C 19
indication is the number of boys reported missing and not found again in Hongkong. For 1911 the number was 64 as compared with 19 in 1910 and 77 in 1909. Unfortunately the crime is still too prevalent. One case was detected through the agency of the District Watchmen's Force, and the kidnapper, a woman, sentenced to 6 months' hard labour.
In this connection it may be noted that 16 stray children were taken to the Po Leung Kuk,
The kidnapping of children for sale must continue so long as the children can be disposed of for money in respectable families. The Chinese do not view such purchases as in themselves an offence and in fact the children disposed of are in the vast majority of cases infinitely better off in their new circumstances. Purchased children could be found in probably 90 per cent. of the well-to-do Chinese families in the Colony: and in most of the cases they have all the rights and privileges of a proper member. While this is so, kidnapping is rated at its proper value-an offence just as serious in Chinese as in Western eyes: but the prevalence of the custom of purchase opens the door to abuse, and increases the difficulty of discovering and dealing with cases of kidnapping.
rare.
Cases of kidnapping from the North during the year were One child alleged to have been kidnapped from his home at Ningpo was taken to the Po Leung Kuk, but the woman who brought him from Shanghai was acquitted.
Thirty-five applications for British Born Subjects' Certificates were reported on, and three applications for naturalization. The number of certificates granted was 24 and 3 respectively.
One case of the suicide of a Chinese prostitute was investigated, and a report furnished by the Registrar General.
Compliance with the regulations laid down by the Government of the Philippines to secure the purity of lard, sausages and other meat-food products exported thither, has not presented much difficulty to Hongkong manufacturers. The briskness of this trade is shown by the inauguration at the end of the year of the Hongkong Lard and Meat Factory.
During the year the constitution of the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association has been radically altered. Besides the Managing Board there is now a Supervising Board of English and Chinese including a Government officer appointed by the Governor (the first appointment being the Registrar General), and a Consulting Committee of Chinese. It is also proposed by the Association to erect a Technical Institute, and donations from the Association in America have been promised for the building.
In March the abolition of licensed gambling in Kwong Tung was commemorated by a large meeting at the Tai Ping Theatre. It cannot however be expected to eliminate at one stroke the Chinese love of a gamble.