264
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PAR. 60. The evidence before the Commission was that District Watchmen work mainly upon
their own Chinese system, being for instance more anxious for the recovery of stolen property than for the conviction of the offender, and being willing to condone the offence in consideration of restitution; it was also alleged that they persist in the Chinese idea of refusing to admit any civil rights in women. The District Watchmen would be better supported by, and work better with a more summary criminal procedure than now exists.
PAR. 62. For the better establishment of discipline in the Police force, the power of promoting, reducing, and punishments should be left, as far as it safely may, in the hands of the Captain Superintendent, or at least his recommendations should be generally supported by the higher authorities, unless there be very strong reasons to the contrary.
PAR. 73. The system of photographing notorious offenders is, I believe, not alluded to in the Report, though in reality practised.
PAR. 78. Flogging taken by itself would not be absolutely deterrent, but its effects on the Chinese mind would be greatly increased by its conjunction with solitary confinement, low diet, and prison discipline.
I have, as requested by my colleagues through their Secretary, and in order to save time, signed my name to the Draft Report of the Commission, but it must be clearly understood that I have done so only subject to the exceptions contained in the present Memorandum.
I wish it also to be understood that my remarks as to Chinese character arise from no fixed antipathy to, or want of appreciation of the many redeeming qualific- ations of the race, and apply specially to those lower classes of the Chinese with which we are almost exclusively brought into contact in Hongkong and its neighbourhood. I might apply the old proverb, that a silk purse cannot be made out of a sow's ear, and so a conscientious policeman (according to the European standard) cannot be made out of a man whose education has taught him no rule of morality beyond expediency, and has imbued him with the all-prevailing conviction that power and position are primarily for personal advantage, and secondarily only, and very remotely for the supervision and furtherance of the public welfare. There must also not be overlooked the close union or clanship amongst themselves which exists with the Chinese on all occasions where a distinct Foreign interest is raised, as contradistinguished to a purely Chinese interest. The Chinese will not ally themselves for any purpose so closely with other races, nor can they exercise the same powers of intimidation over other races as over their own countrymen.
(Signed)
W. LEMANN.
Mr. Stewart.
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I am of opinion that to make Chinese the rank and file of the Police force would be a virtual abandonment of the attempt to police the Colony, and, ipso facto, a handing over of life and property to the class against which the Hongkong Police force has to contend. I, therefore, dissent entirely from the recommen- dation of the majority, of the Commission for these reasons:-
(a.) "Respectable Chinese Policemen" amounts to a contradiction in terms. No respectable Chinese will become a Policeman. If re- spectable Chinese could be found I would, of course, assent to their enlistment.
(b.) The Chinese are physically weak.
(c.) They want courage.
(d.) Chinese Police allow themselves to be intimidated into silence.
(e.) They take bribes whenever opportunity offers.
(f.) Their evidence, as a rule, is untrustworthy.
(g.) They aid and abet the Chinese criminal, as against his Foreign victim; and the greater the villain, the greater the power he can bring to bear on them..
(h.) The Chinese community distrusts and despises them.
These reasons are not founded on personal opinion merely, but on evidence before the Commission.
I recommend the employment of Negroes, especially of such as have served
in West India Regiments, and borne good characters there, because :—
(a.) They can do day duty, unaffected by the sun.
(b.) They are physically strong.
(c.) They are very courageous.
(d.) Man for man, one of them is equal to, at least, two of any Oriental race. (e.) They speak English, and can, consequently, be communicated with
direct.
() Their evidence is trustworthy.
(g.) If well paid and well looked after, they are as much above corruption
as Europeans.
(h.) They are capable of discharging their duties with considerable in- telligence and discrimination, qualities in which Bombay men, Sikhs, and Chinese have notoriously been wanting.
I admit that Negroes have many defects, and that their enlistment would be an experiment; but what has the employment of Bombay men and of Sikhs been, and what would the employment of Chinese be, but experiments? The first and second have been tried, and, as bodies, have been found unsuitable. The third, if the recommendation of the majority is adopted, are now to be tried; and therefore, so far, they have no more in their favour than Negroes have. The latter would need careful, strict, and judicious treatment from their superiors in the force; but no Police officer, whatever nationality he commands, is fit for his post if he is careless, lax, and injudicious.
(Signed)
FREDERICK STEWART,