165
should prosecute him in this Consular Court.
there is no
probability, nowever, that the articles stolen by the police
will ever be returned.
8.
The conduct of the police throughout the oase has bear
diegraceful. The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, it is
true, has informed me that the officer in charge of the
district in which Teo'e house is situated has been dismissed,
but I am, of course, unable to verify this statement.
9.
The robbery took place eight days after the Commis-
sioner for foreign affairs had written to tell me that the
objent of the police in taking a census of foreignera was to
enable we to grant protection and to win me that my
refusal to comply with the census regulations might lead to
misunderstandings (seo my dempatch No. 63 of August 17 last).
It seems not unlikely tunt this case is a “misunderstanding"
of the kind foreseen by the Commissioner; and I cannot help
sharing Hy, Teo Iee Bree's suspicion tunt the police were in
collusion with the robbers, though. it is impossible to
produce any evidence in support of this muspicion.
I have the honour to be,
sir,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
(sd.) Cecil Kirke.
Conmil.