CO129-612-2 Police Department- petition from European memebers of Inspectorate 29-1-1948 - 22-7-1949 — Page 127

3.

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On arrival in Hong Kong it was rather bitter to see how

we were being duped, consequently, with the knowledge of the other

Pre-War Officers, |I took up correspondence with the Acting

Commissioner of Police, this correspondence became lengthy, but I

was up against a "brick wall" all the time, of this correspondence

I will not bother you, needless to say we were most disgruntled,

but being Pro-ar Officers with geographical and language knowledge,

cognizant of local conditions, set about our work, but it was

appalling to see the manner in which these "superior" Officers sent

about their job, probably no fault of their own but victims of the

plan which brought them here. Be that as it may it was ungrateful

of the local Government to set us aside and cater for the newly

recruited.

20 تلم

W

On or about the 19th. December 1946 each Pre-War Officer

present on the Colony received a Memorandum, undated and unsigned.

This eaid Memorandum is the cause of the petition of which I made

mention to you Sir during the interview. I will not go into

detail here but attach same with all minutes arising therefrom.

I would however, make mention that certain Fre-"ar Officers under

the normal age of retirement, 1... 45 years of age, took advantage to leave the Force on receipt of this Memorandum, and after perusal

of this Memorandum I was definitely of the opinion that it was not

very good legally. I knew of no Government Order by which a "fit"

man under age could retire on pension or gratuity, neither did the aforesaid Police Force Ordinance cover same. Recently a Bill was put through the Legislative Council to legalise the granting of the said pensions and gratuities.

4.

I would, at this point, Sir, assure you that whilst rS

were interned in Stanley Camp Hong Kong, we continued as a Force

and were not interned as Prisoners of War in the accepted sense,

not Sir, a3 Policemen but at all times under full disciplinary

control and whilst other internees could and did refuse Camp

instructions we had to "toe the line". One act in contravention

of discipline lod to the issue of a notice by the Acting Commissioner of Police on instructions from the Camp Commandant, the then Colonial Secretary, Now Sir Franklin Gison, Governor of Singapore, copy attached at

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