SAVINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date............ 27th January, 1947.
No.
31
STAFF CONFIDENTIAL,
72
52
(1)
Chief Civil Affairs Officer's confidential savingram No. 1366 of 8th
January, 1946. Reorganization of the Police Force.
1.
Several contingents of the Force are seriously below the
10 FEB 1947
RECEIVE
C. O. RES
strength shown in the 1946-7 Estimates.
Northern Chinese contingent
which should consist of 505 men is 131 under establishment.
Recruitment
is slow owing to political difficulties. Although it is proposed to re-⠀
duce Indian contingent from 817 to 325, only 3 Indian police are in
Colony at present as witnesses in war crimes trials and even when
decision on future of Indian contingent is taken, it will be some time
before these men can be brought back and be adequately trained. The
Emergency Unit now consists of 79 men, 29 extra posts above those
shown in 1946-7 Estimates having been approved by Finance Committee,
The local Inspectorate is below strength, its quality poor owing to
inadequate training and the numbers of the rank and file must be
correspondingly increased.
2.
To make up for these deficiencies Finance Committee has
approved the immediate recruitment as a matter of urgency of 180
Cantonese Police constables and 21 Portuguese constables to bring the