2-1-4 POT-ICE* 



(rusting to incrmsul ci\ ilizati< n and wealth, wbkh 

 time will most probably bring, for the means of create 

 ing a more efficient hotly. Meantime, the one thing" 

 needful to render any police, however trustworthy it 

 may he, really ehVient, will have lobe nought ffftff 

 «iincj»i:>! the catne population themselves, nana \\ llie. 

 disposition, if not the ability, In um jh rate at all limes 

 in keeping 1 the peace. The- law does indeed provide 

 for such co-op era lion ■ hut the salutary provision is 

 here, as in loo many other instances nearly a dt ad 

 letter, owing to t}ie fear, ignorance, obstinacy or apa« 

 thy of the native. The police of Prince of Wales Is* 

 Jand is chiefly and unavoidably drawn from amongst 

 the emignmw fcojn I*' ngal or Mail ran. A few Chi* 

 \,r:i , Malays, anil Juwi Pakans form the remainder. 



Of the first two classes it must he said that tlwy 

 virtually lose caste from the day they reach the 

 Straits. I\o one w ho has been for a little while there, 

 will have failed n> notice the laxity of conduct super- 

 induced in t|ie majority of these two classes, and 

 particularly in the nun from Bengal, who are mostly 

 f\| ussulmaus, b\ the combined agency of distance 

 from their count r\ ; the mind-degradinir, moral mias- 

 ma of sea ports, and the contamination suffered by 

 daily and too familiar intercourse, if not companion- 

 ship with convicts, until the keen sense of moral dis- 

 parity becomes almost obliterated ; anil lastly, to the 

 prevailing custom amongst these people of combin- 

 ing to support etch other when thrown out of em- 

 ployment, — without scruple* as to the vmtite of di*, 

 &&ma\y which create* an indifference to character. 



1 1 is prohahle that natives of the military custe, who 

 still retain some regard for charaeter, continue long* 

 est unaffected by these deteriorating inrluen. < .s. 



The Chinese are good peons to look after Chinese* 

 hut t|ie free-nia*onr\ w Inch binds together by oaths, 



