1876 — Page 235

No. 30.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Report from the Captain Superintendent of Police, for the year 1876, is published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 5th February, 1877.

[No. 16.]

J. GARDINER Austin, Colonial Secretary.

VICTORIA, HONGKONG, 31st January, 1877. Sin, I have the honour to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the Annual Police Report, Statistics for the Blue Book, and Returns of Crime for the year 1876.

2. Compared with the returns for the year 1875, an increase of 19.43 per cent is shown on all cases reported; an increase exists of 6.45 on Serious Crime, and of 23.86 on Minor Offences.

case.

3. The increase in Serious Crime is caused by 11 more cases of Highway Robbery, and by 121 more cases of Larceny occurring than in 1875. Of the reports of highway robbery, two were false, and in eight cases the property stolen was so small as to average under the value of $4 in each On one occasion only was property worth more than $25 stolen, and that case deserves partica- lar comment. Four men conspired together to obtain money from a Chinese Bank. One of them induced the Manager to send a coolie with him with about $500. He took the coolic to Zetland Street, where he was joined by his three confederates, and together they maltreated the coolle; and escaped for the time with $266. The coolie subsequently died on the Mainland from the wounds inflicted. Within a week, full information was received as to the guilty parties, who had, in the mean- while, escaped from the Colony, but owing, to the co-operation of H. B. M.'s Consul at Canton and of the Chinese Authorities, two of the men were shortly afterwards arrested and judged by the Chinese Tribunals.

4. The increase in Miscellaneous Offiences is caused by the number of persons arrested as Men- dicants and as unlicensed Hawkers.

5. With regard to the Mendicants, arrangements have been made for the reception by the Chinese Authories of all Lepers sent to Canton. There has consequently been a marked decrease in the number of Mendicants of this class found within the last few months in the Colony. The Government lave ordered the erection of some cells near the Police Stables at West Point for the temporary detention of Lepers, and an Ordinance awaits confirmation which authorises the Officer in command of the Police to deport such persons forthwith.

6. The number of unlicensed Hawkers is very large, and they cause a great deal of obstruction. It would be desirable if more Market accommodation could be afforded in the City. The out-villages have, as a rule, so increased in size, that it will be necessary to apply throughout the Colony the law as to the taking out of licences by Hawkers. At the same time, I think it would be more convenient if the licensing of Hawkers (and of Chair Coolics) should be transferred from the Registrar General's to the Police Department. The law, moreover, should be enlarged so as to deal with Marine Hawkers, Hawkers of goods on board ships, and with Barbers and other persons carrying on business in the Streets.

7. The consolidation of the Deportation Ordinances was a work that was much needed; for the punishment for Breach of Conditional Pardon was simply the completion of the original sentence, and when this was done, branded men might live without molestation in the Colony; but now they can be re-deported. During 1876, 49 Chinese prisoners were deported and 28 released from Gaol on Condi- tional Pardons granted, as a rule, on the completion of half the term of sentence. As shown in Table D., 27 men were arrested for being found in the Colony after having been deported or pardoned con- ditionally.

8. In certain cases of Larceny and Highway Robbery it was observed that the crimes had been cominitted by Chin-Chiu men, who had previously, as a class, enjoyed a reputation for honesty in this Colony. The detection of the offenders was the more difficult, as I was unable to find men who could speak that dialect, who were suitable for Police duties and could procure the necessary security.

9. Considering the returns for the year as a whole, they may fairly be deemed satisfactory, pecially when the developement of the City, and of certain Villages, is considered, as well as the mereased facilities that have been afforded for the influx of strangers into the Colony.