CO129-152 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [9-10] — Page 317

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("China Mail" of 8th November, 1870.)

316 Rumour has assigned many reasons for the postponement of the meeting of the Legislative Council, and although the exact cause for this step may not be generally known, still it is believed to have some bearing on Police matters. It would be very satisfactory for the public to know that the Government had determined on making an effort to improve the efficiency of the Force.

Soon after the departure of Sir RICHARD MACDONNELL it was currently reported that His Excellency the present Governor, after visiting the various Police Stations and ascertaining the various details regarding the working of the Force, had pronounced against the arrangements generally and ordered certain important changes to be made. Some of these changes, it would appear, bave been made with more or less advantage to the service, while others and those probably of the most importance have yet to be effected. From certain observations made by the Lieutenant-Governor on Police arrangements when presiding over a meeting of the Council, it is evident that His Excellency disapproved of the system which permitted Policemen being placed under any other authority than that of their Officers. Upon this point both the Governor and Chief Justice appeared to be in perfect accord. This is worthy of remark, as it is to be assumed these conclusions were arrived at from points of view diametrically opposed to each other, the one from a military point of view, and the other from a judicial one. It would, we imagine, be very difficult to convince the Governor that his view of the subject was not strictly in accordance with the requirements of discipline, or to shew the Chief Justice that his opinion was not warranted by circumstances coming under his immediate notice, and it would be equally difficult to prove to the Public that such opinions are not entirely supported by facts.

Admitting therefore the evil results of divided authority and the desirableness of possessing one Police Force only, with one responsible Head, the next question would be how to attain this object.

No serious difficulty, it is to be hoped, would be encountered in solving this problem, as although vested rights derived from a vicious system might be urged against such reforms, still individual claims in such a case ought to be treated as of secondary importance at least. We need only refer to our reports of the proceedings at the Supreme and Police Courts to justify our reprobation of a system tolerating the employ. ment of irresponsible persons as Policemen, whether as special Detectives or ordinary Guardians or Watchmen. The Chief Justice is reported to have said in reference to some of Mr. CALDWELL'S men that the time had arrived when the Superintendent of Police ought to be able to undertake his own duties, and on referring to our Police Reports we find equally weighty reasons against the present system of District Watchmen who appear to be under no effective control whatever. Again, it is generally thought that the Police Force itself would be better governed by oue than it is by three Su- perintendents. Without stopping to argue this point, we may pretty safely affirm that the service under good organization would not be impaired by having one or two officers

beyond its legitimate strength. There ought to be no difficulty in making the necessary arrangements to secure this result at least. What would be easier than for the Captain Superintendent to retain the control of the Force generally, and to divide Victoria and the Island also, if necessary, between his two assistants for the purpose of inspection? Three Superintendents cannot possibly find occupation in barracks, and there ought to be no reason why they should not more frequently inspect their men when on duty, particularly those placed on important posts, as it is really somewhat difficult to conceive how so many robberies can be committed with impunity if the Police are ac- tive and watchful in the performance of their duties. We notice in the budget for next year a large sum to be expended by the Surveyor General for certain changes, repara- tions or additions to the Central Police Barracks, which might possibly be turned to a better account by building a station somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Albany, which latterly has been such a favorite resort of burglars. We are informed that near- ly every house in that locality has been subjected to a nocturnal visit during the present year by the marauders whose exploits we have frequently had to comment on, and so general is the feeling of insecurity among the residents that none of them ever think of retiring to rest without first ascertaining that their revolvers are ready for use. There may be reasons making it desirable to have as many of the Police located together as possible, and the Central Barracks may be the most convenient place for this, but still this is no reason why so distant and exposed a vicinity as the Albany should be left without a Police Station and a body of Police whose services would be obtainable in cases of emergency at a moment's notice. Having thus glanced over some points that appear to us to be worthy of consideration we wait anxiously for the development of an improved system that can give to the public that protection to life and property which it is the bounden duty of the Government to provide. If General WHITFEILD accom- plishes this task during his governorship his name will be gratefully remembered in Hongkong when the peripatetics shall be numbered among the disagreeable things of the past.