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HONGKONG MURDERERS.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[August 24, 1907.
their proper pride.” That is a feature we can quite understand bere, though it is less easy to see how it is to be quickly remedied. The Committee was not satisfied that the merits of a constable as a zealous and effi- cient policeman always received sufficient recognition. In this connection, it is permissible to mention a recent disagree- ment between the Press of Shanghai and the police authorities. No one suggests the propriety of policemen giving away informa tion that should not be published, but that is not best prevented by a stupid general order that subordinates must refuse all information to the Press. The Press and Police work well together in many places, mutually co-operating, and timely recogni tion of a constable's or detective's success in the Press cannot but encourage the force to further enterprise. As it is, the instruction to hold no parley with reporters permits of no discretion on either side, and the inevit able result is injurious leakage and garbled reports. By permitting the exercise of discretion on both sides, both, and the public as well, are bound to benefit. Cases of indiscretion could always be dealt with in a very practical way.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held Dr. J. M. Atkinson (President) presided, and on August 20th at the Board Room. The Hon.
there were also present Hou, Mr. W. Chatham (Vice-President), Dr. F. Clark (Medical Offer of Health), Dr. H. Macfarlane, Ass stant Medical Officer of Health, Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe (Registrar-General), Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper, Mr. H. Humphreys, Mr. G. A. Woodcock (secretary). Mr. Lau Chu-pak, Mr. Fang Wa-chun, and
was a public meeting of ratepayers which demanded the enquiry, only three commu- (Daily Press, 22nd August.)
nications came in response to that invitation. Hongkong is largely interested in capital There had been suggestions of corruption punishment at the moment. To
in connection with the Force. There always nothing of the still uncharged murderer of is, wherever there are police, for no service the woman found in a trunk in the baggage offers greater temptations, and the man in room of the steamer Monteagle, there are the street is rarely charitable in estimating the four Indians couvicted nearly a month his fellow's power of resisting such. The ago of killing one of their fellow country investigators state unanimously that against men at West Point, and now the three Chinese the European and Indian branches of the convicted of the murder of a foreman at force they found no ground for the charge, Messrs. WATSON'S uerated-waler works. and no evidence of corruption in the case of Seven men under sentence of death, and any individual. "In the Chinese branch one who, according to public opinion, ought it seems to he admitted that there is to be. We had a triple execution not very corruption." What a curious remark! long ago, which was carried out regardless Who admitted? The Chinese? Or does it of a petition by sentimentalists; but a mean that the Europeans and Indians said, quadruple and a triple execution in one "not us, but the Chinese"? In all three month would not be a very edifying begin-instances it seems clear that the utmost the ning of Sir FREDERICK LUGARD'S reign as investigators can say is "not proven." As Governor of the Colony. It is quite poss. a remedy for possible corruption, the Com- ible that nothing of the sort will happen, mittee proposes the establishment of a however. The police confirm the report conspicuously placed letter-box, a sort of Lion that the sentence upon the convicted of Venice, in which accusations and com- Indians has been commuted to imprison-plaints may he posted; but unlike the ment for life.
We are considerably sur¦ Venetian arrangemen, these must not be prised at this, because it seem l to anonymous. We cannot hope for much be a very atrocious case, and so far as we
benefit from such an arrangement. The could judge, the CHIEF JUSTICE inclined only really important decision of the to mercy only on the technical objection Committee was that a thoroughly capable that the so-called " King's Evidence" was administrator and organiser should be not pro forma. Another surprising feature appointed as Captain-Superintendent, pre- is that the reprieve should have been made vious ones having been unsuitable." This, just when we were changing Governors, and the Municipal Councillors hope, is NOW that without being officially notified accomplished, in the selection of Lieut.-Col. in the Gazette or elsewhere. So far as we C. D. BRUCE. In all probability that gentle know, the only announcement the public man will be given a freer hand than Lis pre- bas had was the tentative report in decessors bad, and more material to work the Daily Press, which has been only with, although the Committee's idea that. indirectly confirmed as a result of our double the number of Europeans and enquiries. Our convictions as to what is Indians employed in 1906 are needed may Best for the commonweal in such case may not be wholly accepted. Still, it cannot be have made us appear bloodthirsty to the denied that Shanghai has grown and humane, so we will hast to acquiesce in extended iu sur a way that the existing the treatment of those Indians. But now
force has been quite inadequate, especially comes the question, what of the three Chi- when it is remembered that there are so nese at present under sentence? If those many law-breaking communities of natives Indians are to get off with imprisonment, in the environment. On top of this, slack we demand sitailar indulgence for the administration and incomplete arrangements Chinese. Just compare the two cases: The have fostered indiscipline. In the Indian Indians went to murder and rol, robbery brauch, it broke into open insubordination, being the motive. The jury had no doubt while among the Europeans it seems Jack of it. The stabbing of the Cainese foremau has heeu as good as his master for a long was a different matter. He was, let us say,
while. Constables who have been acting- severe taskmaster, and his assailants sergents during emergencies do not relish undoubtedly went to be revenged upon taking orders the day after, and so hin. No one can say they went deliberately Lieut.-Col BaCCE, with more men, will have to take his life, however. There was no difficulty in reforming that state of fight, in which the man was more than things. The Committee refers to the undue holding his own.
information. He was actually holding prominence of the police canteens; we have a prisoner one of the convicted men, at the thought for a long time that in the matter moment one of the others rushed in and of sports and refreshments the Shanghai used the knife. The man whom he held, police have been too indulgently treated. and who could do nothing either to hurt or Adequate provision for the recreation of the help him, certainly is less deserving of the men off duty is a good thing, but it should extreme penalty than the villains who went be less easy for other members to "get to steal the saving of one of their com off" to complete a team or an eleven, patriots, and slew him ruthlessly to that end. especially when the force is not too strong It may be in bad taste to plead that justice for the duty to be done. The previous be relentless; it may be maudlin to plead Capt.-Superintendent's view that the Chinese that it be forgiving; but most people expect constables are the nose, eyes, and ears it to be as consistent as is humanly possible. of the force is apparently endorsed by the Committee, and they are to be strengthened, in spite of their admitte corruption. Questions of pay cannot be considered here; they depend entirely on local considerations. The Committee reports that "some of the European inspectors and sergeants do not
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SHANGHAI POLICE.
(Daily Press, August 23rd.) SAUSMAREZ, Chief Justice, with Messrs. A. MCLEOD, C. BROdersen, C. M. Edɛ, A. M. MARSHALL, and C. W. WEIGHTSON have been investigating the administration of the Shanghai Police Force. They sat sixteen times and examined twenty-two witnesses, besides listening to a couple of deputations from the Police. They also advertised for suggestions from the public, but though it
For about four months, Sir HAVILLAND DE
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to understand Sikhs. They have treated them in some instances as coolies. A man in the position of an inspector should know better than this, and we think that one of the qualifications of an inspector should be that he knows how to deal with the men under him, so that while maintain- ing proper discipline he should not offend
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KOWLOON POINT MARKET.
In reply to letters from the Secretary of the Board, conveying the unanimous resolution of members that provision be made in next year's estimates for the provision of a market at Kowloon Point for the sale of European food, the Colonial Secretary stated that the question had been reserved for consideration with the estimates in September.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL minuted that the non-Chinese population of Kowloon was 895 in October, 1900, when the Government promised to prepare a scheme, and it was now 2245; in 1901 the European populatin was 668, and it .
was now 1467.
VEGETABLE MARKET AT YAUMATI
The reply from the Government relative to a
of the Board's recommendation, and asked if it was intended to place a roof over the structure.
The matter was referred back to the Assis- tant Medical Officer of Health for farther
vegetable market at Yaumati signified approval
SECTION 173.
tary stating that the case of the houses No. 112, A reply was received from the Colonial Seore- Wing Lok Street, and No. 320, Des Vœux
Road Central had been considered and it had been decided that it was not advisable to grant exemption.
Mr. SHELTON HOOPER minuted—I cannot believe that H.E. the Governor-in-Council
could have been in possession of all the facts of this case, when he refused to approve of the recommendation of the Board. There was only one member of the Roard who voted against it.
The PRESIDENT minuted-It should be noted that, although there was only one member of the Board who voted against it, there were only three members who voted in favour of the
motion.
Government states that it was decided by the The PRESIDENT-The letter from the Governor-in-Council that it was not advisable that the application should be granted, and the case must go on.
Mr. HOOPER-Sir, I beg to more that this matter be referred back to H. E. the Governor-
in-Council. As miunted by me, I am sure that
he was not in possession of all the facta. So far as the facts are set out in these documents, the
Governor-in-Council was in possession. There are two members of the Sanitary Board who gri