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The CHAIRMAN.-The question of that report came up once before, and, if you recollect, we decided to invite Mr. WODEHOUSE to attend the Committee again.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD. I should like to have the views of the witness on these remarks.
Witness.-I concur on those points.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-I will put the question again. From recent cases which have appeared-cases which have appeared in our Police Courts--do you think that the Society has exercised powers in excess of those conferred upon them?
A.-They certainly appear to have done so in that case. I do not know anything of the case personally, my knowledge is only obtained from the published reports.
Q.--Are you of opinion that any body of men or any Society with a Governmental legal status should be allowed to conduct in private investigations into the family life and social concerns of the people?
A.-No, certainly not.
Q.-Should such judicial powers be conferred on any body corporate?
A. No, I think not.
The CHAIRMAN.-Which judicial powers?
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.--Those which the proposed Ordinance will give the Society.
Witness.-No powers of that sort should be granted, I think --no powers to carry on a private investigation into the life and social concerns of the people.
Q.--If conferred would they tend to create an imperium in imperio?
A. Yes, I think that stands to reason.
Q.-Will you give us some explanation of what you thereby mean?
A.-It is giving powers which are not constitutional and which are contrary to the constitution of our Government, enabling people to do things which are outside the regularly constituted course or outside the regularly constituted powers and which violate the principles of British freedom. That is what I consider would be an imperium in imperio, a power within a power, a government within a government; that is all.
Q. If the proposed Ordinance were enacted, would it mean a public confession and proclamation to the Chinese and to the world that the British Government, through its legitimate and publicly recognised machinery of the Police and open Courts of law, is unable to protect women and children and condescends to the unconstitutional method of creating a Society, which, though not a secret one in name, practically operates as such?
A.-That is my opinion.
Q. Do you think that a Society so constituted might terrorise over Chinese families, and that the Police and the public will know nothing about it until much inquiry may have been done?
A. Yes, the love of power is innate in all men, and I think it perfectly possible. Q.--Although the members of the Board of Directors, and Committee are respectable men, and none of them at all likely to use their influence improperly, might not their subordinates or even individuals trading on the Society's proposed semi-governmental status, use their position to coerce people into acquiescence with their own personal schemes by threats of exercising the powers of the Society?
A. I think it is probable.
Q. In making new laws should legislators count with human nature ? A. Of course.