CO129-392 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [9-10] — Page 123

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me in the Police Force to draw up a very comprehensive scheme for dealing at a moment's notice with any riotous tendency. I am convinced that had prompt action been taken during Sunday the riot

of the same night could have been prevented.

5.

It will be remembered that I concluded my Confidential Despatch of 27th. October, 1910, on the subject of

increase of crime and steps taken to combat it, with the words

"whether the administration of the Department is responsible for "any of the increase is a question that it is not possible to

"answer without prolonged investigation". What I had in my mind

was that I was not satisfied that the administration of the Depart

-ment was as officient as it might be. But I had no proof to back

my suspicion and I saw no means of getting proof. I had given

expression to my suspicion in a minute dated the 22nd. April, 1910,

to Sir F. Lugard when I wrote "my private opinion is that the

"Executive of the Police wants some fresh blood let into it. A

"man like lir. Hallifax in the place of a useless men like Captain

"Lyons would make all the difference, or even a change in the "Captain Superintendent of Police". You enquired in your Confident -ial Despatch of the 15th. December, 1910, whether an enquiry was desirable into the aspect of the matter alluded to by me, and in his Confidential Despatch of the 7th. of February, 1911, Sir F. Lugard wrote that he did not consider an enquiry at that time desirable. Sir F. Lugard consulted me before he wrote his opinion and I advised him that an enquiry would not be likely to elicit any useful information on the particular subject referred to. My feeling was that more could be effected by the Governor and Colonial Secretary closely watching the Department. In a Confident 20642 -ial Despatch of the 17th. May Sir F. Lugard informed you that he

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did not propose to hold an enquiry. Subsequently he seems to have intended to address you on the efficiency of the Executive Officers of Police for I find on record in the Governor's Office in a file docketed "Efficiency of the Police" and containing

do.

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various