(vii)
"long to Mr. O'MALLEY, the Attorney General, for official recognition." The Chief Justice, Sir JoHN SMALE, in his final words in the Supreme Court in 1881, bore testimony to the practical value of the Chinese Society, and the Acting Chief Justice, Mr. SNOWDEN, also told the Governor that he found the Chinese gentlemen belonging to the Society of great assistance in the detection of kidnappers. On the 5th August 1882 the Rules of the Society were published in the Gazette for general information, after having been approved by the Secretary of State and the Colonial Government. Such is the origin of the Society.
+
As regards the work done by the Society, the Directors for the year 1891-1892 have furnished the Committee with an interesting memorandum* on the subject and the Registrar General has also reported on the matter. The Committee have also had before them returns I kindly forwarded by the Magistrates and the Registrar of the Supreme Court, of kidnapping cases from 1865 to 1891 and 1868 to 1891 respectively; a return § showing the number of kidnapping cases brought at the instigation of the Pó Leung Kuk under the Women and Girls Protection Ordinance 11 of 1890 from 1st January 1891 to 31st May 1892 on which there were convictions; summary of cases illustrating the usefulness of the Pó Léung Kuk and the manner in which it co-operates with the Government; a memorandum ¶ from Dr. EITEL as to the results of the work of the Pó Léung Kuk. They have also had before them 12 witnesses who were minutely questioned with regard to the working of the Society, and have obtained from a sub- committee consisting of Mr. MAY and Dr. Ho KAI, who were especially deputed to examine them, a report ** on the records of the Society.
From the evidence, documentary and otherwise, before us, we are of opinion that the Society for the Protection of Women and Girls has been fortunate in having always had connected with it Chinese gentlemen of undoubted respectability and high standing among the Chinese residents of Hongkong, that the directorate appointed from year to year, though varying in energy, has always been animated with a zealous desire to aid and co-operate with the Government in suppressing the evils of kidnapping and kindred offences, that, as a result of such aid and co-operation, many offenders have been brought to justice, who might otherwise have escaped punishment, and kidnapping and kindred offences have received a decided check, that thousands of women and girls have been rescued, thousands of destitutes cared for, and thousands of persons restored to their relatives.
After carefully enquiring into the cases mentioned by several witnesses, which are as a rule given second-hand, we find that in not a single instance was the version given by the witness in accordance with the actual facts, which, when ascertained, so far from casting any reflection on the conduct of the Pó Léung Kuk showed that the managers of that institution had not only acted with perfect bona fides but had taken the steps which were best calculated to secure the protection of the liberties and welfare of those concerned. We desire to call especial attention to the case of TSAU KUNG-WAN †† as the false rumours regarding it created a great deal of excitement among the Chinese and prejudiced some against the Pó Léung Kuk. The conduct of the Committee of the Society in connection with this matter was above suspicion and is worthy of commend- ation. TSAU KUNG-WAN is a writer in the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs and we think his conduct should be brought to the notice of the Inspector General, Sir ROBERT HART.
Having traced the origin of the Society and having given our opinion with regard to the work it has done, we now proceed to deal seriatim with the points on which His Excellency more particularly requires a report.
See appendix 14.
See appendix 7, 8 and 9.
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