1877 — Page 266

TABLE D.

Casualtirs in the Police Fonce during the Your 1877.

Force.

Dentlis.

Resignatious through Sickness.

Resignations through Expiry of

Transferred

Service or other

Dismissals. Pensioned. Desertions.!

Спинея.

to other Department.

1

Totul.

Europeans,

Indians,

සස

Chinese,

3

000

19

"

17

12

10 10 01

5

18

***

3

I

1

3

253

24

33

54

Total,.... 0

10

31

22

20

4

3

111

Central Police Station, Hongkong, 16th February, 1878.

E.

C. V. CREAOK,

Acting Captain Superintendent of Police.

POLICE SCHOOL, HONGKONG, 1st February, 1878.

SIR, I have the honour to forward for your perusal the Report on the Police School for the year ending 31st Decem- ber, 1877.

2. During the year, the School has been pursuing a quiet course of usefulness. The sad death of Mr. GAIR has been a great loss to the School: his intimate knowledge of Police work, and his excellence as a teacher, made his services especi- ally valuable, and it was a difficult matter to fill his place satisfactorily. Mr. DUGGAN however since his appointment has performed his duties well, and increased experience will make him a very valuable teacher.

3. Mr. CHEUNG-A-LEUNG, who left för a post in the Chinese Mission to Japan, was succeeded by Mr. CHIU-CHI-TBUNO. 4. As a large number of Europeans now possess exemption certificates, and a considerable number have left the Colony on the expiration of their term of service, the attendance lins been small, but as only three of the last draft succeeded in passing the examination I expect a larger attendance during 1878. The number of men who presented themselves during the year for examination was 19, of whom 13 passed and the remainder failed. A feature worthy of note in the examinations of this year is that a number of those who passed consisted of men whose education had been neglected in early life, but who are now qualified for promotion, which they could never hope to obtain but for the education received at the school.

5. To make the teaching of the Europeans as practical as possible, I have introduced the Police Regulations as a text book, and have made the writing of Reports a weekly exercise.

6. There have been two examinations of the Indian Constables during the year, one, to test their knowledge of English and Chinese in order to select two intelligent men for Corporalships; the other was the ordinary Annual Examination. The first examination has produced a most satisfactory effect. The fact that a knowledge of English and Chinese led to promotion has caused a greater interest to be taken in these studies by a larger number of men, and accordingly I am able to report a marked progress on the part of the Indians during the year, and at the examination at its close much higher results were obtained, than at the examinations of previous years, I may note that one Indian Corporal passed the Euro- peua examination.

7. Towards the end of the year the attendance of the Constables was considerably diminished in consequence of ball practice at Kowloon, but this was partly compensated by the attendance of Indian Candidates, who, while waiting for a vacancy in the force, employ their leisure in the study of English and Chinese.

They make good 8." I have to make the same Report on the Chinese Constablos that has been made in previous years. progress in the time they are allowed to come to school; in some instances more than can be reasonably expected under the circumstances. Still, as long as promotions are mule from the ranks to Interpreterships, so long will these men make Three Interpreters have up by private study for the loss of school time of which the exigencies of the service deprive them. been taken from the school, and one English speaking Lokang transferred for service to the Gaol department during the year.

9. In conclusion I beg to throw out the suggestion that the scheme of quarterly examinations be so extended us to comprise promotions to Sergeantships and even to liigher positions in the service. Such a scheme would induce many of the more studious men to prosecute their studies after their attendance at school is no longer compulsory. I am sure that if it were understood that a higher grade certificate formed a factor in selection for promotion, a very large number of men would work to obtain it.

The following are the Statistics for the year:—

Nationality.

Europeans,.

Indians, Chinese,..

School daya, 150

152

70

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Average Attendance.

4.10 28.07 115.40

Your most obedient Servant,

ALEXANDER FALCONER,

Master in Charge.