12
which deal inter alia with the question of ship's guarde,
should not orase to be in force until the future policy with
reference to ship's guards has been decided upon.
6. The present proposal with reference to ship's guards is
that ship owners are to be free to employ guards or not as
they please, and that where guards are employed the police
shall no longer have any control to exercise over them in the
course of their employment. The present dual control of
The Captain Superintendent of Police and the master of the
ship has been much objected to. At the same time, the Cap-
Lain Superintendent of Police will be prepared to supply ship's
guards from among his force of private watchmen, most of whom
are of Indian race. The only control which the police will
retain over ship's guards will be that there will be a pro-
hibition against the employment in Hong Kong of any persons
28 ship's guarda who are not registered in a oʻrtain watch-
man's register. These proposals are contained in a Bill and
draft regulations which are at present being considered by the
Government.
7. In my opinion this is an Ordinance to which His Excellency
the Officer Administering the Goverment may properly assent
in the name of His Majesty and on His behalf.
A torney General.