The China Mail.
HONG KONG, THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1903.
Mr Humphreys has performed a service in calling attention to the ease of unpunished crime in the Colony. In a letter addressed to our contemporary, he quotes three criminal acts, and then states he is informed that there were no less than 71 thefts in different parts of the Colony on one day. Mr Humphreys suggests a stricter enforcement of the Vagrancy Act, which, we take it, means that His Excellency the Governor should exercise the powers conferred on him by Ordinance to deport undesirable aliens.
It is not merely this common form of crime only, that many Europeans, when robbed, never entertain the thought of reporting the affair to the police. In his report for 1902, Mr F. J. Badeley, Captain Superintendent of Police, states that the value of the property reported stolen during the year was $248,469, and of this only $10,383 was recovered.
We quote these figures not as showing the inefficiency of the Police Force, which has its own handicaps to overcome, but as proving the loss a section of the community has to suffer at the hands of undetected criminals. This is not all. Mr Badeley informs the Government that during 1902, there was an increase of cases reported to the police of 13.61 per cent., and it is important to observe that in the division of these cases into serious and minor offences there appears an increase, as compared with 1901, of 594 (or 17.45 per cent.) in serious cases, and of 655 (or 11.35 per cent.) in minor cases. The increase, as compared with 1901, in serious cases is a matter of grave concern.
Burglary or Larceny in dwelling...321 Assault with intent to rob...11 Kidnapping, &c.,...2 Unlawful Possession...79 Larceny...612 Felonies, not already stated...18 Deduct decrease in Robbery...16 Total......594The nature of some of the serious cases might be stated. They include 4 cases of murder; 11 manslaughter; 1 not taken into account; 34 gang-robberies, in connection with 10 of which only people were arrested, although 15 cases took place in the City of Victoria; 14 cases of robberies from junks and boats: 18 street and highway robberies (one European lady robbed on Magazine Gap Road of a silver watch, gold pencil case, $7, &c.), in only 6 of which were persons arrested; and 146 cases of housebreaking, &c.
Mr Humphreys' suggestion commends itself to all residents, European or Chinese, whose duty it is to keep the Colony clear of undesirable criminals. Now, this is a duty upon the Government, and if shown that crime is on the increase, then it will be the duty of the community—as was done in 1901 in connection with the sanitary question—to petition the Secretary of State for the Colonies. It is highly undesirable that the Colony should be allowed to drift into the state it was in during the administration of Sir John Pope Hennessy.
His ultra-humanitarian policy was responsible for a great increase of serious crime, so much so that an indignation meeting was held on the Cricket Ground, and a series of resolutions passed practically condemning the then Governor. It will be a lamentable blunder if, by inaction, His Excellency allows a feeling of insecurity to life and property to grow up in the Colony.
The community may not be so independent as it was in 1879, but the instinct of self-preservation is still as strong in human nature, and the public will not allow itself to be bled too freely out of consideration for official feelings.
The relationship between the Colonies and the Mother Country has changed since Sir John Pope Hennessy's time, and there is more interest taken in Colonial affairs nowadays by the Press in England, by means of which local grievances can be forced upon the attention of the Imperial authorities.
The increase of crime in the Colony and the inability of the police to keep down the number of undesirable aliens in the Colony, and it is surely sufficient to convince the Executive that some reform is necessary in the treatment of Chinese criminals. By the sentences imposed, the Police Magistrates and Judges of the Supreme Court may do their part to grapple with the problem. He has the means at hand with which to deal drastically with the criminal class, and it seems to be his duty to utilise those means without further delay.
Chena Mail (mo April)
730
The China Mail.
HONG, THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1903.
ry Humphreys has performed service in calling attention to bease of unpunished crime in the In a letter addressed to our contemporary, he quotes three eriminal acts, and then states is informed that there were no 71 thefts in different parts of ony' on one day. Mr Hum- uggests a stricter enforcement grancy Act, which, we take it, that His Excellency the Gov- ould exercise the powers con- on him by Ordinance to deport
common form of crime only, that many Europeans, when robbed, never enter- itain the thought of reporting the affair to the police. In his report for 1902,
Mr F. J. Badeley, Captain Superio-
the
Si
!
7
So far as we can
endent of Police, states that the value ed if His Excellency the Governor of the property reported stolen during mode use of the powers conferred the year was $248,469, and of this only upon him $10,383 was
to order recovered.
We quote tion of native suspects and criminals.
deporta-N these figures not as showing the ineffici-The habitual criminal is well known to ency of the Police Force, which has its the police, so his deportation would not own handicaps to overcome, but as be a difficult matter. proving the loss a section of the com- eej no one is injured by the deporta- munity has to suffer at the hands of ton of the undesirable alien, and the undetected criminals. This is not all. Colony would undoubtedly be benefit- Mr Badeley informs the Government fed, that during 1902, there was an increase
The police, with fewer cases to occupy their attention, might be more
of cases reported to the police of 13.61 successful in securing arrests.
per cent., and it is important to observe that in the division of these cases intoment, then it will be the duty of the If nothing is done by the Govern- serious and minor offences there appears community-as was done in 1901 in an increase, as compared with 1901, of connection with the sanitary question 594 (or 17.45 per cent.) in seriousto petition the Secretary of State for cases, and of 655 (or 11.35 per cent.the Colonies. It is highly undesirable in minor cases. The increase, as comthat the Colony should be allowed to
ted criminals who haunt the pared with 1901, in serious cases is drift into the state it was in during the
Mr Humphreys' suggestion mend itself to all residents, European or Chinese, whose,
it is to keep the Colony clear of We repeat the phrase: duty it is to keep the Colony inals. Now, this is a duty upon the Government, and if shown that crime is on the in the Government stands in
begligence of duty. There is responsibility in this matter.
e do not share with the Execu
shown below --
Burglary or Larceny in dwelling ... Assault with intent to rob Kidnapping, &c., ...
Unlawful Possession Larceny
J
Felonies, not already stated
administration of Sir John Pope Hen-
1001
2
nessy. His ultra-humanitarian policy
11 was responsible for a great increase of
... 103 serious crime, so much so that an in-
321
79 dignation meeting was held
Cricket Ground, and a series of re- on the
612
con-
Deduct decrease in Robbery 16, Firsey2 18 solutions passed practically
demning the then Governor. It will
Total...
594
The nature of some of the serious be a lamentable blunder if, by inis- of murder; 11 manslaughter; I not at lasses, His Excellency allows a feeling cases might be stated. They include 4 taken leniency towards the criminal Quarry Bay, in which an Indian watch-of insecurity to life and property to
man
was killed and seven others so grow up in the Colony.
The com-
The detection or suppression of severely wounded that they had to inunity may not be so independent as
The power is retained in the be taken to the Government Civil it was in 1879, but the instinct of self-
the authorities--perhaps Hospital; 34 gang-robberies, in connec-reservation is still as strong in human and only the authorities tion with 10 of which only people were nature, and the public will not allow are. That being so, the public arrested, although 15 cases took place itself to be bled too freely out of con- right to demand that the in the City of Victoria; 14 cases of rob-
sideration for oficial feelings.
The
ent use all reasonable precau beries from junks and boats: 18 street relationship between the Colonies and bevent crime, which, in Hong-and highway robberies (one European sewhere, is easier, apparently, lady robbed on Magazine Gap Road of
ústection and arrest of cri
correct, as Mr Humphreys
a silver wateh, gold pencil case, $7, &c.), in only 6 of which were persons arrest- ed; and 146 cases of housebreaking, &c.
at 71 cases of theft occurred This list, taken in conjunction with Mr
the Mother fountry has changed since Sir John Pope Hennessy's time, and there is more interest taken in Colonial ffairs nowadays by the Press in Eng- land, by means of which local griev nces can be forced upon the attention
crease of crime in the Colony and the
Rouy on one day, it points to Badeley's statistics, is surely sufficient of the Imperial authorities. The in- ce of a large force of protesto convince the Executive that some! nala in the Colony, and it is reform is necessary in the treatment of inability of the police to keep down
ume that the criminal cases
te the notice of the police do they impose, the Police Magistrates and it lies with the Governor of the Colony ent the whole of the cases Judges of the Supreme Court may do to grapple with the problem. He has
Chinese criminals. By the sentences crime amount to a public scandal, and
in the Colony. So unsuc-
the police in the arrest of Puiane Judge invariably make the pun-drastically with the criminal classOS, domestic servants and the ishment fit the crime; but we think and it seems to be bis duty to utilise
much, and the Chief Justice and the the means at hand with which to deal
stolen property, to take one!
greater public service would be perforin.hose means without further delay.
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