?
The Chief Justice continued. He had watchmen constantly before him; and how was it possible that an army could be commanded without a General? The Police should have certainly one Superintendent.
WELL.
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The Lieut. Governor agreed with the Chief Justice in this matter. The Chief Justice was very glad that the Governor did so. CALDWELL was at the head of certain portions of the Police. [The A. G. here dissented, He believed that Mr. and the C. J. said he had not finished.] There was no doubt that, when the HOLWOR- THY murderers were being tried, the only man who superintended the case was Mr. CALD It was Mr. CALDWELL'S men who got up that charge which kept innocent men in Gaol. Why, such things would not be allowed anywhere else. The men under the Marine department should be transferred. They were under Mr. THOMSETT, for whom he had the greatest respect; but they were under the wrong officer; it was like putting a soldier under the Commodore, and was a disarranging and disorganizing sort of thing. All ought to be under the head of a competent man.
Mr. GIBB observed that these men did special duties.
The Chief Justice observed that they were Police duties; and if the Harbor Master required them to look after the duties of his department, it was the duty of the Super- intendent of Police to tell off as many men as were wanted.
The Lieut.-Governor observed that, when he first became Lieut.-Governor, he was struck with the number of men employed as Police who were not Policemen; and he had struck off a large number already.
Certainly to think that we have got 500 Policemen, when we have not 400, was a mistaken way of doing business. He had corrected this as much as possible, and had handed over to Dr. MURKAY one or two Inspectors, so that now all on the strength of the Police were now under the orders of the Head of the Police. If he was wrong, he would be glad if the C. J. would inform him.
The Attorney General, having remarked on the good service done by District Watchmen (one of whom was lately rewarded), referred to the remarks of the Chief Justice touching the Sowkewan murder. Mr. CALDWELL had nothing whatever to do with that matter beyond coming to Government, as any man might, and saying he could put his hand upon a murderer in Macao. Some thought that Mr. CALDWELL was an ill-used man, while some thought otherwise; as to that question he did not intend to discuss it. But so long as, from his Chinese knowledge, Mr. C. came for- ward and gave such information to the Goverument, then they would accept such information, and would do so from any man. He did not see, therefore, how the Chief Justice could say that Mr. CALDWELL was employed? The C. J. must have been misled.
The C. J. said he had not been misled.
The Attorney General repeated that Mr. CALDWELL had given information only, as any man might have done, to the Government.
The Chief Justice asked an answer to one question. Did not Mr. HAZELAND at the trial refuse to give up, and claim protection for, the informer?
The Attorney General said it was his duty to give a most direct and unqualified denial to what had fallen from the Chief Justice; and he hoped it would be understood that he said so with all respect.
The Lient.-Governor observed that they had met there not to discuss the Sowke- wan murder, but the Estimates.
The Chief Justice observed pointedly that all the proceedings relating to the mur- der should be published.
Under the Judicial headings the only change apparently worthy of mention appear- ed to be a small sum voted for chair-coolies to the Bailiff, inserted at the suggestion of Mr. PAUNCEFOTE.
Concerning the Police appropriation, the Colonial Secretary observed that it was proposed to vote a sum of $3,000 for supernumerary Constables. He explained that it was proposed to employ twenty or thirty supernumeraries, West Indians who were in the Colony and had nothing to do, and as the Sikhs were weeded, to absorb them into the body of the force.
The Lieut-Governor remarked that he thought it would be a great improvement on the present state of things to employ intelligent West Indians in lieu of Sikhs, who did not understand us. The latter did not understand a word that was said to them, raised difficulties about their cooking, had half a dozen different kitchens, were a most trou- blesome set of men to get on with, and a most impracticable and useless set of people. He proposed to obtain West Indians who could read and write, aud upon whose pluck we could depend in an emergency. Thirty of them had been employed, and when ab- sorbed into the force they would be able to fall into their places; and by and by they would have a better description of men-men who had served ten years in the West Indies, of good character, who were thorough soldiers, and could take their places with any regular regiment. These were the sort of men we wanted, and not useless men whom we did not understand. He had commanded a reginient for sixteen West Indies; and they were the sort of men we wanted here; they were men who in the years could handle their arms with any class of men.
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