CO129-612-2 Police Department- petition from European memebers of Inspectorate 29-1-1948 - 22-7-1949 — Page 167

SUBJECT.

MEMORANDUM.

TO. FROM.

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE:

INSPECTOR J. SHEPHERD.

SIR,

21/7/47.

امه

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186

I am in receipt of your memorandum dated 18/7/47 and I regret to learn of the confusion as enumerated in the initial para. of same. I wish to point out that all dealings in this most unjust subject have been conducted in accordance with the Hong Kong Govt. General Orders and in the appropriate manner by myself on behalf of the Pre-War Officers, and by their full approval.

Now Iam to understand that Government who have created these such orders have violated them by not forwarding our petition.

If we committed a breach of the General Order concerned no doubt drastic action would be taken, therefore I trust that this will be brought to the notice of the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, for this is an infringement of the Rights allowed all of His Majesty's Subjects under the Bill of Rights.

I am unable to accept the explanation given and I would point out that in your memorandum dated 28/12/46 para. 2 states :-

"I am to make clear that Government discuss any revision of the terms in the memorandum".

Ü

As a result of this announcement it left us no other course than to bear this in mind when we prepared our reply as contained in my memorandum dated 29/1/47. This memorandum of mine concluded by saying "the issue involved being one for the consideration of Government, we trust that this will be forwarded to the proper authorities”,

As this reply did not receive the proper consideration, it was requested that our reply be forwarded to the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State at the same time anticipating that other correspondence arising out of same would accompany our reply to the Secretary of State.

I approached you to know if our reply (petition) had been forwarded and as you were not in a position to inform me promised a reply. Your memorandum dated 20/3/47 states :- with reference to your verbal enquiry concerning the petition submitted by the Pre-War Inspectorate, I am informed by the Secretariat that it has been sent to the 3. of 3". While in your memorandum dated 13th. February 1947, serial No. 482, para. (c) states :- "the question of salaries will be dealt with by the Salaries Commission to which

This is the only subject your proposals will be submitted". (Salaries) that was discussed by me when I appeared before the Salaries Commission, therefore I would like to be informed as to who ventilated this subject before the Salaries Commission, and who gave authority to do so especially when the subject matter had reached a stage wheredis cussion and decision rested between the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies and myself on behalf of the Pre-War Officers.

Para, 2 informs me that the memo. addressed to the Committes, I take this to mean your memo dated 20/3/47 If so, then I wish to point out that this and all other memorandums were addressed to and from myself. I should also like to know as to what Committee this para, refers to. I would also like to be informed as to how the misapprehension arose.

The withdrawal of the said memo is I think a matter for further dis cussion, more sp until the whole subject matter is cleaned up, and we receive our just rights as assured by Mr. Secretary Hall's letter and other points relative to contracts. I should also like to point out that the cancellation of Special Memo No. 50 of 1941 by Hong Kong Police General Order 15 of 1947 is erroneous and should have been left to the final decision reached after our petition had been dealt with by the Secretary of State.

3. I fail to see where I should be informed by para. 3 that the subject matter has now been submitted to the Secretary of State by the Inspectors on leave. Is not this presumptious, for although the matter raised by these officers is one perhaps affecting all pre-War Officers, no doubt it is a case that they have stated to the Secretary of State of which we knew nothing about nor have authorised.

Government General Orders give the right to any one, or group, to approach the Secretary of State through proper channels and these Officers have no doubt afforded themselves the opportunity to raise a subject affecting them and while on holiday in the United Kingdom. I shall appreciate their effort if they have raised all the points as contained in my Memorandum dated 29/1/47. A full reply is awaited from and by the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Before pressing the

matter I await a full explanation.

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The subject matter has at no time been the business of the European Inspectors association.

INSPECTOR.