POLICE (Contd.).
817
The typhoon of 1874 brought heavy rain and a disastrous fire in its wake, and incidentally, a whole heap of trouble for Captain Superintendent Deane. The men who were to go on duty in the morning were kept indoors during the height of the typhoon on the previous night, and no action was taken to repeat the first alarm of fire. A petition for an inquiry was addressed to the Governor and when he refused to take action, the unofficial members of the Council went so far as to protest at the next Estimates against any provision being made for the salary of the Captain Superintendent. The matter was referred to the Home authorities and Lord Carnarvon in an official despatch stated that the action of the Superintendent had evidently adopted, from the best motives, the course which to him seemed most expedient.
No important changes were made in the constitution and organisation of the Police Force until Sir John Pope Hennessy arrived in 1877. After a careful study of the situation, he made an order (March 17, 1879) that two-thirds of the Police Force be always kept on night duty. Three months later, the Superintendent reported that the measure had a decidedly beneficial effect in diminishing the amount of crime.
The employment of steam launches for harbour patrol (1879), the removal of the water police from the rotten hulk in the harbour to the new Tsimshatsui Station (1881), together with a numerical increase in the personnel of the Force were steps of progress which the Governor reluctantly conceded to the demands of the Superintendent.
Since 1881 steady progress has been made. Superintendents have come and gone; new systems have been introduced; hard knocks have been given and received. The Police Force to-day has an enviable reputation. The language difficulty has almost disappeared, with the institution of compulsory examination for all ranks. The Criminal Investigation Branch is now thoroughly organised with its own Assistant Superintendent and Chinese "plain clothes" staff.
In conclusion, I append a list of the men who have filled the office of Captain Superintendent. The title was changed in 1930 to "Inspector-General of Police." On the shoulders of these men has fallen the whole of the responsibility for the proper order and conduct of the Force. Not to one, but to them all collectively must go the credit of bringing the Police Force to what it is to-day. They are: Charles May (1844-1862), William Quin (1862-1868), Walter Meredith Deane (1868-1891), Major General Alexander Herman Adam Gordon (1891-1893), Francis Henry May (1893-1902), Francis Joseph Bailey (1902-1913), Charles McIlvaine Messervy (1913-1920), Edward Dudley Corscaden Wolfe (1920-...).
"It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, by notification, to direct that no Chinese of either sex, without reasonable excuse, shall be at large in the city of Victoria between such hours of the night as may be fixed by such notification, without a valid pass under this Ordinance. For the purposes of this section, 'night' means from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, by notification, to direct that all or any Chinese, who may be out in, or about the city of Victoria, or any part thereof at night, shall, during the hours herein specified, carry lamps or lanterns; Provided always that one lamp or lantern shall be sufficient for any number of persons, not exceeding twelve who belong to the same party."
These two paragraphs are taken from Ordinance No.3 of 1888.