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efforts of the Water Police that the various Harbour craft and steam launches resumed work. In the beginning of July, raids on a large scale were instituted in Victoria and Kowloon. Great assistance was rendered by the officers and men of the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment and the 5/2 Punjab Regiment. Valuable results attended these raids, and a considerable number of idlers returned to work rather than face the risk of repatriation to Canton. Crime was heavy during the first 7 months of the year. From August onwards there was a most remarkable improvement.
The almost entire interruption of communication with Canton from August onwards, enabled the Police to exercise a much closer supervision than is normally possible over all arrivals in the Colony. The special auxiliary organizations assisted in a better watch being kept in the streets both by day and by night. The Labour Protection Bureau which was formed for dealing with intimidators did most useful work both in this and other directions. Apart from the favourable conditions, from a Police point of view, existing during the latter part of the year, the breaking up of several gangs of armed robbers, notably one in the Kowloon City District, materially contributed to the decrease in Serious Crime. A large number of Special Constables did excellent work during the acute period of the Strike and Boycott. I wish to draw special attention to the services of Mr. T. H. King, Director of Criminal Intelligence, who was responsible for the preliminary anti-strike arrangements from the outbreak of the Strike on June 19th until my return from Wei Hai Wei on July 9th.
Contrary to expectations, the Revenue collected by the Police Department during the year was $375,832, only $13,344 less than in 1924.
2. Piracy of S. S. "Hong Hwa" on 13-16th Jan. 1925.—The S. S. Hong Hwa, Ho Hong Steamship Company of Singapore, running between Rangoon, Penang, Singapore, Hongkong, Swatow and Amoy, was pirated 6 days out from Singapore in Lat. 14° 53′ N. Long. 110° 24′ E., on 13th January, 1925, at 8.40 a.m. while on a voyage from Singapore to Hongkong. She was carrying 357 passengers. The pirates numbering about 30 (armed with revolvers), took the ship to Tsang Chau Island, Bias Bay, and left the ship in the ship's boats, on the 16th January taking with them money, jewellery and clothing to the value of $53,360. From information received it would appear that the pirates came mostly from Min Shan or Fan Lo Kong and travelled to Singapore where they procured arms and boarded the ship as passengers. The leader of this gang is said to be a man named Lo Ah Chiu, a native of Fan Lo Kong. The ship carried wireless which was immediately put out of action by the pirates. Hakka and Hoklo was mostly spoken by the pirates but some spoke Fukien and a few Punti. This ship did not come under the Hongkong Piracy Prevention Ordinance.