CO129-178 - Governor Hennessy - 1877 [6-8] — Page 157

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3. "must be devised to deter the Crime, An "predatory classes from making Hongkong their hunting ground. The recent increase of crime in Hongkong cannot however be entirely explained by the cause to which Sir Arthur Kennedy refers. No doubt the reduction of fares that commenced on the 7th of September 1876 in the steamers plying between Hongkong and Canton led to an increase in passengers, but I have been unable to satisfy myself that these passengers included any considerable proportion of fresh thieves.

4. On the other hand, there is reasonable ground for thinking that the increase of crime must, to some extent at all events, be traced to some other cause. The reduction of fares came into effect on the 7th of September. One of the returns I now transmit shows that before this date, the number of prisoners in the Gaol was not stationary. In the first week of July, it amounted to 390. It increased as follows:-

Week ending:

9th July 374 | 6th August 414

16th July 404 | 13th August 416

23rd July 415 | 20th August 415

30th July 397 | 27th August 413

3rd September 420

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