CO129-228 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1886 [7-9] — Page 317

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and all other assisting the escape of criminals. I propose to declare the Triad Society, Secret Societies illegal.

To punish all persons being members thereof.

To prohibit all meetings of these Societies and punish all persons attending such meetings.

I think if these provisions were carried out we ought in a short time to be able to put down these Societies.

It would appear from the documents annexed to the Triad Society Commission Report that the Police are in possession of a great deal of evidence and information respecting the Triads, the situations of their clubs and meeting houses, and they would, I presume, be able, if such meetings were declared unlawful, to prevent them and secure the punishment of the persons attending them.

With respect to the question of calling on persons to furnish security, I am not yet in a position to offer any suggestion on this point.

I see that Ord No. 12 of 1881, which dealt with this subject in Section III, was not confirmed, but I trust I shall be able to deal with this question before the draft is finally settled.

Another question to be seriously considered is whether offences against this Ordinance should be tried by a Police Magistrate or before the Supreme Court. I am strongly in favour of dealing with cases of this nature as summarily and as speedily as possible, but if we hand over these powers to the Police Magistrate, we ought to have in that position men with legal training, knowledge, and experience; this is the least we owe to the accused.

In the draft Ordinance accompanying the present Memorandum, I propose in the 1st article to declare the Triad Society and all other Secret Societies illegal – to punish any manager or office bearer thereof with a fine not exceeding $1,000, or to imprisonment not exceeding one year, or to both fine and imprisonment.