C 7
fees for householders registration by the Regulation of Chinese Amendment Ordinance, No. 24 of 1913.
29. The number of Chinese business-men in Victoria and Kowloon offering themselves as sureties to Government Departments and reported on by this Office was 1,139 as against 811 in 1913.
These reports can say no more than that A. B. C. is (or is not) registered as master (or partner, etc.) of the Y. Z. shop at the address given and how long he has been so registered. They cannot guarantee financial standing.
30. Bonds were required to be executed by 6 non-resident householders as against 5 in 1913.
95 certified extracts from the Registers were issued. 7 Duplicate Householder Certificates were issued.
(ii)—DISTRICT WATCHMEN. (Table VI.)
31. The District Watchmen Committee met on 14 occasions, the average attendance of members being between 9 and 10. The vacancy caused on the Committee by the death of Sir Kai Ho Kai was filled by the appointment of Mr. Li Yau-tsun.
32. Among the subjects of more than passing interest that were discussed were:-the prohibition of all new Chinese Restaurants in the Central District, the building of District Watchmen's Quarters in Yaumati (*sub*), the licensing of singing girls, and the classification of Boarding Houses (emigration houses and hotels). To the usual valuable work in such matters always done by this important Committee, was in 1914 added the duty of preventing undue alarm resulting from the war conditions. The general temper of the Colony is a testimony to the value of the work done; which was detailed and unassuming, but involved a constant and careful watch.
33. The balance to the credit of the District Watchmen's Fund at the end of the year was $18,235 as compared with $18,670 on January 1st, the expenditure thus exceeding the income by some $400. The total expenditure—$29,989 as compared with $25,635 in 1913—shows a considerable increase on the figure for the previous year which is however almost entirely accounted for by the fruition of the scheme, outlined in last year's report, for erecting District Watchmen's Quarters on the Kowloon Peninsula. During the year a sum of $3,384 was expended on the purchase of a house in Yaumati for the purpose, and on architect's and solicitor's fees. The house is now in the hands of a contractor who has been engaged to make the necessary alterations: it should be ready for use by the middle of 1915. It is hoped that the establishment of this Station will have some effect in improving the present bad name of Yaumati—especially if an improved Ferry Service opens the district to a better class of residents.