CO129-413 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [8-10] — Page 173

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In Shanghai the authorities have gone a step

further. In 1908 a system was established there under which private employers can, if they wish, engage watchmen through the Police Department, and the Police supervise such watchmen

while on duty. Watchmen who are dismissed are naturally not re-employed by the Police Department which thus becomes a

private employment bureau.

The system is, I understand, popular among employers. By the Captain Superintendent of Police it is con-

sidered open to the following objections:-

(a). By no means all private watchmen are engaged

through the Police Department. The figures in 1913 were 372 engaged through the Police and 300

not so engaged.

(b). While registered watchmen who carmot speak Eng-

lish ar Chinese and who misconduct themselves

find it difficult to find re-employment, clever

men, who are often of the worst character, with

a knowledge of these languages usually obtain

further employment.

(c). The system leads to much intrigue among the

Indian Police and even swells the number of

un-

-employed Indians since many of the Police

induce friends to emigrate to Shanghai on the

chance of finding employment there.

From the Police point of view and from the point

of view of this Government which desires to control for politic-

cal reasons, the system cannot be regarded as a success.

4.

What is wanting in it is the power to repatriate

to India compulsorily not only undesirable natives of India who

having been dismissed are considered by the Police Department

to be ineligible for further employment as Police or watchmen

but also any undesirable native of India, and I have to enquire

whether you would permit me to take such power for the Governor-

in-Council by legislation and to inaugurate here the Shanghai