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The CHAIRMAN.-You don't think the Pó Léung Kuk have assisted the Govern- ment in suppressing kidnapping?
A.-Certainly they have. They have assisted it because they have done the work instead of the Police.
Q.--You think the Police have entirely neglected kidnapping?
A.--No, not entirely, but to some extent.
Q.-You know Ordinance 11 of 1890?
A. Yes.
Q. Under that Ordinance the Registrar General has given to him certain powers to deal with girls and it is absolutely necessary that many of these people charged before you must go before him in the first instance?
A. If that is so I consider that it is a drawback to the Ordinance.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.—Are you aware that that Ordinance is on its trial and that the Secretary of State requires a report as to its working?
A.-I believe that is the case.
Q. Within a specified time?
A. Yes.
Q-The complaints against it are pretty loud?
A.-I have not heard any.
Q-The powers given in that Ordinance are very large?
A.-Very.
Q.-Very wide extra-judicial powers?
A. Yes.
Q-Do you consider them desirable? Do you consider it desirable that such powers should be in the hands of any one man?
A. That is a very large question and unless it is included within the scope of the enquiry I do not think I ought to answer it.
The CHAIRMAN.-The Ordinance in force has been approved by the Secretary of State ?
A. Yes.
Q. And a similar Ordinance is in force in Singapore?
A. Yes.
Honourable Ho KAI.-One of the chief objects of the Pó Léung Kuk Society when first formed was to assist the Government in the detection of crimes of kidnapping and other kindred offences?
A. Yes.
Q.--Are you of opinion that they have failed in that particular?
A.---I am not of opinion that they have failed, but I think the Police could have done it quite as well.
Q.-That is another question--are you of opinion that they have failed?
A.-When I consider the way in which the whole matter of women is concerned here it is very difficult to answer that question--I mean to say that I am aware that there are a great number of brothels; people buy women, and sell them, and bring then up for the purpose, and this question of kidnapping touches merely the fringe of the subject. It is impossible to say whether the Society has failed.