61322-1919-Replies-to-questions-asked-by-the-Hon-Mr-Ho-Fook — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MAY 23, 1919.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

No. 231.--The Honourable Mr. LAU CHU-PAK gave notice, on the 8th May, 1919, of the following question:-

In view of the fact that armed robberies have been so frequent of late, will the Government arrange with the Military Authorities to have a sufficient number of soldiers seconded for regular police duties, until the present wave of crime has subsided, or the regular Police Force has been adequately streng- thened?

The reply thereto is as follows:--

Men seconded from the garrison have been employed as policemen since 18th March, 1918. At the present time twenty-three men from the Manchester Regiment and twenty-five from the 74th Punjabis Regiment are doing regular police duties. The Police Force has recently been strengthened by the addi- tion of eighteen Chinese constables; eight men have recently arrived from India and a further draft of eleven men is due very shortly; twenty European constables have been demobilized and some of them are en route for Hongkong.

It is considered that these arrangements are sufficient.

COUNCIL CHAMBER,

17th May, 1919.

A. D. BALL,

Clerk of Councils,

No. 232. The Honourable Mr. Ho Fook gave notice, on the 8th May, 1919,

of the following questions:---

1. With reference to the Honourable Colonial Secretary's letter of 6th Novem- ber, 1918, addressed to me as a result of my remarks at a meeting of the Legislative Council on the subject of the suppression of serious crime, and subsequently published in the local Press, will the Government

state

(a) What is the number of armed robberies that have taken place since my remarks were made in the Legislative Council on the 17th October, 1918?

(b) What kind or kinds of deadly weapons were used in such cases, as far as is known to the police; and how many (if any) toy pistols are known to the Police as having been used in such cases, in view of the statement made in the above mentioned letter that “Robbers have recently used toy pistols"?

2. Will the Government have enquiries made through the proper channel as to the number of armed robberies that have taken place in Canton since the 17th October, 1918?

3. In view of the large number of armed robberies that have recently taken place in the Colony, what steps have been and will be taken by the Government for their suppression?

4. Will the Government take early action to have the regular Police Force

brought up to its pre-war strength?

The replies thereto are as follows:---

1.(a) The number of armed robberies between the 17th October, 1918, and the 22nd May, 1919, is seventy-seven, and there have also been nine attempted armed robberies in the same period.