CO129-369 - Acting Governor May Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [10-11] — Page 331

1

328

Chinese public opinion and to urge people to desist from

it required much less courage than to report a Triad

Lodge.

"When a new idea is presented to

them, people sometimes accept it uncritically and with

enthusiasm, but I know the Chinese too well to believe for

one minute that you can get Committeemen to come and

report regularly and openly to the Registrar-General. It

will be wiser to throw the whole responsibility on the

District Watchmen Committee and leave them to make their

own arrangements. I had a suspicion, which was strengthened

by a subsequent meeting of the Committee, that the members

wished to avoid the responsibility, and place it entirely

on the Registrar-General and the Street Committee-men.

I have therefore approved of his

utilising the District Watchmen Committee itself in this

connection as suggested by him. But as there is no Dis-

-trict Watchmen Porce in Kowloon and because it does not

appear to me desirable (and the Registrar-General agrees

with me) to establish such a Force there, the Registrar-

-General will make his own arrangements with certain

members of the District Watchmen Committee who take an

interest in the Peninsula, and otherwise, to gain informa“

-tion