CO129-152 - Lieut Governor Whitfield - 1871 [9-10] — Page 86

Annexure referred to in clause 22. of the Remorial,

RESOLUTIONS

PASSED AT A PUBLIC MEETING HELD IN THE

CITY HALL, HONGKONG,

On Monday, the 25th day of September, A.D. 1871,

for the purpose of taking into consideration the present defective state of the Police, the prevalence of unchecked crime in the Colony, the recent action of the non-official Justices of the Peace, the Colonial Secretary's reply to their deputation to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor,

and the further steps to be taken by the residents in consequence thereof. The Honorable PHINEAS RYRIE, in the Chair.

Proposed by Mr. DIXWELL.

Seconded by Mr. Coxos.

RESOLVED. That life and property in Hongkong have never been more insecure than at present, and that the prevalence of serious crimes and the reckless daring of the criminal classes is the natural result of the defective composition and total disorganization of the Hongkong Police Force, and of the inadequacy of the Colonial Police Law.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. DENNIS,

Seconded by Mr. HAYLLAR.

RESOLVED,That, in the opinion of this meeting, there is no reason why, with the large annual expenditure for Police purposes, the Force should not be as efficient as any body of Police in the East, and that there is urgent need for a searching inquiry into the Police Law of the Colony, the numbers and composition of the Force, its organization, its defects and their causes, into the action and result of the employment of all bodies openly or secretly connected therewith as well as into the regulations now in force regarding Police action at the Gambling Houses, into the details of the enormous expenditure out of Colonial Funds on the present ineffective system, and into the justice of the prevailing opinion that the existing Criminal Law of the Colony does not provide powers stringent enough to enable the Courts and the Authorities to deal with the vast number of had eturacters belonging to the habitual criminal classes who flock here from the mainland of China.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. FRICKEL

Seconded by Mr. COUGHTRIE.

RESOLVED,--That no inquiry can be satisfactory, or complete, which is not conducted by a Commission composed, in great part, of members of the Community unconnected with the local Government, and armed with full powers to examine all classes of witnesses, whether Members of the Government or otherwise, to call for and compel the production of papers of every description, and to deal with the question of crime, its causes and the means of prevention in all its branches.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. DEACON,

Seconded by Mr. DADADHOY.

RESOLVED,That this uneeting approves of and adopts the action of the non-official Justices of the Peace in their meet- ings on the 30th of August last, and on the 11th instant, and views with indignation the inertness of the local Executive and the treatment accorded to the Deputation of the Justices and to their representations, as evidenced by the Colonial Secretary's reply to their address of the 2nd instant.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. C. MORGAN.

Seconded by Mr. J. J. DOS REMEDIOS.

RESOLVED,That the thauks of the community are due and are hereby given to the Honorable P. Rras and to his

brother Justices, for their prompt action in the matter of the recent alarming increase of crime in the Colony. Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. CRAWFORD.

Seconded by Mr. J. K. DAVIS.

RESOLVED,That the Community of Hongkong are entitled as of right to a full investigation into the causes that have led to the present deplorable state of affairs in the Colony, to a full explanation of the conduct of the Government in relation to the Police Force, and to a voice in the disposal of the large sum annually contributed by them for the purpose of preventing, detecting and punishing crime.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. MELCHERS.

Seconded by KAIN.

RESOLVED, Lastly, that the Secretary of State for the Colonies be memorialized on the subject, and that a Commission of Inquiry he prayed for in accordance with the terms of the 3rd resolution; that the Draft Memorial prepared by the Justices aforesaid, and circulated through the Community is approved of by this meeting, and that a Committee be now appointed to complete and forward the same with the least possible delay through the proper channels, and to take all proper steps for ensuring that due attention be paid to its prayer.

Carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr. PYKE

Seconded by Mr. MACLEAN.

That the following gentlemen be appointed on the Committee to complete and forward the Memorial:---

Mr. A. McIVER.

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J. GREIG,

J. F. BUXEY,

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25

J. J. FRANCIS.

tead.

Secretary. Ammary

P. Hasil

Chairmen

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