Appendix K.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, 1938.
GENERAL.
1. The year 1938 proved no less difficult than the preceding year. The last few months of 1937 had been marked by repercussions in the Colony, especially in regard to refugees, of the Japanese military operations round Shanghai. Conditions were reasonably quiet during the first few months of 1938, but extension of Japanese operations to South China caused another big influx of refugees and a general disturbance of normal conditions. The conditions prevailing in the Colony from the effects of the Sino-Japanese conflict are reflected in the number of unknown dead bodies found by police in the streets and elsewhere. From an average of just over 1,000 during the previous four years, the number rose to 2,991 in 1938. This figure alone gives one indication of the extra work thrown upon the Police, Medical and Sanitary Departments during the year.
2. Steps were taken to restrict the number of destitute refugees entering the Colony. The capture of Canton and other places caused the opening of several prisons in the neighbouring province and the arrival of many criminals in the Colony. Disruption of civil government in Chinese territory near the border led to many cases of robbery in British territory. The upward tendency of serious crime is indicated by the number of cases dealt with at criminal sessions. The number in 1938 was 167 cases, as against 150 in 1937 and 114 in 1936.
3. Despite these factors it is satisfactory to report that there was a decrease of 8% in the number of serious crimes in comparison with 1937, although this was offset by an increase in minor crimes so that the total figure for all crime was 9.3% higher than in 1937.
4. Owing to pressure of other duties it was not possible to hold a "Safety First" campaign. The increase in the number of traffic accidents testifies to the need of such campaigns in the Colony. This has been recognised by the inclusion of money for "Safety First" campaigns as an annual charge in the Police Department estimates. It is hoped to organize a campaign in 1939. Special attention will be devoted to propaganda in the way of pamphlets, street lectures and street notices. There was a very marked increase in the number of accidents, fatal and not fatal, ascribed to persons running across the streets.
5. The Police Reserve was called out for service on October 15th and rendered valuable service to the end of the year. Details are given in Annexe B.
6. The department collected $1,088,426 revenue during the year.
7. Ten more Chinese probationer sub-inspectors were recruited during the year, and three casualties occurred. Their work and progress during the year have been good, confirming the confidence I expressed last year in the future success of these officers.
8. The new police sports ground at Boundary Street, Kowloon, was formally opened by His Excellency the Governor on October 19th. It has been in regular use since. The absence of a pavilion has been a great handicap, but this will be remedied in 1939 through the generosity of Mr. Eu Tong Sen. With characteristic generosity Mr. Eu made an original gift of $20,000 to build a pavilion, providing accommodation for all contingents, and added a further $7,050 when it was found that this extra sum was necessary to carry through the desired building.