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THE PROPOSED FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF THE NEWLY LEASED TERRITORY.
I am of opinion that in the future government of the newly leased area, the organization at present in existence should be as far as possible utilised. In order to effect this, I recommend that the head of the Administration should be a Commissioner, subordinate to the Governor of Hong Kong, but in all other respects independent. His headquarters should be in the neighbourhood of Taipò Hü, which seems the most central position, where all the Government Offices and prison should be established. He should be assisted by an Executive Council, consisting of himself, the Treasurer, the Head of the Police, and by an Advisory Council, made up of himself and native representatives, one selected from each Tung or Division. The native repre- sentatives should be granted some title, as is done in Ceylon, in order to make them regard the position of member of the Advisory Council as one to be coveted. In addition to a Commissioner, who will, of course, require a Secretary, a Treasurer should Treasurer. be appointed. He should collect taxes, fees, and all other items of revenue, and pay all salaries and other items of expenditure. In the department of the Treasurer should Land be a Land Officer, to whom should be entrusted the important duty of having all claims Officer. to land properly surveyed and registered, 'and leases duly issued. The work of this officer will for some time to come be very heavy. Land is held in small allotments, and in many cases the amount of land mentioned in the lease is not in agreement with the actual holding, and a good deal of land is held without any proper title. I think it would be well to appoint as Land Officer some one who has had practical experience of surveying, and to place under him native surveyors, such as can, I am informed, be Surveyors. obtained from Ceylon. The cost of this staff may be somewhat excessive to begin with, but it is of great importance that the question of titles to land should be settled as soon as possible. I am of opinion that at least eight (8) native surveyors will be necessary. It is unnecessary to point out that the sooner the titles to land are definitely settled, the easier will it be to collect the land tax. Indeed, until such titles are decided, it is impossible to know exactly what land is really available for Crown land.
Public Works.
The chief work of this Department will be to erect buildings and to construct roads. and piers. A staff consisting of one assistant engineer, a draughtsman, two clerks, and a few overseers would suffice at first. The officers of this Department should, I think, be under the supervision of the Director of Public Works of Hong Kong, so that the new territory may have the benefit of the experience and advice of that officer. I may mention that the present Director of Public Works, Mr. Ormsby, is of opinion that the supervision of the public works in the new territory can, without difficulty, be arranged from Hong Kong.
Police.
A European should be appointed as head of the police, and should have under him a Chief Inspector, 4 European Sergeants, and an Indian Sergeant, to act as Jemadar of the Indian Police. A force of at least 30 Chinese and 20 Indians should be enrolled and stationed at headquarters or other convenient places, from whence they could patrol the territory in different directions, in order to maintain peace and good order, and to protect the lives and property of the inhabitants. This force should be properly drilled and partially mounted. A detective force of 15 men will also be required. The exist- ing system of village constables should be maintained, the Tipò, or head constable, being held responsible to the Watch Committee of the village for the good order of the village. The number of these village constables in the Tung Lo, or Eastern section, must be over 1,000. Their pay, which is at present defrayed by the villages, is very small, and will, no doubt, have to be increased in order to secure efficiency. It is hoped that this large force may be gradually improved and converted into a well disciplined force of military police. To begin with, however, it will be necessary to take them as they are, and make the best possible use of their services.
The village council should, for purposes of police, act as a watch committee, and control the village constables, the Tipò being in the first instance responsible to them.
With regard to the policing of the islands, an Indian and 3 native Chinese should be stationed on the island of Cheung Chau, and the same number of men at Tai'O, in the island of Lantao. These police should be under the immediate supervision of a
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