MINORITY REPORT of the COMMITTEE appointed by HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR to consider certain proposals with regera to the prevention of piracy.
We the minority members of th. Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor to enquire into certain further proposals
with regard to the prevention of piracy have the honour to submit
the following report and recommendations.
•
In September 1924 The Honourabl. The Colonial Secretary wrote
to The Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, The Chinese Chamber
of Commerce and The Combined Chin: Coust Officers Guilds stting
that "certain further proposals" with regard to the prevention of
piracy word at present under consideration and asking each of such
bodies to nominat、 representative to survo on a Committee with certain Government officials to consider the proposals put forward
and to make recommendations thereon to the Government.
The three bodies so named nominated Noilage Sharp Brown, Chau Tsun
Nin and Tom Turnball Lourenson rusp.ctively the signatories huruto
as their nominees. The first moting of th. Committed was hold
on Friday the 5th of Documb.r 1924 at which the Assistant Harbour
Master, Commander Conw Haku, H.. presid.d. It was expl tinzd by
the Chairman at the outset that the "curtain further proposals" which the Committee was appointed to consider were principally proposals for the amendment of the Fir icy Frovention Rogulations,
and that the Committoo were not to be allowed to discuss the general
question of piracy prevention apart from the regul tions. In
those circumstances the signatories knowing the general opinion of
those whom they repr.sunted felt themselves compelled to refer the
matter back to them before proceding further with the discussion.
The bodies referred to were oi th, opinion that the existing
regulations were most unsatisfactory and that no revision of them
would be offcctual for the purpose of the suppression of piracy
and that unless the whole subject was considered, and all avenues
explored, no good purpos. could be served by the signatories con-
tianing on the Committee md that 17 wider discussion which such
bodics contemplated was not to be allowed it would be better if their
representatives should withdraw from the Committee and go thoroughly
(into)
1.
163
J