CO129-413 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [8-10] — Page 344

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No 325

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sir,

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42491

342

Rond 2 in 14

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 22nd September, 1914.

14

9933

73

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your despatches No.184 of the 16th of July last and No.122 of the

8th May, 1913, on the subject of Ordinance No.3 of 1913. This

Ordinance, which appeared to you to constitute a departure from

modern criminal legislation inasmuch as it extended the applicat-

ion of corporal punishment to offences under the Stowaways and

Deportation Ordinances, has now been in operation over a year and

I submit a report on its working during that period.

2.

With regard to offences under the Stowaways Ordin-

ance these have become much less frequent and the Police Magis-

trates did not in any case during the period in question make use of their extended powers.

3.

Under the Deportation Ordinance seven offenders

have been at various times during the past twelve months sentenced to corporal punishment, and the Police Magistrates consider that

the Ordinance has been of distinct value as a deterrent, as the

number of offences against the Deportation Ordinance during the

period April to July of this year fell to 47 as against 76 during

the corresponding period of last year.

4.

I have met the representations in paragraph 2 of

your despatch of the 8th May by instructing the Police Magistrates to make use of the flogging penalty only in aggravated offences.

I have the honour to be,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, MP..

&C

&C..

&c.

sir,

Your most obedient,

humble servant,

B

A

Governor, &c.