[72]
[73]
was.
and immediately after you asked me if I knew whether a female named Attai was residing in any of the houses, in the turning west of the Union Chapel: I said that I believed she That the last time I suminoned her I heard that she had purchased a house from Mrs. Aliken in that Street. Some conversation further took place touching the identity of the woman Attai as having formerly dressed in European Clothes, and I stated that I'be- lieved the girls in her house were kept girls. I do not perfectly recollect whether I re- ceived any order on the subject of watching the house.I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
"CHARLES MAY, Esq.,"
“Superintendent of Police."
"JAS. JARMAN," "Inspector of Police
Mr. Bridges' Memo: to Sir John Bowring, with enclosures.
"SIR, I have the honor to submit to your Excellency the accompanying documents, being the Depositions taken by the Chief Magistrate in the case of Regina v. Ahtai, convicted of keeping a brothel.
"A letter addressed by Mr. May to Mr. Anstey, Mr. Davies and myself.
"An official letter from me to the Superintendent of Police, Mr. May.
"If I am correctly informed, the Superintendent of Police, being a married man, has been keeping a mistress within one door of a brothel kept open in viola- tion of the Ordinance restricting such houses to a certain locality, and the fact of the existence of this brothel was notorious to all the surrounding neighbourhood, and a general subject of complaint. No attempt has been made by the Superin- tendent of Police to cause this violation of the law to be suppressed, and I am therefore bound to suppose him to sanction its existence.
"Ordinance 12 of 1857 did not, when originally suggested by me, meet with the approval of your Excellency, but since it has become law I feel bound to state that you have given me all the support which appeared necessary for the effectual carrying out of the measure. It will be however impossible for me to attempt to discharge the duties of my office with regard to this Ordinance if in addition to the tacit opposition which the Superintendent of Police has given to it in every possible way from the commencement, he be permitted to give positive encouragement to offenders in the manner I have above mentioned. The whole Police Force necessarily follow the lead set them by their Chief, and I am now at no loss to understand why my endeavours to carry out thoroughly what I believe to be a beneficial enactment, have never been aided by the Police, but solely by the Registrar General and the Inspector of Nuisances. Unless forced to do so I would be the last man to enquire how any servant of the Queen here observes or disregards the ordinary laws of morality, but now that this question has assumed an official shape I feel bound to call to the re- membrance of your Excellency that Mr. May was for a considerable period a cause of great scandal to this community as the owner of the most offensive brothel property in this Colony. And I beg also to state that for many months (previous to my tenure of Office) he had this very same woman Rozario living and sleeping with him at his quarters, as Superintendent of Police, to the great offence of other married members of the Force.
"I attach so much importance to the conduct of the Superintendent of Police, and to the feeling evinced by him towards the Registrar General, who in this matter has only obeyed my official directions, that unless your Excellency is pleased to give me full support in carrying out what I conceive to be my duties, I must most reluctantly request your Excellency to relieve me from them.
"The subordinate executive machinery of this Colony rests almost entirely on the Registrar General and the Superintendent of Police. Of the former I have never had reason to complain; the latter has rarely given me satisfaction; I believe that he has by degrees amassed a certain amount of property, and the duties of his Office are generally sacrificed to his private concerns.
As far as I can ascertain, the ill-feeling evinced by Mr. May to Mr. Caldwell arises solely from the latter occupying a higher post than himself in the Government service, whereas he was at one time Mr. May's subordinate. The services of the present
Registrar General are invaluable to the Colony, those of the present Superin- tendent of Police could be very easily dispensed with.
"Your Excellency is aware that I am not now for the first time expressing an unfavorable opinion of Mr. May, but each successive month confirms my views of his unfitness for his present post.
"I should be very unwilling that the Right Hon'ble the Secretary of State for the Colonies should have reason to suppose that Ordinance 12 of 1857 failed from inherent defects, as after my warm advocacy of it my credit is to a certain degree involved in it. If therefore your Excellency declines to sanction by your approval the view which I have taken, I most respectfully request that all the documents may be forwarded to the Colonial Office for the information of Mr. Labouchere."
"W. T. BRIDGES."
66
66
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 11th March, 1857."
Postscript.-Since writing the above I have received a letter from the Superintendent of Police which I annex. Its tone towards myself and the feel- ing it exhibits towards the Registrar General are such as to confirm the views that I have herein respectfully submitted to Ilis Excellency, and to render my farther tenure of office worthless to Her Majesty's Service in this Colony if the conduct of the Superintendent of Police is not visited by punishment.-"W. T.B."
"12th March, 1858."
Commenced 9th March
Remanded
COPY.
Warrant No.
Concluded 9th March,
C. M. Court, No. 517.
Warrant, No.
P. Sessions, No. Warrant, No.
AT THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE, VICTORIA, IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.
Minutes of Proceedings in the Cause in which D. R. CALDWELL, Registrar
General, &c., is Plaintiff'; and
1. CHUN-TAY-YOW
2. WONG-AH-NGAN
3. SUIN-SAM-PO
4. CHUN-AH-WOON
5. WONG-ATAI
Date.
DOLLARS. In O. B. C. Notes.
DOLLARS.
In Silver.
75
9th Mar. Fines 40
Defendants in Court.
20 of Canton, married woman.
24 of Heongshan, wife of Yoong-ah-chaong.
74 of Suntak, widow.
31 of Canton, wife of Chun-chui-hoi.
24 of Shanghae, female.
MEMORANDUM.
RUPEES, CASI, STERLING.
Defendants.
正
月收銀七十五圓 卄收紙銀四十圓 四
Tuesday, 9th March, 1858.
DANIEL RICHARD CALDWELL, Registrar General, sworn, deposes. On Saturday night last, at 11 P M., I went to the house of 5th defendant in Hollywood Road outside of the districts where brothels are allowed. I knocked for some time, and while so doing I heard 5th defendant call out to keep the "devils" (foreigners) quiet. I heard the voices of women inside. I was kept there half-an-hour. I said who I was, and then the door was opened. In a room on the lower floor I saw three European men. I went upstairs, I searched the and on the verandah of the 2d floor I saw another foreigner in the corner.
I said to house but could find no women, except defendant, and one or two old women. her that I must take her to the Station on the charge of keeping a brothel; she said if I insisted on her leaving the house she would go elsewhere, or that she would pay the fine at once, but asked me to be tender with her. There was a window where women could get out.
I heard women voices; before I went in I had the house surrounded so that I am sure no woinen got out into the streets. They could only have got into a house No. 894
322
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