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ensure the safety of the Refugees.
Their houses were also guarded
and looting has been kept in check.
13. It has been asserted in the local Press that the Police
were dilatory in requesting Military assistance. The report on the troubles shows clearly I think that this charge cannot be substantiated. There was no signs of wide spread disorder particularly in Kowloon until the evening of September 26th. by which time the assistance of the Military Authorities had already been invoked. In Victoria where the troubles originated it was at
no time necessary to call out the Military. Had it not been for the dastardly murder of the Japanese family at Po Kong on the night of the 26th.September but little would have been heard of the rioting which subsided almost as quickly as it started in Kowloon once the Police showed that they were in earnest and would not tolerate organised rioting or looting. The total casualties incurred in suppressing the disorders covering the whole period of the report were eight dead and twenty to thirty injured none of them seriously. In all just over two hundred arrests were made during the troubles and sentences of imprison-
generally ment/varying from three to six months, and fines varying from $50- A number of those convicted are being deported. to $250.00 were imposed. / An extraordinary feature of the troubles was the instantaneous effect which the firing of even one round by the Police had on the mob.
14.
The thanks of the Police are due to the Military for the valuable assistance they rendered particularly in Kowloon at a critical time when the crowds were getting completely out of hand. They showed remarkable patience under the most trying and exacting conditions and discipline was excellent throughout. The Police Reserve who were called out for duty on September 24th. did splendid work, the Indian and Chinese Companies replacing Police withdrawn for picquet duty, the Sharpshooters Company reinforcing
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