“(“China Mail” of 23rd April, 1870.)
H. E.'s POLICE REPORT.
308
We
The Report upon the Police Department for the year 1869 appeared in the Gazette of 16th April, and deserves some notice. It is known to a few that Sir R. MACDONNELL, was the virtual head of most of the departments of Government in Hongkong, and that departmental records frequently appeared fresh from the re-modelling pen of the head-master. His Excellency's hand is too apparent in the document in question to allow of a moment's doubt; and the Report for last year should be entitled "H. E's Special Plea for his Police Force." To those who fail to note the hand of the real Superintendent, we give one or two expressions:--"The working of the Police as tested has greatly improved," "the success of the Police is so much enhanced have received valuable assistance from the Gaming-house licensees," "its steady decrease (ie., crime) during the last four years, may be reasonably accepted as proof that the exertions of the officers of the department have not been wholly futile," "larceny by servants has decreased in a very remarkable manner since the opening of licensed Gaming-houses," "as yet the Sikhs have not had the same local experience as other members of the Indian Force," and "I think it will always be found expedient to retain a large Indian element in the force." The foot-marks (or rather quill-marks) of the officer administering the Government and defending its policy, are here very clearly seen. In one sense, therefore, we are simply dealing with a sort of rechaujjé of arguinents, formerly advanced and answered, in connection with H. E's Colonial policy; so that the interest felt in the Report upon the most expensive and least efficient of the departments is thus reduced to a minimum. Expose the mild swindle involved in the much loved Punch and Judy, and the pleasure is gone; so it is with the flourishing paragraphs in the Gazette which appear over the signature of "C. Vandeleur Creagh."
As we have said, this view saves us much trouble in the inatter of discussion-a labour, by the way, which is rather thrown away than otherwise under existing circunstances and any review of the document before us may fairly take the form of a few general observations. Before going further, however, we may be excused for expressing deep sympathy for the members of the late Police Commission, whose Report has not as yet received that publicity which it doubtless deserved. It would interest many tax-payers to see the contents of the Report of Messrs. SMITH, MAY and MITCHELL; and if rumour can be at all trusted, it is certain that the contrast in its tone to that of H. E.'s Special Plea would be little less than that generally shown in the words "for" and "against.' With this Commission's Report in his possession at the time when the Special Plea was written, it is easy to discover a strongly-marked difference of opinion between the Governor and the members of his Commission; and it is almost a pity that the arduous labours of the gentlemen above-named should have thus proved so barren of results.
It appears that the proportion of Police to the population of Hongkong is 1 policeman to 255 persons, and the proportion is said to be smaller than it is in some Indian towns: this, however, most likely refers to places in the Indian peninsula where the unsettled state of the country necessitates greater Police power. But whatever may be the strength of our Police force, or the state of efficiency or otherwise into which it has resolved itself, the fact that it fills a large space in our Colonial expenditure need not be overlooked, and the way which tax-payers generally look at those things is; Do we get value for our money? The great defect in the Police force at present-and one which becomes serious when temporary appointments seem likely to become permanent-is, the want of a thoroughly experienced, practical head; an officer who can not only set off to advantage silvered uniform and sit a horse fairly, but who can take in band and organize a Police force, be ever present and always moving and take a personally practical superintendence of the force in all its branches. Assistance received from the Native District Watchmen is acknowledged somewhat feebly in the Report; and it is said that they have brought up several cases during the year. We have hitherto been under the impression that the District Watchmen had brought up a large number of cases; but the statistics of the Registrar General's Office and those "called for by H. E. the Governor" from the Police Superintendent must surely show slight discrepancies. It is a great mistake, nevertheless, that any force should exist which is not under the immediate orders of the Chief of Police; and the present arrangement would appear to imply a weakness in the efficiency or inanagement of the present Police force.
In his efforts to reply effectively to "some who have advanced opinions on the subject," the author or amender of the Report commits himself to one or two inconsis-