serving two years and upwards are taught useful trades, including printing, book-binding, washing, carpentry, boot-making, net-making, painting and white-washing, mat-making, tailoring, oakum-picking, etc. The profit on the work done was $48,902 as against $43,946 in 1909.
There was $4,253 received and credited to Government for non-Government work against $4,809 in 1909.