Molyneux to be 2nd Lieutenant. was concluded on December 11 when the assailant was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment. A man referred to in the same report as being under remand for being concerned in the death of a quartermaster on a Chinese gunboat was on December 29 sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
Robbery.—Two reports of armed robbery and two of attempted armed robbery from dwelling houses and shops were received. In three of these instances shots were fired by the robbers without injuring anyone, but in the fourth, an attempted robbery in the Hongkew District, a maid servant who raised an alarm was stabbed with a knife. Of three men arrested in connexion with armed robberies committed prior to December 1, two are under remand whilst the charge against the third was dismissed. One man was also apprehended for participation in an armed robbery in territory under Chinese jurisdiction and handed over to the authorities concerned. Six reports of robbery in which no arms were used were also recorded, four of them being from boats in the Hongkew Creek. In connexion with these and reports received prior to December 1 seven persons were arrested, six of whom are under remand while the seventh was sentenced to imprisonment.
Five men mentioned in my report for November as being under remand for being in possession of arms and ammunition for an unlawful purpose, were further charged with being members of an organized gang of armed robbers and sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment to be followed by expulsion from the Settlement. threatened that he would be shot in the event of the matter being reported to the police. No report was made to the police until December 20.
Attempted Fire Raising—On December 14 three packing cases containing incendiary clockwork machines fell into the hands of the police at West: Hongkew Station. These turned out to be part of a consignment of cases intended for fire raising in a godown in the Chapei District' The Chinese authorities, who dealt with the case, made four arrests, Crime beyond Settlement Limite.—Two cases of murder were reported during the month as having occurred in territory under Chinese jurisdiction in the. neighbourhood of Shanghai. During the same period sixteen cases of robbery and piracy occurred in which four persons were killed and six injured.
Executions,—Three Chinese found guilty of murder at San Ling Daung, Pootung, were executed by strangulation on December 19 at Soochow Gaol.
Rice Situation—The average price of rice for the month was 310.80 per picul as compared with $10.40 in December 1921.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.