force before; the only difference being that native, instead of European, informers will receive the money. The advantage which is placed against this is that the Police Force will not be corrupted; but if their not being subject to bribery is to be attained only by a system which will permit gambling to go on unchecked, we had far better at once declare that we have no intention of attempting to put down gambling, because we cannot get hold of Policemen who will be impervious to the bribes that will be offered to them. This is the only form in which the question can be practically decided. If we have not European informers upon whose integrity, taken generally, we can rely, it is obvious that we cannot put down gambling, because it is not a matter of opinion but of certainty that the only other informants, that is Chinese informants, whom we can have, will be open to bribery, and consequently any intermediate measure must fail.
It is to be hoped that this point will be clearly understood at the Colonial Office, so that a correct idea may be formed of the merits of the steps which Sir RICHARD has taken for putting down gambling. If Earl KIMBERLEY himself were appointed to accomplish this in the manner which has been adopted, we should not have any more security against bribery than we should have with the Police Force, because he must employ native informers, who not only would receive bribes to hush up what they discovered, but would make use of Earl KIMBERLEY'S name for the purpose of increasing the amount of their exactions. Why it is to be supposed that Mr. DEANE will be less misled as a special officer, to suppress gambling than when Head of Police, and Mr. SMITH as an Assistant Suppressor be less liable to be kept in the dark than as Registrar-General, it is difficult to understand. Until it is shown that native informers are less liable to be bribed than European informers, it cannot possibly be maintained that the measures which have been adopted will be of the slightest use either in suppressing gambling or diminishing bribery. In point of fact, all that has been done up to the present amounts to the licences having been removed; but no steps whatever have been taken towards putting down gambling. Indeed, we are informed that public gambling houses are going on unrestrained in a variety of places, and that their existence is thoroughly well-known to many of the Police.
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force before; the only difference being that native, instead of European, informers will receive the money. The advantage which is placed against this is that the Police Force will not be corrupted; but if their not being subject to bribery is to be attained only by a system which will permit gambling to go on unchecked, we had far better at once declare that we have no intention of attempting to put down gambling, because we cannot get hold of Policemen who will be impervious to the bribes that will be offered to them. This is the only form in which the question can be practically decided. If we have not European informers upon whose integrity, taken generally, we can rely, it is obvious that we cannot put down gambling, because it is not a matter of opinion but of certainty that the only other informants, that is Chi nese informants, whom we can have, will be open to bribery, and consequently any in- termediate measure must fail.
It is to be hoped that this point will be clearly understood at the Colonial Office, so that a correct idea may be formed of the merits of the steps which Sir RICHARD has taken for putting down gambling. If Earl KIMBERLEY himself were appointed to ac- complish this in the manner which has been adopted, we should not have any more se- curity against bribery than we should have with the Police Force, because he must em. ploy native informers, who not only would receive bribes to hush up what they discover- ed, but would make use of Earl KIMBERLEY'S name for the purpose of increasing the amount of their exactions. Why it is to be supposed that Mr. DEANE will be, less misled as a special officer, to suppress gambling than when Head of Police, and Mr. SMITH as an Assistant Suppressor be less liable to be kept the dark than as Registrar-General, it is difficult to understand. Until it is shown that native informers are less liable to be bribed than European informers, it cannot possibly be maintained that the measures which have been adopted will be of the slightest use either in suppressing gambling or diminishing bribery. In point of fact, all that has been done up to the present amounts to the licences having been removed; but no steps whatever have been taken towards put- ting down gambling. Indeed, we are in- formed that public gambling houses are going ou unrestrained in a variety of places, and that their existence is thoroughly well- known to many of the Police.
416
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