Enclosure
Enclosure 3.
(B)
462
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
question of the Regulations. I took it total the remarks of the hon. and learned member representing the Justices of the Peace were intended more by way of advice and assistance than by way of opposition or criticism of any material principles in the Regulations. Of course the Regulations will come before the Council in committee. I think the authorities will always pay due regard to the necessities of civilian life, and I am confident that they will endeavour, as far as possible, to reconcile those claims with the military claims of the eclony,
great war.
THE GOVERNOR-There is only one point in the able speech of the niember representing the Justices of the Peace that I need notice, and that is, the reason for compulsory military service. Well, gentle men, there has been a great deal of dis- cussion in this Colony as to whether we are doing our full duty in the matter of supplying manhood to take part in this My own feeling. I frankly confess it, was that the best way would be to make your Volunteer forces as strong as possible and reduce your garrison as much as possible in consonance with that strength and thus release fighting men for the Front. The discussion led to the appointment of the Military Commission and they went further than I did. They recommended that compulsion for active military service outside the Colony should be introduced. Both proposals were laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies and he decided in favour of local compulsory service. This compulsion is in order to enable every single available man to come forward to do his duty and so permit of the reduction of the garrison as far as possible. Although I said in my remarks of the 2nd of August. to which the hon, member has referred, that the War Office bad determined to make no further reduction of the garrison, aince I spoke this war's necessity has compelled the War Office to reconsider their decision and they have actually made application to my honourable and gallant friend who sits on my right to withdraw still further units from this very depleted garrison. Now has the voluntary system given ug every single man we ought to get î I am sorry to Bay I must answer No, it has not. There are in this Colony certain persons who up to this date have absolutely refused to come forward.
I do not want to make a
point of it, but still it is only right that 1 should mention it, that we have not up-to-date been acting purely under a voluntary system, but have been acting under a voluntary system plus a fitele gentle persuasion. We have a little Bill in this Colony called Registration of Persons Bill. The instructions to the Police are to send monthly to this office a return of new-comers who have not joined the Volunteers. The next step is to write to these gentlemen and ast them if they have any valid reason why they should not join the Volunteers. Thus in December, 1915, I interviewed at Goveru. ment House-that is before the Registra tion Bill came into effect 75 persons who might have joined the Volunteers but had not done so, I frankly confess that the majority of them were medically unfit, and 1 exempted various others for bust- ness reasons. but still I got a few men that is the point. Again in September, 1916, 45 letters went out from this office under my direction asking those to whom they were addressed the why and where- fore they had not enrolled, and again, as late as January last, another 22 letters went out, and I have at the present moment a list here, a very considerable list, which requires careful examination and which will probably form the basis of the first summonses under this Bill if it is passed. Those are hard facts. I said just now there are very few who have absolutely refused to act on the invitations which have been extended to them to join the Volunteers, but still there are a few and there ought not to be one. This compulsory measure is justified there is one recalcitrant, because every man in this great crisis ought to come and do his duty especially when by doing his duty he is actually releasing fighting men to go to the Front. I just mention these few facts in order that the actual truth may be known. I do not wish to labour them because I am glad to see that the majority of Unofficial Members accept the principle of compulsion. The honourable member who represents the Justices of the Peace made a point that civilians in business would be better em- ployed making "silver bullets" and that men who did night work were not fit for day work. Well, this night work does not amount to very much, thanks to the numerical strength of our local forces.. I am told that a man has to put in night work about once in seven or eight weeks.
AB
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
74
I do not think that alone will do a very should be consulted. Therefore, I beg great deal of harm. Anyway, I do not to move as an amendment, that the fol- believe that any of the men who are doing lowing sub-clause he added to Clause 8.- this night work would willingly be "Such regulations shall not come into exempted from it. They all enjoy it. A force until approved by the Legislative regards decorations, I do not think we Council." I should say that this is a can properly legislate on the point and case, if there were no other case in the I have written home to the Secretary of world, when the matter ought to be State to ask him what the position of the referred to the Legislative Council, as it men under this compulsory Ordinance affects the freedom of action of the will be in that connection. I have stated civilian population of this Colony." that, of course, I take it that the services of men originally in the Volunteers will count with their services in the new force for such decorations. I will let you know the reply from the Secretary of State.
The Bill was then put to the meeting and passed its second reading. Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
On Clause 6,
HON. MR. POLLOCK With reference to that clause I should like to have some pledge from the Government that the civilian rights referred to by me will be respected.
Subsequently the following amendment to Clause & (being sub-clause 3) was agreed to:-" No amendment of the First Appendix to the Second Schedule shall come into force until it has been approved by the Legislative Council."
On Clause 10,
HON. MR. POLLOCK-I was glad to hear your Excellency say just now that you had forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the suggestion which made at the last meeting of Council with reference to service in the Defence Corps being counted as a con- tinuation of service in the Volunteers or Volunteer Reserves for the purpose of ob- taining Long Service Medals. As regards the Service of ex-Navy and Army men counting towards a Long Service Medal, I will forward the communication re- ceived by me on that subject through the HON. MR. POLLOCK-Thank you, Sir. proper channel for the consideration of
your Excellency, On Clause 8.
THE GOVERNOR-I will say that we will not depart from the policy adopted in the past
After clause 11 of the Bill had been passed as so amended. Mr. POLLOCK stated that, in view of the definite pledge by His Excellency the Governor that civilian rights would be respected in the future as in the past, he did not propose to move his intended amendment, pre- viously mentioned by him, in connection with such rights.
Tos. MR. POLLOCK--With regard to Clause 8, after listening carefully to the remarks made by the hon. and learned Attorney-General. I do not think he has given any good and sufficient reason why the ultimate approval of the regulations should not be vested in the Legislative Council. I do not think Sir, if any portant regulations bad to be hurried through, that it would be difficult to get a Legislative Council together to consider the special regulations. I do not imagine the third reading of the Bill.
for one moment that these regulations will be amended so very frequently that they will add unnecessarily to the burdens
of the Legislative Council. Now, Sir,
THE
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
moved
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second-
the general body of citizens of this ed. and the Bill was then read a third
Colony have a great interest in the time and passed.
wording of these regulations, and I cer- tainly think that the Legislative Councill
Council then adjourned tine die,
No comments yet.
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