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March 20, 1895.]
no possibility of getting men who could do the work satisfactorily elsewhere.
The house to house visitation could never have been condnoted in the satisfactory manner it was without European Police who could speak Chinese, and without Chinese Police who could speak English. to act as interpreters for the soldiers and others engaged on the work who did not know the Chinese language.
Nor could the work at the Tangwah and Plague Hospitals have been carried ou without assistance from all three branches of the Force. nor could the disinfecting and cleansing opera tions have been effected by the men of the Royal Engineers and Shropshire Light Infantry as smoothly and free from opposition as they were but for the presence of Police with the men at the commencement of the operations and until the soldiers and the Chinese population had be- come thoroughly accustomed to each other.
For the four months from the middle of Way to middle of September there were 6 European Police, 2 Indians, and 17 Chinese regularly em- | ployed on
on plague work, and there were 14 Europeans, 11 Indians, and 13 Chinese engaged on the same work for perio ls varying from one to three months. These meu all volunteered for the duty.
During the whole of that. time not a singl complaint was made against any one of those men. although they were daily occupied in carrying oat measures which were very distasteful to the Chinese population.
i
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. should be placed in the hands of the Executive Police.
It seems not only anomalous but distinctly un- fair to this department that without any previous reference to it by the organisers of such demou- strations (who, in this case, I understand, were a mixed committee) the city should be allowed to be invaded by a host of processionists as it was on the occasion of the Feast of Lanterns in March last, when the crowd was so dense in the Queen's traffic suspended, but pedestrians were unable to Road that not only was all chair aud jiarioksha force their way through the soothing mass of holiday makers.
During an entire forenoon brokers and other business men were unable to pursue their busi- streets to endeavour to keep order were over- ness avocations, and the Police placed in the whelmed in the flood of human beings that not only filled the entire roadway but covered the pavement on both sides of it.
and the regulation of traffic have not beau so Complaints against mendicancy in the streets frequent.
An attempt has been made to improve the lat- ter by establishing stauds at couvenient places for chairs and jiuriolshas,
Very little suebess inas affondst the efforts ta kep pedestriacs and especially coolies carrying burd us to the silles of the roads,
Nothing but increased carriage traffic will. I fear, effectually keep them off the roadways.
13. The conduct of the Force during the An immense amount of extra work was throw i
year has on the whole been very satisfactory, al- by the plague on the Polic who were not emone temporary acting sergeant were reported though I regret to say that one sergeant and ployed under the Sanitary Board. This work, for intemperance. The latter was dismissed. although often of an extremely disagreeable pa. ture, was cheerfully undertaken by oue and all.
The number of rep irts made against European members of the Force was 74-the same as last year.
In short, the work done by the entire Polica Foros during the plague and the manner in which was done are deserving of the highest praise, and merit the thanks of the community,
The demand for Chinese-speaking European Police was very great, and I regret to say that the supply was not equal to the demand,
Chinese is such an unattractive language that it is extremely difficult to induce men to take up the study of it.
I have hesitated to recommend that it be made compulsory, lest such a condition, superadded to the low sterling value of the pay, should make recruiting at home more difficult, but I intend to make such a recommendation as soon as-pp- portauity offers for doing so without risk of prejudice to other interests.
Neither was the supply of Euglish-speaking Chinese Police and Chinese and English-speak- ing Indians sufficient.
Increased attention to the Police School is the remedy for this.
10. The year so fruitful in extraordinary occurrences produced the only economic strike that, as far as I am aware, has ever occurred in this colony.
On the 16th of October the carpenters and joiners in the colony struck for higher wages and diminished hours of work. They did not states what increase of wages they wanted, but they asked that their hours of work should be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with one hour off in the middle of the day all the year round, instead of from 7 am. to dusk in winter and 6 a.m. to dusk in summer and only half an hour off in the middle of the day. The masters of carpenters' shops and contractors refused to grant these terms and the men went out on strike.
The strikers were, of course, not interfered with till they put themselves on the wrong side of the pale of the law by interfering with cer- tain carpenters who had returned to work.
This led to arrests and convictions, and the strike ended without the strikers having gained their object. It lasted in all two weeks and a half,
11.-The Dogs Ordinance has continued to work smoothly. During the year 1,825 dogs were licensed on payment of the fee and 32 as watch dogs. 61 strayed and unclaimed dogs were destroyed. Only 11 cases of dog-bits were reported to the Police, which shows a marked decrease on the number in previous years.
12. Complaints on the part of the public hare, as in the year 1893, been chiefly directed to the annoyance and interruption to traffic caused by cracker firing and Chinese processions in the streets.I have to repeat the opinion that the granting of permits for these native amusements
1893.
Of these 10 were for drunkenness as against 19 in the previous twelve months, 3 for disorderly couduct, assault and fighting, and 3 for sitting down on duty as against 9 and 7 respectively in On the other hand there were 12 reports for neglect of duty, and 10 for asleep on duty (one men was reported twice for the latter offence) as against 5 and 6 in the previous year.
Against men of the Indian contingent there were 214 reports as against 278 in 1893.
Of these 18 were for drunkenness as against 25 in 1593; 25 for disorderly conduct, assault, and fighting as against 27, 41 for neglect of duty as against 51, 17 for absence from duty or beat and late for duty as against 56, 31 for gossiping, sitting down, and idling on duty as against 23, 15 for asleep on duty as against 16,5 for leaving beat before being relieved as against 9.
Amongst Chinese constables there were 397 reports as against 363 in 1893.
It must be mentioned, however, that the Chinese Force was kept up to its full strength throughout the year.
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I regret to say there were two cases of drunken, ness, The increases were in 161 reports as against 115 in the previous year for the offences and in 6 reports for leaving beat before being re of absence from duty or beat and late for duty, lieved as against 1 report for this offence in 1893 There was a decrease of from 54 to 35 for gos. siping on duty, sitting down, and idling on duty, and from 52 to 48 for asleep on duty, 1 Eur opean constable was convicted by the magistrate for assault. 1 Chinese constable of allowing a session of a bag of sugar, and 4 Chinese (a Water prisoner to escapo. 1 Chinese of unlawful pos- Police boat's crew) of misconduct as police con- stables in trying to extort money.
14.-A batch of recruits was obtained from the London Metropolitan Police, and has on the whole given very great satisfaction. have given great satisfaction.
Twelve recruits were obtained from India and
Very little recruiting was done for the Chinese Forcs, vacancies being filled up from the Water that branch in order to enable the necessary Police and recruits taken on temporarily for reduction to be made at the end of the year in stituting steam pinnaces for rowing boats for view of the introduction of the system of sub- policing the harbour.
A trial was made of selection by competitive examination in the Chinese language.
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charge of the school for nine months during the former's absence on leave,
The
Chinese that offer themselves as recruits are
The experiment was not a success. as a rule so illiterate that but small distinotion could be drawn between their attainments.
Messrs. Arthur and Jameson. The latter had 15.-I attach a report on the Police Sohool by
The translation of the new Instruction Book
has cansed much delay and the book is not yet out of the hands of the printer.
Five members of the European Force obtained certificates from the Board of Examiners for knowledge of Chinese. One passed the third and highest standard. fe has since been trans- ferred to the Post Office as first clerk.
knowledge of Chinese, and three Indians and one Fourteen Indians obtained certificates for Chinese for knowledge of English.
16. The health of the Force has been very satisfactory. The admissions to hospital were compared with last year, as follows:-
Europeans Indians Chinese
1893. 1894. 134 127 .255 244
133 131
I attach a list showing the number of fever cases out to hospital from much station. It wil besean that the Abbon Station is by far the mist nahealthy station and the Bigares for it demand serious" attention. Grory European and Indian stationsd there daring the yeas com tractol favor, and baly the thin »** (including servants) souped catching it.
The inaunb i of driths from oeliuiry zany's is these as last year. Nå death oco trve lamong the Europeans. Of the four Indiane whose deaths are recorded two committed suicile and was shot on duty, while of the elevan plague and one was shot by an Indian Police Chinese that died seven were claimed by the constable.
OnA
17. The Indian messes have proved a success, aud there are messes now established at all the Stations except Pokfulam, Aberdeen, Stanley, Shaukiwan, Hunghom, and the Block House, Fuk-tsun-bbung.
port to the unsatisfactory condition of the bar- 18.-I have drawn attention in a separate re- rack accommodation in the eastern and western districts, and I have also recommended the build. ing of additional bath-rooms and of a drying- room at the Central Station. those directions are urgently required, and I Improvements in. trust that it may be found possible to carry out my recommendations at an early date.
It has been found possible during the year to improvisa drying-rooms at Nos. 1. 3. and 7 Stations, Yaumati, and Aberdeen. The men at those stations are now able to dry their uniform and clothing in wet weather, and it is probable that the improvement in the health of the force is partly attributable to this cause.
Japanese hot water baths, which are self-heat- ing, being furnished with a charcoal stove, were supplied to the following stations:→→
Central, Nos. 1, 3, 5. 7, 8, Mount Gongh, Aberdeen, Stanley, Yaumati, Tsim-tsa-tsui, Hangham, Shau-ki-wen, and the men were instructed to take a hot plunge when re- turning wet and cold off duty at night or in the early morning.
and will no doubt use them more as they becomde The men have used the baths to a fair extent, accustomed to and learn to appreciate them.-I have the honour to bp, sir, your obedient servant,
F. H. MAY,
Captain Superintendent of Police, The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary.
THE HONGKONG HOTEL COMPANY, LIMITED.
The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of on Saturday, the 16th inst., at noon, Mr. Ho this Company was held at the Hongkong Hotel
W. Parfitt, R. C. Wilcox (Directors), J. C. Tang presiding. There were also present Messrs. Peter, Douglas Jones, C. Mooney (Secretary), and a number of Chinese shareholders.
meeting.
The SECRETARY read the notice convening the
1
and statement of accounts for the half year end- The CHAIRMAN said-Gentlemen, the report
hands for several days, I will, with your permis. ing 31st December last having been in your
declare a dividend, to be able to inform you, as sion, take them as read. It is very satisfactory to me, notwithstanding that we are unable to is set forth in the report, that the half year just
count, a credit balance of $576.92 against a debit amount of interest from the profit and loss ao- referred to shows, after paying off the large
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