253
(10)
"balance being made up with West Indians obtained through Magistrates and Rectors of parishes in the West Indies. "these I would have two classes at $18 and $26. I would treat both East and West Indians alike.
Of
"Of the second class Inspectors already mentioned (in Mr. DocɑLAS' previous evidence) one at least or two should be from the Indian division, These coloured Inspectors should never supervise the Police duties of white men,"
Mr. Rice cites his experience on behalf of the West Indian as follows (p. 82): Patrolling in the sun is a difficult question. In the Mauritius it was done by Manritius Creoles. We imported a "uumber of men from Rodrigues and Seychelles and they made splendid Police. I think we could get West Indians at $16, "$18, and $20 a month, and some time since we could have got the pick of a West Indiau regiment. The West Indians we "have here are a bad sample, and they were left too much to themselves. Their great fault is breaking barracks and going When I had them. I kept them in barracks and, I believe, in "to brothels. I think it was our own fault that they did so. "good order, bat since I resigned command they have gone to the bad.”
Inspector HoRSPOOL thinks a trial should be made. He says (pp. 105, 106):
"I should prefer good West Indians (g.d. to Sikhs and East Indians) but not such as we have picked up lately. The great disadvantage of East Indians is their inability to communicate with the officers in charge of them. I have bad no I do not think they need cost double what East Indians get. The Sikhs receive $15 "practical experience of West Indians. *a month, and $20 or $22 ought to pay West Indians."
28. On the other hand, opinions against these men have been very strongly expressed. Mr. MAY thus sums up his views on the point (p. 89):
I do not think West Indians adapted to this place. They are sloppy, "I would have all my Indians of the same sort. **slovenly fellows with no self-respect, and are most disagreeable to have anything to do with. They are incessantly about "the very lowest brothels. They drink, but it does not make them drunk. In asking whether a Negro at $90 a month "is worth two Indians ut 313, it must be remembered that you do not want a very valuable man to put on a beat. To put a "European on a beat is a waste of material. You want a European to supervise your less intelligent Indians."
The Honourable J. W. BIRCH has also a singular dislike to them. He says (p. 19):
"I would not have West Indians on any account whatever. They are utterly useless. "(Singapore) force. If there were one I would turn him out."
West Indians.
I would not have one in the
CHINESE.
Mr. DEANE'S experience of them is not assuring. He says (p. 24):
"When I joined the force there were about sixteen West Indian constables, I had to dismiss them within a very few "months for violent and brutal conduct, drunkenness, or bad character. I never enlisted a West Indian myself before 1870, but when I returned in that year there were thirty in the forec. There are now twenty-three. They are very stupid. Most of our West Indians are from Jamaica. "Of the thirry I found in the force I dismissed seven for various officaces, "They were picked up in the Colony as far as I can learn. Before they were in the Police they were probably scamen. "I cannot say I consider them a favourable specimen of any nationality whatever. They are generally put on wharf-duty. I have to keep them in the Central Barracks. I cannot trust "They are more on the defaulters' list than any other men. "them at out-stations. Drunkenness is common amongst them, but their worst fault is breaking barracks to get down into "Tai-ping Shan. Thus they are always laid up with venereal disease. I have now to order the dormitories to be inspected " in the middle of the night to see if they are there. Their great use is that they speak English and can stand exposure to "the sun on wharves, &c., in the sumour. There are only four of them all that I should like to keep."
Finally, Dr. LEGGE, (p. 113) includes West Indians under the coloured races for whom "Chinese have a thorough contempt."
29. In weighing these opposed testimonies the majority of the Commission have West Indians. Conclusions been compelled to the following conclusions:
(a.) That, admitting that the West Indians who have hitherto been en- listed here have been far below the standard of those Negroes whose services might possibly be secured, the introduction of people of this race into the force would still remain an experiment for the success of which there is no experience to afford any guarantee. (b.) That such experience of Negroes as the Colony has obtained has
been highly discouraging.
(c.) That the experiment of their introduction would in itself be ex-
tremely expensive.
Introduction of
So far an open question.
(11)
(d.) That its success, doubtful at the best, is scarcely likely to be com- mensurate with the expenditure incurred; while its failure would entail incalculable loss on the Colony and would involve the dis- organisation of the Police.
(e.) That the status of the men would be exceedingly difficult to fix, and that most undesirable heart burnings and jealousies between them and the European constables would probably result.
(A) That the argument of their forming good and faithful Police among their own people has little or no weight when applied to their cm- ployment as Police among Chinese.
(9.) That the influences which tend to keep them steady and faithful when at home, such as family and friendly ties, and supervision by the Ministers of their religion, would be altogether, or nearly alto- gether withdrawn from them here.
(h.) That many of the considerations urged in paragraph 25, especially those lettered a, b, g, h, and i, seem to have nearly, if not quite as forcible an application to West as to East Indians.
(.) That in common with other coloured races they would in all pro-
bability inspire contempt and dislike among the Chinese.
FUTURE ORGANISATION.
30. The Commission have reserved their remarks upon the Chinese portion of the force for this heading, because it is to this part of the subject that the recommendations of their majority will be mainly directed.
31. At the time of taking the evidence, the Chinese force was represented by about 120 constables employed on shore duties, and by over 100 Water Police who, however, are chiefly boatmen. The experiment of trying Chinese for shore Police duties seems to have been made quite recently and in a tentative and somewhat timid way. The Honourable C. May, who was Superintendent of the Colonial Police from 1844 to 1862, was during his tenure of the office most strongly opposed to the employment of Chinese as constables. In the report already quoted, Mr. MAY argued at much length and in the most pointed way against entrusting any post of responsibility to any Chinaman; and in the evidence submitted to the Commission, Mr. Mar amongst other remarks of the same tendency observed (p. 88):
"I made no provision in the Ordinance of 1862 for Chinese constables, as I considered them utterly untrustworthy, "They are useless physically and morally. I quote from any report on Police matters in January 1862, arguing that Chinese "should only be used as barmen and interpreters. I would disband all the present Chinese force. I would not have a "Chinese on a beat."
and (p. 91):
**If you have one third of the foren Chinose, you have one third untrustworthy. The moral effect of a policeman “is very much reduced when he is a Chinese. I look upon Chinamen as a most dangerous element, though I would not "say their pay is wholly thrown away. No Chinese ever gets power without making it solely a source of profit. I had no "Chinese constables."
32. Opinions such as these, held by so undoubted an authority as Mr. Mar, naturally in the first instance prevented the employment of Chinese at all. and subsequently induced great caution in introducing them into the force.
Ac-