CO129-399 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [1-2] — Page 550

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4.

Furthermore the Police doing duty in the Naval Establishments would be serving two masters the Naval Authorities,

who would have no control over them, and the Executive Officers of

Police, who would have that control without the direct interest in,

and knowledge of, the duties to be performed.

5.

Again there is little doubt that among the

European Police service outside of the Naval Establishments would

be the more popular by reason of the extra allowances which the

Police are able to earn for various services, which even under

the re-organization recommended in my Confidential Despatch of the

22nd. November, 1912, (No. 3) are numerous. On the other hand if

an increase in emoluments were made to Police serving in the laval

Establishments to compensate for such advantage, service in the Colonial Police might be rendered less attractive and a general re-adjustment of salaries might be entailed.

6.

In any case the addition of a force of some 100

men, which it is understood the Dockyard Police alone number, doing

duty in isolated positions from the point of view of the Police

Administration,would entail the addition of another Executive

Officer of Police.

7.

Finally the duties to be performed are so dis-

-similar that a Police Officer seconded for any length of time to

the Naval Establishments would lose touch with the work required

of the Hongkong Police, involving as it does constant contact with the native population.

8.

It seems to me that a better remedy than the proposed amalgamation is to be found in a revision of the condi-

-tions of service of the Police engaged in the Naval Establish-

-ments. There is no reason why these should not be made to conform

as nearly as circumstances permit to those obtaining in the Hong-

-kong Police Force. If this were done there seems to be no

difficulty in rendering service in the Police Force engaged for the

Naval Establishments sufficiently attractive. Such re-adjustment

would not cost the Admiralty more than would the proposed amalgama-

-tion.