(6)
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL should be abolished altogether. (Laughter).
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I do not quite understand what the hon. member means to suggest, but I know that as long as I have held the post of Registrar-General I have not overruled the wishes of the Chinese on the question of kidnapping or any other matter and I challenge the hon. member to show that I have done so.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I say the Registrar-General has exercised a wise control which has been very desirable, and which has also been very effective; and I think it would be a great pity if that control should now be given up and disappear.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Hear, hear.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-I say again that the Registrar-General does not want to be placed in the position of the dictator of the Chinese and it is no use for the hon. member who represents the Chamber of Commerce to fence with words. That is undoubtedly the position he wishes to place the Registrar-General in.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-They have said themselves that their object is to put the Registrar-General under their thumb; in fact, to control the Registrar-General.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-No; not the occupant of the office, but the Department yes.
The REGISTRAR-GENERAL-It will scarcely be believed, your Excellency, that these two hon. members who wish the Chinese community to be under the thumb of one Government officer are agitating for a preponderance of the unofficial element in this Council. (Laughter.) I do not express any opinion as to whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing, but what I want to point out is the gross inconsistency of these gentlemen. They say that, as far as the Chinese are concerned, in a matter in which they have special knowledge they are to be overruled by the Registrar-General.
The members may be able to explain their inconsistency, but I think I have found the key to it. It is due to prejudice and want of confidence in the Chinese. What would be the result, sir, of this prejudice and want of confidence in the Chinese? I will quote the words of Dr. Eitel, whom the hon. member for the Chamber of Commerce has described as "an invaluable witness," who has lived in the colony for thirty years, and who is thoroughly acquainted with the people, their language and customs. Dr. Eitel says:-"I believe the principle of ruling the Chinese through the Chinese ought to be much more largely applied in Hongkong. In kidnapping at any rate, more than in any other case, this principle ought to be applied. Give the Chinese a considerable amount of confidence and a considerable amount of power, with the distinct and practical supervision of the Registrar-General, who is altogether the link between the Chinese community and the European Government."
And again, "The moment the control is of a nature which is disagreeable to the Chinese, injuring their self-respect, showing a want of confidence, lacking in sympathy with the Chinese people and lacking in real advantages to the Chinese, then in that case the Chinese will simply become apathetic or refuse altogether to do anything."
And especially must it be remembered, in considering this point, that the Chinese know more about kidnapping than anybody else.
What does the hon. senior unofficial member say? He says: It is only the Chinese who really understand how to deal with the offence whose prevention is the object of the Society, and how to control properly the subordinates who are employed for this purpose.
This being the case surely it is most unreasonable that gentlemen who are supposed to be specialists in this subject should be overruled by a Government officer. I consider the position to be derogatory to the Chinese and a most invidious one for any Government officer and one which as long as I hold the post of Registrar-General I shall protest most emphatically against.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-It has obtained up to date for thirteen years.
Hon. HO KAI--Sir, I have much pleasure in seconding the second reading of this Bill. I am very glad, sir, that we are likely to be unanimous on the principle of this Bill.
(7)
The two main objects of the Bill, namely the incorporation of Po Leung Kuk and the endowment of that Society with a sum of $20,000 will be advocated by nearly everybody and every hon. member of this Council, since the Committee which your Excellency appointed have unanimously reported in favour of the two points.
True, when we come to go through this Bill in Committee there may be some sections that will raise a difference of opinion, but at the same time, so far as the principle of the Bill is concerned, I am very glad, as I said before, that there will be no contention whatever.
Now, sir, although my hon. friend the Registrar-General has said very kind words in favour of the Po Leung Kuk, I think it is only right and fair that I as representative of the Chinese in this Council should also make a few remarks upon the character of that Society and also upon its work, knowing at the same time that I am running the risk of being charged by the hon. member for the Chamber of Commerce with bestowing unmerited praise upon the Society and its work.
Now, sir, what was the Society formed for? It was formed as far back as 1880 with the distinct object of assisting the Government in the prevention of the crime of kidnapping and kindred offences, and also to assist the Government in rescuing women and children from being the victims of crime and degradation, and, furthermore, to assist the Government in the disposal of those women and children in the best manner possible, having regard to their lifelong welfare and happiness.
Now in the carrying out of these objects I am sure the Po Leung Kuk have done their best and the success of their endeavours to attain these objects has been testified to by the Registrar-General, who has been intimately associated with them for a large number of years and who is the most likely person to know whether their work is valuable to the Government or not and whether their assistance was of any value at all.
Now I will take the words of the Registrar-General with regard to its character and value against thousands of others whose gross ignorance is utterly deplorable and whose hasty utterances are most despicable (Applause).
As witness we have first the Registrar-General. I say, and apart from that I myself have ten years of personal experience and observation of the Society's work, and I can add my testimony most unmistakably to the Registrar-General's.
Even those who have spoken most against the Society have now withdrawn more or less their former statements and they have to testify to the value of the work and also to the respectability of the members who from year to year represent the Society.
Now, sir, such a Society as this, I submit, deserves well of the Government. They deserve, in fact, the support and encouragement of every right-minded man in this Colony. (Hear, hear.)
And we are now introducing this Ordinance, one of the chief objects is to do away with these irregularities by laying down plainly what position the Society ought to occupy and by making regulations and rules to guide the Society in the way that they should go and to guide the constables or detectives who may be employed by, or lent to, the Society for the detection of the crime of kidnapping.
That is the very object of the Ordinance and if we pass the Ordinance the Society will be placed in a very much better position. The Committee of the Society will have the benefit of the experience of the permanent Board of Direction. They will have the benefit of the guidance of the rules and regulations made by the Governor, and I venture to think that in the future there will be fewer irregularities and mistakes made by them.
Now then, sir, having said so much as to the general provisions of this Bill, I will come to the one point which no doubt represents the chief difference between the three members of the Special Committee and the rest, and also the difference (though of course the hon. gentleman is very likely to change his mind) which we may meet in this Council to-day.
I refer to the management and constitution of the Society. Section 5 says:-"The Permanent Board of Direction shall consist of not less...
222