CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 541

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generally more attractive I have strongly to recommend that

the Police Pension Regulations be amended so as to allow à

Member of the Force to retire on pension on completing 20

years' service. The present rule which promises a pension

after 15 years' service but stipulates that a man must first

have attained the age of 45 years leads often to misunderstand-

ing and consequent dissatisfaction and involves undesirable

distinctions between men who join at varying ages besides

necessitating the rule that recruits must be under 25 years

of age which militates against recruiting especially in the

Indian and Chinese Contingents for which many candidates over

that age offer themselves.

I consider that the promise of a pension

after 20 years' service would probably assist the recruiting

of young men in England from some of the Home Forces or who

have not yet had any Police Service.

9.

I attach copy of a report which I called

for from the Senior Police Magistrate and the Acting Captain

Superintendent of Police on the increase of crime and increased

number of prisoners in the Gaol.

This report shows that there was a large

increase in crime in the 1st. quarter of the current year and

a still further increase in the 3rd. quarter of the year.

This increase in crime is in my opinion largely due to the

increased number of Steamers running between Hongkong and

Canton and Hongkong and Macao and to the reduction of fares

as the result of competition in the traffic.

Six Steamers run daily now to Canton whereas

formerly there were only 3 and the fares have been reduced

since

closure 2.

otober, 1903,