Two letters published in Saturday's issue on the subject of curfew hours, approach the subject from two points of view with which it is Possible to have every sympathy. That appearing over the pseudonym RULE or THE LAW deals with the question of the cabarets on outside roads and curfew, and makes the point that the regulations should either be observed or abolished. Obviously rules which are blatantly ignored reflect upon the authority responsible for their enactment. It has been proved, on an uncomfortable number of occasions, that curfew regulations prove of enormous assistance to the police in the matter of the suppression of crime. Total relaxation at the present time would throw an undue burden upon their shoulders, and, in all conscience, the splendid service the force has rendered the International Settlement during the past eleven months should not now be imposed upon. It certainly is not supporting the morale of the force to permit infraction of the rules to be committed unheeded. There is also the question of the injustice done to those cabarets which do observe the rule, by permitting non-observers to carry on in the manner in which they are at present. The remedy seems to be strict enforcement. If cabarets care to cater for their customers during curfew hours, and the customers are stupid enough to desire to remain there until five in the morning that is entirely their affair, but passage on the roads, unless by persons duly authorized, should be stopped until such time as curfew can be permanently lifted. The point raised by Y.C.W. concerning the difficulty of getting attention for those stricken with cholera during curfew hour undoubtedly presents a neat problem. It should not prove difücult of solution. Off hand it appears that passage through the streets could easily be Obtained on reporting the incidence of a case of cholera to the nearest policeman on duty, while the creation of a transport service for the needy should be no more difficult.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.