4189
ブレー
415
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, MARCH 2nd, 1872.
MAY it be asked what is the present state of the gambling matter in this Colony? It was understood very definitely that Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL was instructed to take steps on his return to Hongkong to put down public gambling; but so far from his doing so, all that has up to the present been done has been precisely in the opposite direction. The licences have been withdrawn from the houses, and the Hon. Mr. SMITH and Mr. DEANE have been in some way appointed to take steps to put down gaming; but in what manner their appointments have been made, or what steps they intend taking, remains a mystery, and so far as can be seen, nothing whatever is at present being done to prevent the Chinese having gambling-houses to their hearts' content.
The chief step that has been adopted since Sir RICHARD'S return has been the issue of a prohibition to the police against giving information about, or taking steps to arrest, any persons found to be illegally gambling; a measure which, looked at in a common sense light, can be taken only to mean giving the greatest encouragement to gamblers, unless it is to be supposed that the wonderful arrangements made with Messrs. SMITH and DEANE will be effectual in bringing all illicit houses to the knowledge of the Government.
It is not too much to say that if anyone deliberately wished to do all in his power to increase gambling in the Colony, he could not do better than take the steps which have been adopted by the Government. The Chinese have been told in the notification, to which we gave publicity some time ago, that the Police have nothing to do with the suppression of gambling, and that this matter rests entirely with two officials specially appointed for that purpose.
The object of this arrangement, we are told, is to prevent the Police from being bribed; but if it does effect that end, it most assuredly will not prevent bribes being given right and left to prevent any steps being taken by the authorities to interfere with public gaming houses!. Both Mr. DEANE and the Hon. Mr. SMITH are gentlemen, who are, it is superfluous to say, (above the suspicion of being open to be bribed; and they are held out to the public as a security that everything is right, and that no such bribery will take place, as would be the case of men in the position of ordinary policemen, to whom the sums which the natives are willing to pay would offer a very great temptation, were employed to put down gaming.
This would be perfectly true, as has already been noticed, if those two gentlemen were able personally to undertake the duty of suppressing gambling-houses; but they must be dependent upon subordinates, and so far as the scheme is understood at present, those subordinates will be Chinese informers.
How, then, does the matter really stand? There are a certain number of public gambling-houses kept in various parts of the Colony. The men keeping them are informed that they are quite safe from the Police, as they have been prohibited from interfering in the matter; but they are vaguely told that Mr. DEANE and Mr. SMITH will take steps for putting down their houses. Now, what will be the instinct of gambling-house keepers with this information in their possession? Will they not simply argue that if they can find out the men upon whom the two officials who have been appointed to put down gambling are dependent for information, and bribe them to keep quiet, they will be left to carry on their illicit houses in peace?
With the knowledge of the extent to which the Chinese are willing to bribe, it is impossible to come to any other conclusion than that this will be the plan resorted to; and the Government must have a very unwarranted confidence in the Chinese informants whom it employs if it imagines that they will not be quite aware of the lucrative account to which their position can be turned, and quite willing to make such use of it.
Thus, while we are flattering ourselves that steps are being taken to prevent the Chinese from resorting to bribery for the purpose of carrying on illicit gambling, we are really opening the door for more uncontrolled corruption than has ever been in ...
4189
ブレー
415
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, MARCH 2nd, 1872.
MAY it be asked what is the present state of the gambling matter in this Colony? It was understood very definitely that Sir R1- CHARD MACDONNELL was instructed to take steps on his return to Hongkong to put down publie gambling; but so far from his doing so, all that has up to the preseut been done has been precisely in the opposito di rection. The licences have been withdrawn from the houses, and the Hon. Mr. Surr and Mr. DEANs have been in some way ap- pointed to take steps to put down gaming; but in what manner their appointments have been made, or what steps they intend taking, remains a mystery, and so far as can be seen, nothing whatever is at present being done to prevent the Chinese having gambling-houses to their hearts' content. The chief step: that has been adopted since Sir RICHARD'S return has been the issue of a prohibition to the police against giving information about, or taking steps to arrest, any persons found to be illegally gambling; a measure which, looked at in a common sense light, can be taken only to mean giving the greatest encouragement to gamblers, unless it is to be supposed that the wonderful arrangements made with Messrs. SMITH and DEANE will be effectual in bringing all illicit houses to the knowledge of the Government. It is not too much to say that if anyone deliberately wished to do all in his power to increase gambling in the Colony, he could not do better than take the steps which have been adopted by the Government. The Chinese have been told in the notification, to which we gave publicity some time ago, that the Police have nothing to do with the sup- pression of gambling, and that this matter rests entirely with two officials specially ap- pointed for that purpose. The object of this arrangement, we are told, is to prevent the Police from being bribed; but if it does effect that end, it most assuredly will not preventi bribes being given right and left to prevent any steps being taken by the authorities to
interfere with public gaming houses!. Both Mr. DEANE and the Hon. Mr. SMITH are gentlemen, who are, it is superfluous to say, (above the suspicion of being open to be bribed; and they are held ont to the public as a security that everything is right, and that no such bribery will take place, as would be the case of men in the position of ordinary policemen, to whom the sums which the natives are willing to pay would offer a very great temptation, were employed to put down. gaming. This would be perfectly true, as has already been noticed, if those two gentle- men were able personally to undertake the duty of suppressing gambling-bouses; but they must be dependent apon subordinates, and so far as the soleme is understood at present, those subordinates will be Chinese informers. How, then, does the matter really stand? There are a certain number of pub. lic gambling-houses kept in various parts of the Colony. The men keeping them are. informed that they are quite safe from the Police, as they have been prohibited from interfering in the matter; bat they are vaguely told that Mr. DEANE and Mr. SMITH will take steps for putting down their houses. Now, what will be the instinct of gambling- house keepers with this information in their possession? Will they not simply argue that if they can find out the men upon whom the two officials who have been appointed to put down gambling are dependent for in- formation, and bribe them to keep quiet, they will be left to carry on their illicit bouses in peace ? With the knowledge of the ex- ent to which the Chinese are willing to bribe, it is impossible to come to any other conclu sion than that this will be the plan resorted to; and the Government must have a very unwarranted confidence in the Chinese in-. formants whom it employs if it imagines that they will not be quite aware of the lucrative account to which their position can be turned, and quite willing to make such use of it.
Thus, while we are flattering ourselves that steps are being taken to prevent the Chinese from resorting to bribery for the purpose of carrying on illicit gambling, we| are really opening the door for more uncon- trolled corruption than has ever been in
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