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about licensing gambling, nor would it suggest the idea that such a scheme was contemplated. He says that this intention was published on the 17th June of this year. Thus our charge is established for before that date the Governor had, by private correspondence, obtained the desired ratification from the Home Government. The history of this measure, extracted from the colonial newspapers, is given at length and without reservation at the commencement of this pamphlet. Immediately upon this measure being made public this year, a protest was made against it. Such protest would assuredly have been made last year had the government scheme been known to the public then. That not a word of opposition was breathed from any quarter is conclusive proof that the project was kept secret.
If corroboration were needed, section 9 of the Governor's reply furnishes a convincing proof. There Sir Richard states "at least all the non-official members of the council, so far back as the passing of the Ordinance last year were well acquainted with and entirely approved of the alternative given to the Executive." From this it appears that the Governor cannot venture to assert that all the members of Council knew of this scheme last year. All the non-official members knew it. But surely had it been made public in the Legislative Council, all the official members, and the reporters of the press, must have had equal opportunity of knowledge with Messrs. Whittall, Dent and Gibb.
(6) His Excellency's arguments in favour of licensing are three:---
I---There are gangs of illegal gamblers who resort to secret lairs which are the schools and nurseries
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of crime wherein nine-tenths of the burglaries and daring crimes are planned.
Undoubtedly there is a certain amount of illegal gambling always going on. That gambling is a fruitful source of crime is one of our arguments against the licensing system. Sir Richard admits that gambling will be increased under the proposed system. Therefore the crimes committed by impoverished gamblers will increase also. There is a natural and necessary connection between the two.
There is not, however, any natural and necessary connection between gambling houses and the lairs of criminals. If the criminal class can no longer assemble in gambling houses, they will find secret haunts elsewhere. Sir Richard will but "change the place and keep the pain."
Any one unacquainted with the state of Hongkong might be led by Sir Richard's remarks, to suppose that the Colony was driven by dire necessity to unusual measures of self defence against robbers and burglars. But the public here generally admits that Hongkong was never so free from these crimes as within the last few months. This is owing doubtless to the energetic administration of the present Governor, to the wise regulations he has introduced for the Registration of the Chinese, and to the severe but salutary treatment of convicted criminals. Burglary, garrotting and other crimes have been committed even in London. They are certainly not so much more frequent in Hongkong as to justify such an extraordinary preventive measure as the licensing of public gambling houses.
II---His Excellency's second argument is that the gambling house keepers will prove valuable assistants to the police in putting down illegal gambling.
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about licensing gambling, nor would it suggest the idea that such a scheme was contemplated. He says that this intention was published on the 17th June of this year. Thus our chargo is established for before that date the Governor had by private cor- respondence, obtained the desired ratification from the Home Government. The history of this measure extracted from the colonial newspapers, is given at length and without reservation at the commencement of this pamphlet. Immediately upon this measure being made public this year, a protest was made against it. Such protest would assuredly have been made last year had the government schome been known to the public then. That not a word of op position was breathed from any quarter is conclusive proof that the project was kept scnet.
If corroboration were needed, section 9 of the Governor's reply furnishes a convincing proof. There Sir Richard states "at least all the non-official mom- bers of the council, so far back as the passing of the Ordinance last year were well acquainted with and entirely approved of the alternative given to the Ex- ecutive." From this it appears that the Governor cannot venture to assert that all the members of Council knew of this scheme last year. All the non- official members knew it. But surely had it been made public in the Legislative Council, all the official members, and the reporters of the press, must have had equal opportunity of knowledge with Messrs. Whittall, Dent and Gibb.
(6) His Excellency's arguments in favour of liceus- ing are three:---
I-There are gangs of illegal gamblers who resort to secret lairs which are the schools and nurseries
17
of crime wherein nine-tenths of the burglaries and daring crimes are planned.
Undoubtedly there is a certain amount of illegal gambling always going on. That gambling is a fruit- ful Source of crime is one of our arguments against the licensing system. Sir Richard admits that gam- bling will be increased under the proposed system. Therefore the crimes committed by impoverished gamblers will increase also. There is a natural and necessary connection between the two.
There is not, however, any natural and necessary connection between gambling houses and the lairs of criminals. If the criminal class can no longer assem. ble in gambling houses, they will find secret haunts elsewhere. Sir Richard will but "change the place and keep the pain."
Any one unacquainted with the state of Hongkong might be led by Sir Richard's remarks, to suppose that the Colony was driven by dire necessity to un- usual measures of self defence against robbers and burglars. But the public here generally admits that Hongkong was never so free from these crimes as within the last few months. This is owing doubtless to the energetic administration of the present Gov- ernor, to the wise regulations he has introduced for the Registration of the Chinese, and to the severe but salutary treatment of convicted criminals. Bur. glary, garrotting and other crimes have been commit- ted even in London. They are certainly not so much more frequent in Hongkong as to justify such an extraordinary preventive measure as the licensing of public gambling houses.
II-His Excellency's second argument is that the gambling house keepers will prove valuable assistants to the police in putting down illegal gambling.
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