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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. The total cost of maintenance was $40,185.59 for the year 1918. The Government makes an annual grant of $2,000, and the rest of the cost is defrayed by voluntary subscription. 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 8,449, being a decrease of 1,059 or 11.14 per cent, as compared with 1917. There was in 1918 an increase in serious offences of 153 or 4.47 per cent. as compared with the previous year. The number of serious offences reported was 253 over the average of the quinquennial period commencing with the year 1914. The number of minor offences reported shows a decrease of 1,212 as compared with 1917 and was 1,315 below the average of the quinquennial period.
The total strength of the Police Force in 1918 was Europeans 159, Indians 481, Chinese 588, making a total of 1,228 (as compared with 1,229 in 1917) exclusive of the five superior officers and staff of clerks and coolies. These figures include police paid for by the Railway and other Government Departments. Of this force 16 Europeans, 121 Indians, and 36 Chinese were stationed in the New Territories during the year.
Up to the end of the year one Assistant Superintendent, one Probationer, and 67 members of the Hongkong Police Force had proceeded on active service.
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 3,577 as compared with 3,386 in 1917. Of these 1,498 were committed for criminal offences, against 1,734 in 1917. Of committals for non-criminal offences there were 5 more for hawking without a licence, and 2 less for unlawfully boarding steamers, than in 1917.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 601, the average for 1917 being 600, 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 0.10. The average percentage for the last ten years was 0.12. Owing, however, to the large floating population, which is constantly moving between the Colony and Canton, the percentage