681211-1881-Congratulatory-Address-by-Chinese-to-the-Governor- — Page 4

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23RD APRIL, 1881.

increased, the population had been augmented,

two thousand new houses had been built, and whilst the inhabitants of the City of Victoria

became more numerous, both by births and by immigration from the Kwang-tung province,

crime had diminished. But this was owing to

the industry of the people, to their loyal and orderly disposition, and perhaps to some extent

also to the practical advice he himself had received

from time to time from those competent to give it as to the best mode of governing a Chinese community.

Her Majesty's Government had recognized this

also in dealing with one of the subjects the depu-

tation had mentioned, that ofkidnapping. Much

had been done of late years to detect and punish

this crime; and in 1879, Chief Justice Sir JOHN

SMALE made a public utterance on the subject

which deservedly attracted great attention, His

Honour very frankly remarking that he was sorry

he had not noticed the matter before. But before

the Chief Justice had noticed the evil in question,

the gentleman who had introduced the deputation,

and other gentlemen present had drawn the

attention of the Government to it.

His Excellency then read the following extract

from a despatch of the Earl of KIMBERLEY on the subject, dated Downing Street, 20th May, 1880:--

"With regard to kidnapping, the provisions of “the local law (Ordinance 4 of 1865 and 2 of “1875) ought to be sufficiently stringent, but "it appears that, the practice being on the “increase, certain Chinese gentlemen in Novem-

“ber 1878 asked permission to form themselves "into an Association for its prevention, and that a "Committee appointed by you to enquire into "the subject suggested that the petitioners should "form themselves into a Company for the purpose "under the 'Companies Ordinance, 1865'.

"quest that you will at once thank these Chinese “gentlemen for their offers of assistance in re- "pressing this form of crime, and that you will “allow. them to form themselves into an Asso- “ciation of whatever kind they desire. But in

"order to obtain official recognition, its rules and

organization should be made known to and (approved by the Colonial Government. You “will, of course, give them such assistance as you "may find practicable, and especially you will "instruct the Police to co-operate with them in "bringing to justice all offenders whom they may "succeed in tracing. If the Association as at "first organized should be found insufficient, it "will be time then to consider what other steps "should be taken."

The wisdom of Lord KIMBERLEY's decision was to be seen in the fact that a considerable number of the kidnappers punished for the last twelve months had been detected and brought to justice by this Association of Chinese gentlemen. He might also remind them that in passing his Ordi-

nance No. 2 of 1875, Governor Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY had mentioned that he had introduced it at the solicitation of the leading members of the Chinese community.

I re-

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致局嗣之國稻

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