CO129-392 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [9-10] — Page 120

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Governors on their visits to the island would have noticed the disposition is not tenable. Covernors do not as a rule enquire into the details of the internal economy of a small rural Police Station even if they inspect one. Without such enquiry they might not notice that the men slept out of the barracks. As a fact r. Severn when Officer Administering the Government visited Cheung Chau last April. At that time the Sergeant was living in the

Station but Ir. Severn did not notice that the Indian Constables did not occupy it at night. It would be absurd to hold him responsible for the fact that they slept out of the barracks.

A point that has not been mentioned is that

the Chinese Detective did not live in the Station.

3.

I take a very serious view of this case which has caused me to lose all confidence in Mr. Badeley as Captain Superintendent of Police. Mr. Badeley's attitude in endeavouring to defend the dispositions made at Cheung Chau has contributed to this result. If Mr. Badeley had had no training in, or experience of, Police work his action might be regarded as the outcome of ignorance. But he has had many years experience of Police work

and underwent special training with the Liverpool Police at the

beginning of his career in the Police Force. His action must

therefore be attributed to negligence. The Police regulations lay

down that Police must be ready at all times in their Stations to

meet any emergency and that they may not absent themselves from

their Stations without leave. In the City half of the men are

always kept in Station and in my experience I have never known a

Police Station in this Colony where more than a small percentage of the complement was allowed to live outside the barracks. I have never known a case in which the officer in charge was allowed to live out of barracks. It is to me absolutely inexplicable that the Captain Superintendent of Police should have permitted the condition at Cheung Chau Station (which was found to be worse than had been at first reported to me in that all 4 Indian Constables

were

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