K 8-
31. Native Craft.-Three piracies on native craft were reported during the year as against two in 1933.
On the 31st January a fishing junk No. 3366HW was anchored at For Kai Point, East of Harlem Bay, Ping Hoi District, when about eighty men armed with rifles and revolvers rowed out from the shore in small boats, and ransacked the junk stealing money and jewellery belonging to the crew.
On the 19th May fishing junk No. 287HA. whilst fishing off the Lima Islands, Chinese Waters, was pirated by eight armed pirates who stole money and effects to the value of $235, then escaped in their own boat towards the Islands.
On the 14th July an unnumbered trading junk, of two hundred piculs, was lying off Yam O in Chinese Waters near Deep Bay when eight men boarded her and fired shots causing the crew to abandon the junk, which, with its cargo, valued at $440, was sailed away by the pirates in the general direction of Macao.
SPECIAL BRANCH,
32. During the year renewed Communist activity in the Colony came to notice in May, but during September and October eight responsible communists were arrested and banished. Following these arrests the Colony remained free from organised communism for the remainder of the year.
Communist pamphlets were distributed on only two occasions and then on a very small scale. There were no communist disturbances and no strikes or labour troubles arising from communist agitation.
FINGER PRINT DEPARTMENT.
33. A summary of work executed in this Department for the year 1934 is as follows:
Year Number of Slips received Number of traces Number filed Number of Returned banishees Number of Hawkers Slips received Number of Hawkers traced 1934 20,626 6,478 5,357 19,369 433 371 1933 24,395 7,562 3,000 20,103 2,501 — Decrease.. 3,769 1,121 — 734 — — Increase ... + — 2,357 — 2,068 499