CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 61

1

86

[

-8-

59

(7) That a substantial reward be offered for information "which leads to the arrest of any person implicated in any "piratical attack.

(a)

That a reward should be paid in all cases of seizure "of arme and/or ammunition.

(9) That these Resolutions be at once presented to the "Honourable the Colonial Secretary for the consideration of "His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, and "a detailed reply requested in time to present to this meeting "which stands adjourned till Sunday 17th February 1924 at the "same time and place for the purpose of receiving such reply.

"Aa, in the interests of conciseness, it has been deemed "advisable to make the Resolutions as brief as possible, it is "considered necessary that the point of view of our members should "be explained at somewhat greater length and we are instructed to "submit the following Objects and Reasons:-

(The numbers refer to the Resolutions)

"It is considered:-

(1) That, as long as the Police Authorities have the "control of a duty which is obviously outside the province "of their proper activities, so long will the Naval Authorities "refrain from taking any steps in a matter which is so essenti- "ally maritime and which cannot be efficiently directed under "any dual control.

(2a) That, as arms are indispensable to pirates for the "prosecution of their nefarious designs, it is obvious that "they will make them a principal objective, firstly to gain "possession of the ship and, secondly to add them to their "armament, it therefore strongly emphasises the conteḥtion "that these arms are a danger and should be at once remove d "from the vessel.

(2b) That the guards, who are neither sailors nor police- "men, are not sufficiently intelligent to act in an emergency "on previously formulated instructions without the steadying "influence of a controlling European Officer. In no case

"has the initiative been taken by them, they have always "declined combat and accepted the least painful of the alter- "natives of being disarmed or shot. It is obvious that this "attitude in an emergency is a hindrance rather than a help "to the already outmanned Master of the vessel in any attempt "to retain control of his ship.

"That the control, às established by the Regulations, "is a divided one in which the influence of the Police is "paramount, and to such an extent that the authority of the "Master is largely discounted and is frequently sullenly "resented.

"That even when reports are made to the Officer "Commanding Guards as to misconduct (sleeping in duty, drunken- "ness, disobedience of the orders of the Master and Officers) "the penalties are ridiculously inadequate, and the little "corrective effect they might have is rendered absolutely "nugatory by the fact that frequently the same guard is retur- "ned to resume duty on board the same ship. His respect for "the ships officers is in no way enhanded when his misconduct "18 condoned in this flagrant manner.

"That a striking instance is afforded in the case "when corrective measures (report to 0.C.G.0 were taken against "one of the guards by the Chief Officer of a river steamer "which subsequently led to his death at the hands of the man "he had reported; the said officer being fatally shot in the "back whilst on the bridge at his post of duty, the murderer "being allowed to escape.