CO129-051 - Sir Bowring - 1855 [7-9] — Page 237

to protect the gambling establishment and the players from the consequences of

the violation of the Laws. The habit of gaming in multitudinous forms

be said to be a portion of Chinese education, and it is extraordinary how

soon the vice is developed in early

youth.

In this Colony gaming

houses are

supposed to be under the

eyes of

the

Police - but the existence of great

numbers of known - and probably

greater numbers of secret establishments, - and the universal habit wherever

Chinese

are

gathered together,

are facts of notoriety. Now

a few

Chinese

constituted

as is our

Police

system -

without

any immediate prospects

232

of finding Constables who will not wink at and profit by existing abuses - I am rather disposed to conclude that there is a balance of good, - in taking the

gaming houses

under our own immediate care,

and as a revenue

of from £4,000 to £7,000 per annum might be realized from the licensing system - which would enable us to

confer great

benefits in the Colony, it is better that this penalty upon

vice should reach the Government than be

dispersed as at present, among

those

who profit by the weakness of the power of Government, - a weakness "I see no prospect of curing.

Iz

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