[LXIV]
the district watch force, where they had been charged with the duty of making arrests, for service under the Pó Léung Kuk, and that if what the Police Magistrate said is true the seventeen rules received by the Society from the Secretary of State are altogether a matter of form and of no possible use.
That it has hitherto been the practice to send all kidnappers and their victims of either sex before the Protector of Chinese for him to decide what course is to be pursued, and that the directors have never had any communication with the Police Magistrates: the reason being that they might avoid the circumlocution which would arise owing to neither party understanding the other's language.
That although it is only a month since the present directors have taken over the management of the Society, they know that they must act with reason, and that in the matter of the two persons CHUNG UN and WONG SHING there was no occasion why they should be partial to one and unfavourable to the other.
That the Police Magistrate is invested with authority to decide each case and exercise his discretion as to whether punishment is to be inflicted or not, and it is certainly not within the province of the directors to offer any criticism whatever. That there was no reason why the Police Magistrate should avail himself of the occasion to harass the directors and why he should have instituted such an inordinately minute inquiry in order to hector and worry them to such an extravagant extent.
That it is impossible for men so incapable as the directors to be able to carry on this work. That they well know that the enmity and jealousy with which the Society is met is unavoidable.
That if it is insisted that the Society should be maintained and its work continued, it is to be feared that there will be such opposition to their views and such obstruction to their acts as will render that impossible. That they therefore present this petition praying that they may be permitted to resign and further beg Your Excellency to choose other gentlemen of more ability to fill their place and to furnish them with instructions for their direction and guidance-a course which they submit is recommended both by justice and expediency.
And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
(Signed)
KWOK YIK-CHI
6th intercalary moon, YAM SHAN year.
CHỨNG MAU-TONG
LI YIK-CHI
NG KIM-TONG
LEUNG TSUNG-TSING
HO SUI-NG
NG TAU-SHÁN
YAM CHI-NAM
CH'AN SUI-T SUN
WAI LONG-SHÁN
T'ONG SING-Ü
LAU WAN-KAI
CH'AN PIK-T‘SÜN
TAM KIT-HING