Sessional_Paper_1904 — Page 124

No. 1904

HONGKONG.

ROPORT OF THE ACTING CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, FOR THE YEAR 1903,

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

POLICE OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 30th January, 1904.

SIR, I have the honour to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, the Criminal Statistics and Report on the Police Force, for the year 1903.

2. The total of all cases reported to the Police was 11,251, as against 10,421 in 1902, being an increase of 830, or 7.96 per cent.

In the division of these cases into Serious and Minor Offences, there appears an increase, as compared with 1902, of 863 cases, or 21.58 per cent. in the former, and a decrease of 33 cases, or .51 per cent. in the latter.

The increase, as compared with 1902, in Serious Offences of 863 is shewn as follows:

Murder, Robbery,

•

Burglary or Larceny in dwelling,

Kidnapping and other offences against the

Protection of Women and Girls Ordinance, f

Unlawful possession,

Piracy,....

Larceny,

Felonies, not already given,

Total,.........

+888888

4

33

80

16

1

35

539

156

864

It will be seen from the above figures that the increase in crime was principally in respect of larceny.

There was however a great improvement during the last quarter of the year, especially in November and December.

Larcenies by servants were numerous. In some of the more serious cases the Police were successful in tracing the thieves and recovering most of the property stolen. It would greatly assist the Police in such cases if it were customary for persons when engaging servants to obtain their photographs and their names, parents' names and addresses in Chinese characters.

A photograph album of servants who have been convicted is now kept by the Police, and may be inspected by any one. The more frequent application of Ordinances No. 45 of 1902 and No. 11 of 1903 would have a good effect. 75 per- sons were prosecuted in 1903 under the former Ordinance, and 29 persons under the latter. The easy access to houses by means of rain-pipes &c., is a constant source of trouble.

3. Table A shows the number and character of the Serious and Minor Offences reported to the Police during the past year, and the number of persons convicted and discharged in connection with those offences.

MURDER.

On the 2nd January, Hu SAM KIU, aged 22, married woman, IP YAN CHUNG, male, aged 73, WONG YING CHUNG, female, aged 63, and IP CHUNG-KI, female, 15 years, all residing at No. 8 Nam Hong, Kouloong City, were sent to the Government Civil Hospital suffering from severe cuts and wounds inflicted by IP PANG, the husband of HU SAM KIU. HU SAM KIU died in Hospital on the 2nd of January, and IP YAN CHUNG on the 14th; the others recovered. Ir PANG was convicted at the Criminal Sessions and hanged.