never be impartial. The authority to enquire is given secretly. There is no publication in the Gazette as in the case of a Commission. It need not be with reference to a matter of public or general interest. It may be some matter solely affecting individuals and individual interests. The alleged reasons for this Ordinance being passed are inadequate to explain or justify it. The Ordinance confers powers which no Court possesses, it gives unlimited powers to be exercised by an untrained man who may be a very junior officer, in secret and without appeal and such officer may be and almost necessarily must be largely in the hands of the Chinese in his department. It invests him with summary power to inflict serious punishment. It is so extensive and unlimited in its powers, so unguarded in the exercise of these powers that it is capable of the gravest abuses.
12.- It may be well to here recall that the Registrar General's Department was formerly entrusted with somewhat similar powers in connection with Brothels and so abused those powers that after enquiry they were taken away by Ordinance No. 2 of 1876.
13.- The following remarks made by the Senior Representative of the Chinese, The Hon: Dr Ho Kai, in Council on 25th March 1891 are not wholly pertinent to the present subject but they contain so much that elucidates what I have hereinbefore said that I quote them:-
"It is very easy to get Chinese to come to one's office, especially the Registrar General's office, and get them to say what one wants, for on asking them certain questions, they, observing the same deference that they pay to officials of their own nation, will simply say aye, aye, to every question addressed to them, although at the same time they do not agree with the opinion expressed. It is a matter of notoriety that they will not contradict official remarks. As I am here to represent the Chinese the Government has nominated me, and I hope
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149
never be impartial. The authority to enquire is given secret- ly. There is no publication in the Gazette as in the case of
a Commission. It need not be with reference to a matter of
public or general interest. It may be some matter solely af-
fecting individuals and individual interests. The alleged rea-
sons for this Ordinance being passed are inadequate to explain
or justify it. The Ordinance confers powers which no Court
possesses, it gives unlimited powers to be exercised by an un-
trained man who may be a very junior officer, in secret and
without appeal and such officer may be and almost necessarily
must be largely in the hands of the Chinese in his department.
It invests him with summary power to inflict serious punish-
ment. It is so extensive and unlimited in its powers, so un-
guarded in the exercise of these powers that it is capable
of the gravest abuses.
12.- It may be well to here recall that the Registrar
General's Department was formerly entrusted with somewhat
similar powers in connection with Brothels and so abused those
powers that after enquiry they were taken away by Ordinance
No. 2 of 1876.
13.- The following remarks made by the Senior Represent-
ative of the Chinese, The Hon: Dr Ho Kai, in Council on 25th
March 1891 are not wholly pertinent to the present subject
but they contain so much that elucidates what I have herein-
before said that I quote them:-
"It is very easy to get Chinese to come to one's office,
"especially the Registrar General's office, and get them "to say what one wants, for on asking them certain ques- "tions, they, observing the same deference that theypay
"to officials of their own nation, will simply say aye, "aye, to every question addressed to them, although at "the same time they do not agree with the opinion ex- "pressed. It is a matter of notoriety that they will not
"contradict official remarks. As I am here to represent
"the Chinese the Government has nominated me,
and I
hope
!
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