April 20, 1903.]
In regard to the deportation of hardened criminals and dangerous characters, the follow- ing official returns for the last 10 years will be of interest to your readers
Year
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
279
of the Chinese working classes, the following iu- As to provision for the housing and spread formation which I have gleaned may be of public interest. 1901) a plot of land was sold by the Govern- Eighteen months ago (September,
dwellings, for the boosing of Chinese working ment at Taikoktsni for the erection of model classes. Che plan was devised by the Honour- able the Director of Public Works and was submitted to and approved by the Sanitary Board. Various lots at Tsimteatani and several lots of ground situste in Kowloon and elsewhere bad also been sold by the Government under the same conditions and for the erection of similar class of dwellings. I understand that more lots are to be sold in the near future for the same purpose,
and sent to gaol. These arrests and convictions | and the scarcity of food stuff, and the disturbed had a beneficial effect, but the Society_requires condition in the neighbouring provinces, a simply mention that the Water Ordinance was Concerning the distribution of water, I may to be closely watched. And from the Report of large number of peuurious persons have been passed last year for the better regulation and 1900 under similar heading the follow driven to this Colony to look for a living, and | distribution of the water supply of the Colony ing sentence occurs: Nine men were there cannot be any doubt that the advent of this and the proposed distribution of water by the charged with being members of this Society class of persons has greatly increased and rein-rider-main system, 5 of whom were convicted and 4 discharged," forced the rank of pilferers. It
Taking into consideration the above extracts that the best organised police force in the world open to doubt need I add anything further than a reminder could have prevented these cases of petty of the recent activities of the Police in larceny committed by the class indicated until onnection with the ovenle just bef re the the causes which have driven them to this Colony present Chinese New Year
hare teen removed. the police could have reduced this number hy To suggest however that deportation is simply a misconception of the working of the Banishment Ordinance. The rowers conferred upon His Excellency by this Ordinance are no doubt very large, but it must be recollected that before a person is banished or deported, it must to trought in some way to the notice of the Governor that the person is a hardened criminal, or a dangerous character, or a professional gam- bler, or a confirmed mendicant. As it can be gathered from what I have stated before, the increase in the population between 1901 and 19.12 was over 18,000 and in 1902, before the Criminal Statistics were made up, it would have boon most difficult if not impossible to foretell what number of these perso 8 should be banish. ed or depo ted in order to preserve the peace and good order of the Colouy. With the sta: tistics now before the publie the Government will doubtless exercise the power of deportation very much more freely in this year than they have ever done bitherto during past years.
1893
1894
-1895
-1896
1897
1893
*1899
19.0
19 1
1902
Number banished. 2.0 226 244
255 251
268
311 249 281 177
And as regards mendicants, paragraph 17 of the report of the Captain Superintendent of Police for 1932 will be of equal interest :-" 17. These beggars were dealt with by the Police Magistra'e and 3 were sent to the Tang Wah Hospital. 74 wore saminarily deported to Canton,"
+
As to the remarks that during the last 5 years the increase in serious offences' in the Colony has been 30 per cent, compared with the The contents of paragraph 11 stating that figures for the previous 5 years," I should like unbroken relations with the local Government to point out that according to the census taken at Canton Lad been maintained frequently under in 1897 the Chinese population of this Colony very trying circumstances, etc., etc., have never amounted to 241,762 and 17 1901 the number to my knowledge been called into question, and had increased to 274,810, and in 1902 the native I may be excused in passing it over without population according to the report of the comment. Registrar G. neral amounted to 293,300, The statements in paragraph 12 express the showing an increase of the native popala-opinion of the petitioners egarding the probable tion in Hongkong alone in 5 years of workings and results of the Public Health and no less than 51,538. To this number, however, Buildings Ordinance, and need not be enlarged must be added the estimated population of the apon. Therefore, I may safely also be allowed New Territory amounting to a figure of 12,254 to pass it over without any further remark. thereby totalling an increase of Chinese population which has come under the British jurisdiction within the last 5 years of no less than 153 792, that is to say an increase of 64 per cent. Taking this very large increase of population into consideration, an increase of crime of 30 per cent., though serious enough, is not to be wondered at, but it is rather a matter for congratulation that the increas of crime has not kept pace proportionately with the increase of the population,
-*
In dealing with paragraph 13 stating that provision had been made for a largely increased supply of water to the Colony by further arrange- ments for its conso vating and distribution " and also the statement in paragraph 9 regarding the "increase of the water storage and the better regulation of the water supply," I do not think that I can do greater justice to these questions thau by following as nearly as possible the wording of an official miuute on this subject which I have been courteously permitted to peruse
In dealing with this question one must always bear in mind the extent of the vast area of the One of the additional reservoirs in the Tytam New Territory, the difficulties of policing it and drainage area recommended in Mr. Cooper's of communication, the turbulent nature and Report of the 9th May, 1896, is being carried ignorance of some of its inhabitants, and the out. The work is progressing satisfactorily thort period which has elapsed since i's inhabit-and would have been further advanced had not ants came under the British rale; but there a portion of the foundations of the dam is no reason to doubt why prime there should required to be carried to a considerably greater not in time be reduced to a minimum as soon depth than was anticipated on account of the as the organisation of the Government is placed unsatisfactory nature of the material met with in on a more thorough working basis.
excavating. Arrangements were in progress for proceeding with another of the reservoirs recom- mended by Mr. Cooper, but the proposal was vetoed by Mr. Chadwick, who advised the adop tion of a scheme for pumping water from a reservoir to be constructed at Tytam Tuk, which would render available a large additional eutel.ment ares. The scheme contemplated is a very large one, involving the construction of a dam within the tidal area of the bay or inlet and capable of containing 1,000 million gallons of water or more. Surveys and trial works have been in progress continuously since Mr. Chadwick's departure, but many difficulties have been encountered, including malarial fever of a among those engaged upon the work.
severe type is hoped that reliable data will be obtained shortly regarding the depth at which the rock, which is visible on either shore of the bay, will be met with, when a scheme will be prepared for submission to the Secretary of State. A num- ber of minor works for increasing the water supply have been carried ont, including a new catch water, channels to convey to the reservoirs the dry weather flow of the streams intercepted by the old catchwaters, and an alteration in the Tytam. West catchwater which will double its delivery into the reservoirs during heavy rains.
As to the fact that during 1902 ther was an increase of cases reported to the Police of 13.61 per cent over those of 1901, it should be pointed out that the bulk of this increase consists of petty Jarcony or stealing and in unlawful possession and burglary or larceny in dwellings, whereas the number of cases of robbery with violence from the person has decreased from 82 to 66, that is to say, a decrease of close upon 20 per cent. It cannot be contendel for a moment that petty larceny is such a serious offence as robbery with violence, A decrease in the latter shows the condition of the Colony in a mach more favourable light than a decrease in the former; and an increase of cases of larceny in a place does not show the want of care and vigilance of the police as the increase of cases of robbery with violence. It can be fairly contended that's great many cases of larceny in dwellings and from the person could have been prevented by the exercise of due care on the part of the in- dividual from whom the property was stolen, but that on the other hand, nothing but a well organised and effective police force could have kept down an increase of cases of robbery with violence. It can be readily understood that in consequence of the drought last year.
It
oming to the final paragraph of the Petition touching upon the unsatisfactory condition of the local monetary currency, and the disturbed and unsettled state of Southern China, I do not propose to dilate upon it lest I may raise an allowed to point out this, that in the opinion of unnecessary alarm in the Colony, but I may be those best able to judge from the trend of events in China, a crisis may at any time occur which will tax to the utmost the strength and the di- plomatic skill and tact of the various branches of His Majesty's Government in this Colony and China. I may further point ont that if the statement that "no Governor however good- will have it in his hands to deal with currency." Hongkong Chamber of Commerce and some of is unanswerable then where is the utility of the the influential and 1 ading Chines- addressing H.E. the Governor on the subject ?
lency has not "pressed forward the many and Referring to the criticism that His Excel- important administrative improvements of which the Colony has long stood in need," and touching on the Post Offices, the Law Courts, and the Blake Clock Tower, the following facts which I have been able to elicit on these sub- jects may prove to be of general interest :-
Blake Clock Tower: In his despatol No. 201 of 3rd June, 1901, the Governor recom- mended the new Clock Tower very strongly and asked for a telegraphic reply; the reply is contained in the Secretary of tate's telegram of the 10 th July, 1901. The total estimated cost of the work was $102,367 and a sum of $25,000 was provisionally inserted in the 1902 Estimates for the work, but the enormous expenditu e on more pressing public works and on plague appeared to have prevented the carrying out of the work as no funds were available; for the same reasons this work was omitted from the draft estimates for this year.
proposals which had been made with a view of Post Office: A full history of the various providing a building more in accordance with the requirements of the Colony than the existing one was given in the Governor's Despatch No. 9 of 1902 (Sessional Paper No. 16 of 1902) in acquisition of a site which would enable the which a scheme was put forward for the work to be gone on with at once instead of awaiting the completion of the Law Courts. In accordance with the recommendations of past committees, which have dealt with the matter, competitive designs have been invited from local architects, including those in the The designs were to be sent in at the end of the ne ghbouring ports of Shangbai and Singapore. current month, but the time was extended to architects. one month at the request of some of the local The scheme now in hand will enable the new Post Office to be completed at least 5 years earlier than that formerly arranged. Law Courts: The site of the building is partly on land reclaimed under Ordinance No. 16 of 1889 and partly o latter was believed to be solid at the depth to on old ground. The which the masonry foundations extended, but this was found not to be the case and piling had to be resorted to. It was also considered desir able to make some alterations in the bass. ment forming the chamber for the heating apparatus and, as this is situated partly below tide level, the work was troublesome and had to be carried out. The contractor for the. foundations did not, it appeared, prove to be
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