were in the main the provisions of the scheme originally sketched out in 1878 by Mr. J. J. FRANCIS, Q.C. (see appendix 39) and it is a matter of regret that they were lost sight of
13. I agree that the services of the Po Leung Kuk are most valuable in affording food, clothing, and shelter for rescued women and children and destitutes and in co-operating with the Government by correspondence and other means in making enquiries, and in providing by marriage or otherwise for people who cannot be restored to home or friends; but the Ordinance by which they are incorporated should provide definitely for the preparation of a suitable office for the Society, and for a suitable home for the rescued females, for the custody and proper management of the funds, and for proper accounts to be publicly audited. The essential provisions on these points should appear in the Ordinance, or complete incorporation should be postponed until a house has been secured and the Rules and Regulations of the Society, adequately providing for these points, have been submitted to and certified by the Government.
14. I disapprove entirely of the constitution of the Society as provided for by the Ordinance. Annual subscriptions should be substituted for the one subscription now entitling to membership, for in no other way can the membership be reliably maintained at a level. There may be life memberships of course in addition. Annual subscriptions, however small, will help to maintain popular interest in the movement.
15. I most strongly deprecate the inclusion of the Registrar General in the governing body of the Po Leung Kuk. He must have in all respects the final and decisive word in all dealings by the Society with women and girls entrusted to its care. He should be entirely outside it, and above it, and should not be mixed up in the debates and discussions of the members of Committee. The Registrar General has in the past exercised a most valuable and effective control over the proceedings of the Po Leung Kuk. It is very clear from the evidence given by Mr. Wat Yok, and by other Chinese witnesses examined (see pages 17, 18, 23, 26, 27, 31, 32, 35, 38, 39, 41, 129, &c.) that in proposing that the Registrar General should be a member of the Committee, they would in certain matters be able to place him in a minority and overrule him. This would be an unbecoming position for any high officer of the Government, and an impossible position for the officer specially charged with the protection of women and girls by Ordinance No. 11 of 1890. As regards our relations with the Chinese Authorities on the mainland it would involve the danger of the Acts of the Po Leung Kuk being identified with the acts of the Government. (See page 141—the Honourable Ho Kai's question No. 4.)
16. I am of opinion that the double Committee will only lead to confusion. The object to be attained is apparently the retention of old and experienced men in the governing body. There should be one strong Committee elected for six years and renewed in part each year by the retirement of two members and the re-election of others in their place. There will thus be experienced men at all times on the Committee. A working Sub-Committee can well be formed out of the members of the Committee if need be.
17. I recommend therefore under this head the amendment of the present Bill:—
1. By making an annual subscription the condition of membership. Life memberships being provided for.
2. By vesting the Government of the Society in a General Committee of twelve with power to appoint sub-Committees. The members to be elected for six years and to be renewed by the retirement of two each year and the re-election of new, not of the same men.
3. The removal of the Registrar General from the Committee. There is no objection (and it would perhaps be desirable for many reasons) that the Honourable member who represents the Chinese in the Legislative Council should be ex officio President or Chairman of the Committee.
4. The institution of the Registrar General as Visitor and Inspector. As such all appointments of detectives, all alterations in Rules and Regulations, all dispositions of women and children would need his sanction, and there should be an appeal from his decision to the Governor in Council.
5. By embodying in the Ordinance all essential Rules and Regulations, or postponing incorporation under it until such rules are duly certified and published.
6. By providing for the cessation of the Society in the event of membership falling below a certain figure for a definite time.
7. By making special provision for detectives as above set forth.
Question 3.
Whether it is in any sense, as suggested by the Honourable T. H. Whitehead a “Secret Society.”
18. In the sense in which I have explained myself in appendix No. 46, and in which His Excellency the Governor evidently understood me, there was about the proceedings of the Society an undesirable amount of secrecy, and the provisions suggested by the Governor in his speech of the 25th April, 1892, ought to be introduced into any Bill to be passed.
Question 4.
Whether any of the subscriptions have been obtained by “pressure” or order as asserted by some Honourable member.
19. My opinion on this point has already been expressed in the paragraph headed “Origin and History of the Society.”
Question 5.
Whether some of the Runners are disreputable and squeeze as suggested by a member of the Police Force.
20. There has been no proof that the Runners are more disreputable, or squeeze more or less than the same class of men in the Government service, but there are evidently very strong impressions on the subject.
21. A provision in the Ordinance that the Po Leung Kuk detectives shall be guaranteed by the Society and secured, and that they shall be approved by the Registrar General will, with the greater publicity given to the proceedings of the Society, remedy all this so far as it is capable of being remedied.
Question 6.
Whether a grant not exceeding $20,000 should be made by the Government or whether it would not be preferable to hand over the block of houses situated in New Street, including the first floor and the site, to the Society instead of making them a grant in money.
22. In reply to this question I beg to call attention to the fact that by the provisions of Ordinance No. 11 of 1890, the Government is required to provide a home for women and girls out of the public revenue. The section reads:
“It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, out of moneys to be provided by the Legislative Council for that purpose, to provide a suitable building or buildings for the purposes of temporarily housing and maintaining women and girls detained under the provisions of this part of the Ordinance and as the Asylum for them during such detention.”
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