Taere has always existed a feeling of friendly rivalry between Shanghai and Hongkong, but, in spite of occasional criticisms of those who rule us, we have always felt ourselves justified in the complacent conviction that the administration of the Model Settlement need fear no comparison with that of the Colony. Judging from the Hongkong Daily Press of recent dates, our fellow-countrymen in the south have a good deal to grumble at just now. We find leading articles on three subjects which raise doubt whether Hongkong is altogether a desirable place of residence. In the first place, there is a savage article, perfectly justified in our opinion, on the unfortunate mess made in taking over the Kowloon Extension, which shows a degree of ineptitude on the part of the officials most galling to those under their dominion." Secondly, there is the disgraceful affair in which two ladies were knocked down land robbed on a public highway, proving the incompetence of the police. And finally, there is an article and some correspondence dealing with the proposed registration of servants, from which we gather that, to secure an honest servant isa matter of considerable difficulty. Now the combination of an incapable Government, inefficient protection of person and property abroad, and dishonest servants in the house, is hardly conducive to comfort. We should not presume ourselves to sit in judgment on the Hongkong Government, which we understand is composed of a body of remarkably brilliant officers, but we read in the Daily Press that the Colonial Secretary "is really more responsible than the people" for the fighting which took place in the New Territory, and "how easily things might have been otherwise if the action of the Government had only been guided by common sense at the outset." We also read "no ladies walking unaccompanied in the outskirts of the town can now consider themselves safe," and "it would seem, indeed,; as though we were back in the old days of knockdown robberies, when every resident considered a revolver a necessary part of his equipment." It is not to be wanilaced at if the Daily Press says "the regrettable occurrences in connection with the taking over of the New Territory have shown how disgracefully ignorant of Chinese affairs the Government is, and in the present prevailing state of insecurity, with ladies being knocked down and robbed on the most frequented roads of the Colony, the question arises whether the community should not renew its agitation in favour of obtaining a larger voice in the management of its own concerns."
Seeing what a force it has at its back and what a limited territory—in the island at least—it has to control, the natural turbulence of the unruly classes among the Cantonese is not sufficient explanation of the inefficiency of the Government. There must be something wrong with its constitution or principles. The late Police scandals surprised no-one but the officials. That the Vamva piracy should have been possible, in spite of the ordinance against the carrying of arms, proved how little hold the police had over the bad characters in the Colony. The constant evasion of the opium ordinance and the smuggling which goes on into Chinese territory, causing a loss of revenue of at least half a million taels to be deducted from the security of the foreign bondholders, may' perhaps with more propriety be ascribed to the slackness of the police, than to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.