31.
35.
101
who attacked him, one of them seizing him by the arm and another by the throat. Chaung Aki ran towards his house and by the time he reached it the prisoner got hold of him and commenced to cut him. The shopman cried out 'save life,' and one of his employés came to the rescue and got hold of the prisoner.
Evidence was led at some length to support the charge. The Jury then retired to consider their verdict, and after about ten minutes' absence the foreman said the jury had not found the prisoner guilty on any of the charges brought against him. They considered that there was not sufficient evidence to show that the man actually inflicted the wound, although he was undoubtedly implicated in the matter.
His Lordship: Do you consider that he was one of the two men who went into the shopkeeper's house and one of the number who afterwards attacked him with a sword? If you find that he was acting in concert with these men and that a wound was inflicted by some of them, he is guilty of a common felony.
The Jury then consulted with each other, and after some delay their foreman announced that they considered that the prisoner was not in concert with anyone, but that the disturbance was general in the street.
His Lordship then read the charge to them and pointed out to the jury that if they were convinced that the prisoner was acting in common with others who made this assault, he would direct them as a matter of law to find the prisoner guilty of the assault with a sword.
The Jury again consulted together and the foreman announced that they were satisfied the prisoner was acting with others. There however was such an evident look of doubt on the faces of the jury, and they seemed to have such a hazy idea of what was meant by acting in concert with others, that his Lordship said he would write out questions for them to answer. These questions were: Did the prisoner act in concert with others who feloniously and maliciously attacked with swords the complainant and caused him bodily harm? Was the complainant so wounded by the prisoner's own hand or by any other person connected with him? After again retiring for some minutes the foreman of the jury said their answer to the first question was 'Yes,' Their answer to the second was that there was not sufficient evidence to show by whom the wounds were inflicted.
His Lordship said he would take this as a special verdict, and would reserve sentence.
21. (12.) The other evils cannot be remedied unless much greater pains than would appear to be customary are taken by the Police, in educating and training the Chinese Constables up to a higher moral standard and exercising a far stricter supervision over them.
(244.) That there should be more government supervision of the Captain Superintendent, especially as regards the training and selection of the Chinese Constables, who appear sadly ignorant of their duties and deficient in proper self-respect and esprit de corps. This point was strongly noticed by the Commission which enquired into Police matters in 1871.
In fact it is the want of really efficient training which affects all alike - Europeans, Indians, and Chinese. They apparently take no responsibility, and get up no cases themselves, but trust entirely to the Inspector. Nothing can be...