Appendix C.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS FOR THE YEAR 1918.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
(Tables I and II.)
REVENUE.
1. The revenue derived from all sources during the year was $26,678 more than that for 1917 by $15,307. The increase was mainly due to the issue of Chinese Boarding House Licences with a new scale of licence fees under the new Boarding House Ordinance, 1917, and to increases under the heads of Marriage Licences, Registration of Societies, and Permits for Firework Display: but included an item of over $4,000 being refunds of advances to artisans on Indian Account.
There were four items which showed decreases, viz., Emigration Passage Broker's Licences, Forfeitures, Certificates to Chinese entering the United States of America, and Official Signatures.
EXPENDITURE.
2. The total expenditure was $50,117 as compared with $51,867 in 1917 and fell short of the estimate by $7,369. The decrease was mainly due to the higher rate of exchange and to vacancies in certain posts.
PROTECTION OF WOMEN And Girls.
(Table III.)
Women and Girls Protection Ordinance No. 4 of 1897.
Po Leung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance No. 6 of 1893.
3. The number of persons detained under warrant and sent direct to the Po Leung Kuk during the year was 138 as compared with 158 in 1917; the action taken in each case (as also in those cases not decided at the end of 1917) is shown in Table III. The number of women whose detention was found unnecessary and who were allowed to leave after investigation was 89 or 64.5% as compared with 109 or 68.9% in 1917: 39 were sent to their native places; 4 were restored to relatives; 1 was released under bond; while 5 cases were still under consideration on December 31st.
4. Four names were added to the list of girls under bond to report themselves annually, half-yearly, or quarterly to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, a precaution taken to guard against their...