CO129-534-3 Report of Retrenchment Commission 4-5-1931 - 19-2-1932 — Page 118

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POLICE DEPARTMENT.

The labours of the Commissioners as regards the Police

Department were considerably lightened by the helpful attitude

of the Inspector General of Police, who came before them with

a comprehensive scheme of retrenchment which showed a saving of

about 2 lakhs. It is largely this scheme, with the important

addition dealt with in the next paragraph, which the

Commissioners recommend.

2. The approved establishment of posts in the executive

branch is ten posts. A reduction of two should be made. The

Hong Kong Police Force has proportionately to Asiatics a very

large number of Europeans. It does not therefore require the

same proportion of European commissioned officers as do other

Crown colonies, where the European contingent are comparatively

small.

3. The main feature of the Inspector General's retrenchment

scheme is the replacement of thirty British police by an

equal number of Russians This accounts for a saving of nearly

& lakh in personal emoluments, to which must be added a not

inconsiderable saving in passages, pensions, etc. The police

to be replaced are those performing the duties of section

V lease

sergeants; the lease responsible work of the European

ΤΟ

contingent, and performed by the most junior officers.

employ on it highly paid Europeans is extravagant, but neither

Indians nor Chinese would, according to the Inspector General

of Police, be satisfactory. On the other hand, Russians,

being domiciled in China, are cheap, and experience with them

as anti-piracy guards has shown that they would be eminently

Only men with a knowledge of English would be

suitable.

employed. The higher posts of inspector, sub inspector,

and Crown sergeant in the European contingent would be reserved

for British officers.

The Russian police would be recruited