THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1867. 325
11. Therefore, as the Colonial Police has proved unequal to put down illegal Gambling with its peculiarly pernicious consequences, it is now sought to use for the purpose the Chinese, who alone can effectually do it, if you give them a suf- ficient motive. No plan has occurred to myself or my Executive Council so efficacious in that way as making it the interest of certain Chinese to suppress all Gambling, except where it takes place on Conditions and with Restrictions, fixed by Government.
12. No one, however, has suggested means at all likely to induce the Chinese to co-operate with us, otherwise than by the mode adopted with the Opium Farmer, viz., that of rendering it greatly their pecuniary interest to do so; I repeat that no one has yet discovered other means to render them bonâ fide the allies of the Govern- ment in discovering and tracking criminals, returned convicts, and other bad characters who now frequent the secret Gaming haunts of the City, and who would be sure sooner or later to visit the Licensed Houses, than by accepting from them such a large caution money by way of deposit, and such a monthly stipend, as must ensure their co-operation for their own sakes, because it rests entirely with the Governor under the Regulations, soon to be issued, to cancel at a moment every License, and to forfeit the whole of the caution money, and capital invested, in the event of their failing to render the aid promised.
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13. Hence, however desirable it may seem not to mix questions of Revenue with a policy intended to suppress the demoralisation and crime promoted by numerous secret haunts of illegal gamblers, the question does thrust itself forward irrepressibly and must continue to do so till we contrive to make the Chinese our most effective Police by some other means than the stimulus of profit and loss according as they assist or thwart us. In deciding how we should apply that stimulus occurs the difficulty which connects itself most disagreeably with the policy inaugurated-viz., the specious pretext, which any pecuniary gain to the Colony furnishes to unscrupulous parties for attributing sordid motives to the Government. Those who do so think it sufficient to say "you increase your Revenue by your Policy, and therefore the increase of your Revenue is the motive of your Policy." It would be equally true to assert that we seek to encourage drunken- ness and assaults because the Public Revenue is increased by the fines which those offences bring in. We do not aim at increasing drunkenness because we accept those fines, and if, in substituting what we think will prove a less mischievous mode of Gambling for that which in our opinion is now causing a far greater amount of evil, we can find no more effective system of doing so than one of fines and fees, it is not reasonable to argue that the latter form the chief object of the Government. More especially is such an imputation a non sequitur in the absense of any suggestion equally effective to ensure Chinese co-operation, for till then we may be said to have no choice.
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14. I confess my own feelings are so entirely adverse to raising the least Revenue from such a source, that it is only by an effort I can prevent my perception of duty being warped by a prejudice. I can therefore perfectly understand how others feel, who lying under no similar responsibility, and approving the aim of the Government policy nevertheless deprecate its inevitable collateral consequence, viz., an increase of the Revenue. If they find it difficult to maintain a position more amiable in sentiment than strong in argument, I can only say that I should not find the task lighter, and they have my entire personal sympathies.
15. The Council however will now perceive how difficult it is to estimate the probable amount of Revenue accruing from such a source. The experiment may fail either through the non-attainment of the result sought or through yet greater mischiefs arising, than those which we hope to suppress. It is moreover not easy to say what amount exacted as caution money and fees would obtain for us the greatest assistance from the Chinese. We can perceive on the one hand that it should not be too little, so to produce the inertness and carelessness, which arises from a monopoly that gains everything and risks nothing, and on the other hand that it should not be so excessive as to render the Licensees finally reckless because hopeless. There exists no doubt between the two extremes a sufficient sum for the purpose, if we only knew it, but till the experiment be tried I cannot undertake to fix even approximately its amount. I have had nothing to guide me but the offers made, and I confess these appear framed on expectations unduly extravagant.
18. On the whole I have not thought is right to count on more than $100,000 as derivable from this new and precarious source of Revenue during 1868, especially as it is one which the Members of the Executive would be glad to get rid of, pro- vided the course of events develops other means to effect the objects of Government.
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