The Registrar
can command the
attendance within 24 hours of any
member
a woman do
headman and in the absence of any
A
pos, 10, this is a
Si.
very valuable power : help the headmen as much
as possible when they are doing right.
Deportation properly used is a
very effective remedy for any continued ill-behaviour on the part of headmen.
With regard
to any connection between our Societies
here and yours,
I have been long
of the opinion
that the Triad existed in Hongkong, and
all the branches are
of common
origin
but I don't think there is any working
together between them. No insignia of a Frad Society or funerals,
are allowed at marriage
or in
any
marriage Procession.
14. April, 1886.
The only way
332
to deal with these
Societies is to make them harmless by
registration, and constantly making the headmen feel that the Government will not interfere
as long as they
confine themselves to such harmless antiquated oaths as those prevalent even in Masonic Societies, and which, though sounding dreadful, have lost all meaning. As
to any difficulties I really found very few,
owing
to the Chinese dilatory nature, and
only
to the fact that for 50 years they had been allowed to do what they liked, and when proving
themselves
a nuisance and
dangerous by serious riots, had been noticed by the Government. I always told them clearly if they chose to come to
our English Colony and enjoy privileges of our rule, they were welcome to do so on
one condition, i.e. that they
obeyed
the law.