Sir John´s reforming instincts

In Hong Kong in the past there was a firm belief that physical punishment was an essential ingredient of keeping crime under control. Both the foreign and Chinese communities shared this view and a system of flogging, tattooing (known as branding) and deportation was used.

However, in April, 1877, Sir John Pope Hennessy arrived to take up the position of Governor and his views were soon found to be at odds with those of the community. This was a time in Britain and Europe where new thinking was going on as to punishment and reform with many efforts being made to play down the punishment aspect of jail and step up the reform aspect.

Sir John proposed that a “separate system” be established. This would have required the construction of a new jail and introduction of new facilities for young offenders. This never happened due to financial problems.

The governor explained to a highly skeptical local community: “If we have a goal on the separate system where the prisoners must do some useful hard work, and where they know there is not the slightest chance of their release before the end of the Judge’s sentence, except by steady good conduct; if we provide reformatory and industrial training for juvenile criminals, and if we let it be clearly understood that second offences will be punished with a long sentence, that will do more than to check the growth of crime than anything else we can devise.”

The community found this difficult to understand, saying there was nothing long with the robust deterrent methods currently in use. The governor wasn’t helped by a series of serious crimes, including an attack by a gang of 40-80 armed men who held police at bay in Wing Lok Street, Wanchai, while they looted it and escaped in a steam launch. A public meeting of foreign residents was held, on October 7, at the Cricket Ground.

This passed a number of resolutions. Point one was that “undue leniency” towards the criminal classes had jeopardized life and property. Point two was that flogging was the only real deterrent. Point three called for a commission of medical men to be established to assess flogging on the back. Point four said that abolition of deportation would be disastrous. Point Five called for a Commission from outside the colony to be appointed to investigate matters. Point six called for a copy of the resolutions to be forwarded to London. Off went the resolutions to London where they languished unanswered for a year.

In the meantime, the Chinese community had rallied to Sir John, whom they saw as pro-Chinese. An address to the Queen was presented on October 29, 1878, signed by no less than 2,218 shop keepers. Eventually, a communication was received from the government in London which attempted to smooth things over.

Sir John started to tighten up on discipline in the jail in 1879, deportation was recommenced in the same year and other measures taken. In 1880, London ordered the final abolition of all tattooing of criminals, the end of public flogging, repeal of all Ordinances providing for the flogging of Chinese, prohibition of all flogging except in cases where it would be inflicted in the United Kingdom, and an order that the flogging of Asians should be on “the breach” rather than the back.

No new jail was built, however, and the existing facilities continued in use.

centralpolicestationhongkong.blogspot.com

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