1924-03-12 — Page 5

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INTIMATIONS

THE DIOCESAN BOYS SOHOOL HONGKONG.

THE Committee of the School has eta HEADMASTER during the Absence on Farlough of the Ker. W. T. FRATERSTONE.

H. C. MOYLE.

Hon. Secretary. 490]

THE pointed The Rev. H. DI T. PYNER to

QUEEN'S COLLEGE OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION:

THES

THE FOURTH ANNUAL DINNER of QUEEN'S COLLEGE OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION will take phies on SATUR DAY, 15TH MARCH, at 8 r., in the Hall of Queen's College. Members are requested to read in their Subscription befors 19TH INST The Minimum Charge

is

Members intending to iarito guests are requested to notify Mr. C. Chos, Asís Banking Corporation, or the Undersigned.

C. C. HUNT.

47}

(Hon. Secretary).

UNIVERSITY OF HONGKONG. MATRICULATION AND SENIOR

LOCAL EXAMINATIONS.

TOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the alore Examinations will commence on MONDAY, JUNE 9TH, 1994.

Forms of Fintry and Copies of Regulations and Syllabes can be obtained on application to the Registrar.

Esch

Fatry

Form duly filed in must reach the Registrar together with the Statutory Fee of $13 (H.K. Carency) before MARCH 19TH, Candidates Offering more than 7 Subjects will in charged An Additional Fes at $1 for Each Subject so offered.

No Scholarships will be awarded on the Iesults of this Examination.

N. TEESDALE MACKINTOSH

Registrar. Hongkong, 7th March, 1924. .. [483 ..

"HONGKONG FOOTBALL CLUE

DINNER will be held in

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12TH, 1924.

PIRACY REGULATIONS. GUILDS, CORRESPONDENCE, WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

The following correspondence has been sent to us by the Secretaries of the Hong- kong branches of the Chinh Coast Officers' Guild, and the Marine Engineers' Guild of China

[To the Colonial Særstury.j

Sailors' Home.

Hongkong, 19th. Setpember 1927. The Honourable the Colonial Secretary,"

Hongkung.

Six-We have to thank you for your letter of the 3rd inst., enclosing copies of draft Piracy Regulations, and now have this honour to report for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that wo have taken every opportunity, by calling a meeting and by personal interview, to elicit the views of our members on the subject.

they shall take. We have the honour to be. Sir,

Your obedient servants.

(Sgd.) T. T. LACHENSON, Assistant Secretary, China Coast Officers' Guild.

(Sgd.) W, J. STOKES,

Branch Secretary, The Marine Engineers' Guild of China.

4th February, 1924. The Hondurable the Colonial Secretary,

Hongkong,

S1-We have the honour to inform you that a combined meeting of members of (a) the China Coast Officers' Guild and the Marine Engineers Guild of China Was held on Sunday, the 3rd inst, af which were present fifty-six (68) members, most of whom are engaged in vessels subject to the Regulations made under the Piracy Prevention Ordinance, No. 3 of 1914.

At this meeting, convened for the pur- pose, the matter of piracy was exhaus- tively discussed and we were, by it, in- Generally, the Regulations as a whole structed to forward, for the consideration are vissed by our members with great of His Excellency the Governor, the fol- disapprobation, as being unjust, impraclowing Resolutions +- ticable and, therefore, useless for the par(1.) That, in so far as piracy prevention pose for which they are devised.

is concerned, the Police Department be relieved from all duties in regard river steamers to sea-koing and

We would Grst point out that we have reason to believe (which is strongly sup ported by the wording of the document). that no active member of the Mercantile Marine has been consulted in the fram ing of the Regulations, which do not an

whole, or in any material point, coin- eide with the tenor of the suggestions put forward at an earlier date:

Section 1.

a very

grave

This section discloses misconception of the conditious ander which pimey occurs on the Canton River delta and the China Coast generally.

the

whilst outside the waters of the Colony, and concentrate its atten tion to detecting and preventing the embarkation of unla fal persons and/or firearms whilst those vessels are in Hongkong Harbour, unless some better method is devised. (2) That al arms and armed guards required by the Piracy Regulations be removed from every vessel and. the absolute command thereof re- stored to the Master as laid down in the Merchant Shipping Acts, un-- less some better method is devised. There shall be at once inaugurated a proper system of patrol in the danger zone.

In postulating that it is the duty Master and other certificated Officers to resist to the utmost any piratical attack (3.) it assumes that they have a crew of their own nationals under their command and that the pirates attack the vessel from(4) the outside.

This is not the case. nut only are these officers surrounded by an alien crew, but

THE ANNUAL DN. DA MONDAY, this alien crew may be, passively if not

17TH MARCH, at 7.30 r.x.

Price Per Person-$4.50 exclusive of Wines. All those wishing to attend please send their Names to the Undersigneil Lefore 147 MARCH.

H. M. MCTAVISH.

Hon. Secretary,

425

HONGKONG PHILHARMONIC

SOCIETY

TH

GRAND CONCERT Under, the Patronage of HE THE

.GOVERNOR

by the SOCIETY'S CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA

THEATHE ROYAL.

actively, part of the piratical gang. (In stance. the quartermaster of the Sui An leaving the wheel and jumping to the main deck for refuge).

The further and greater difficulty arises from the fact that none of these attacks are initiated from outside the vessel. Till the actual moment of launching the first attack the pirates are apparently peaceful passengers and are free to place them selves in any coign of vantage which they have ample time and opportunity to select, without let or hindranes and, pos sibly, with the connivanec, if not actual co-operation, of their compatriots who formi the crew,

This is the position in which three, four or, at most five European officers find themselves when they are command ed, by persons who have not been, or ever will be so placed, to resist to the atmost,

SATURDAY, 29TH MARCH, 1621, AT 8.15 .. and gives reason for the pertinent ques

tion: What is the utmost they can do?

(5.)

That all vessels subject to Piracy: Regulations shall have wireless. tele- graph installed and under the con- trol of a competent operator, signed on the Articles."

That Insurance be automatically effected for every Master, Officer and Engineer whose duty takes him into the danger zone, the premium for euch insurance to be paid with the money at present paid as wages to the guards, in the event of them being removed from the vessels.

(.) That every case of Piracy shall be the subject of enquiry at the Har- bour Office (as soon as possible after the outrage) with the Harbour Mas- ter na President of the Court, which should consist of active Mercantile Marine Officers of both departments, with the addition of one active Naval Officer.

"

(4.)

to resume duty on board the same ship. His respect for the ship's off- cers is in no way enhanced when his misconduct is condoned in this

agrant, maaner.

That a striking instance is afford- ed in the ease when corrective mea- aures (report to O.C.G.) were taken. against one of the guards by the Obief Officer of a river steamer which subsequently led to his death at the hands of the man he had reported; the said offcer being fatally shot in the back whilst on the bridge at his post of duty, the murderer being allowed to escape.

That a system of patrolling the routes traversed by these vessels by armed eraft equipped with wireless installations is the only means by which efficient counter measures can be taken.

"

That this is a duty which should be entirely in the hands of the Royal Nary, which is the only Service alle. quately equipped to carry it to a suvcessful issue.

That the installation of wireless tele. graph, although possibly expensive as to first cost is nevertheless im petative and, if it tends to save file and property or check this crying eril, as it most assuredly will, no consideration of first cost should he allowed to weigh against this obvious factor of eficiency.

(5.) That the money paid by the ship-

(7.)

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

(8.)

11

Booking Opens on 17rx MARCH st ANDERSON To which, the obvious answer is-Abso- (8.) That a reward should be paid in all

MUSIC. CO.

lutely nothing...

PRICES:-$3, $2, $1.

[473

THE HONGKONG ELECTRIC CO., LTD. REDUCTION IN PRICE.

This obligation is imperative and no discretion may be exercised whether to resist pirates or not."

Imperative obligations admit of so dis- eretion. Discretion is the quality without which no man can be an officer; the very idea of an officer without discretion is a

FROM 1ST APRIL 1934, outil further paradox and, to say the least, ludicrous

Notice the PRICE of Current for Lighting and Fans will be Reduced to 16 Cents Per Unit

Discounts will remain as before.

GIBB, LIVINGSTON & CO., LTD.,

Agenta. 4841

"..

HONGKONG DOG & CAT SHOW, 1824

B kind permission of the Officer Com

manding the Hongkong Defence Corps Show will be held on the PARADE GROUND

SATURDAY, 15TH MARCH, at 2 P.M. There will be classes for all kinds of Dogs including cross Breeds and Pappies, also Jitters of Puppies,

If sufficient entries are received there will be. classes for Cata also.

Entry forms may be had from the ander signed...

"Entries Close on TUESDAY, 11th Iner, at r.. sad intending competitors are notified that ownig to the trouble in compiling the catalogue no entries can possibly be accepted

B. L. FROST, Hon. Becretary & Treasurer. c/o TRL E. EX. TELEGRAPH Co.

after that date.

454]

NOTION.

"

LONDON Firm of Exporters specialising in Galvanised Sheets, Tinplates, Iron and Steel and Metals, with Experience of Market Requirements, desires to get into touch with a SOUND FIRM OF IMPORTERS of These Products, with a view to arriving at's Sole Working arrangement. A Director of the Firm is visiting Hongkong Nort Week.

Reply to Box No. 446,

466]

c/o Hongkong Daily Preis.

SOCIETA ANONIMA

AUTOMOBILI

ANSALDO.

TURIN (ITALY) BEST TWO LITRE ITALIAN CAR.

AGENTS REQUIRED FOR CHINA.

and absurd. The officer is the leader of others, the individual with the brain to direct the forces at his disposal, and it is he who assesses the position and issues the executive commands.

Sections 2 and 3.

"Any particular officer considered unft by the Governor-in-Council shall cease to be employed as an officer on the ship."

As the particular officer in question will hold a Certificate of Competency issued by the Board of Trade sad will have no other vecation, what steps will be taken to permit him to obtain an honourable living?

It would appear that it is the intention of the Hongkong Government that Off- eers of the Merchant Service who wore, during the War; ranked with and next to Officers of the Royal Navy are now to be treated with less consideration than the

ratings in that Service.

This attitude is preposterous, and the Officers of His Majesty's Mercantile Marine serving on the Chian Coast de- mand "Inir treatment and the recognition of their status, which is nowhere evinced in the document under review.

Section 5.

DIAD can

"The Master shall have complete control of the ship and all on board." Without discrimination o control, without discretion ne man can discriminate, hence it is impossible for the Master to have complete control and a paradox is disclosed which places the Master in a position of being unable to avoid the violation of some part of the Regulations.

Section 7

When the master has any case whatever to believe or to consider But by Section 1 he has no discretion 1. Further, we are directed to say that the officers of the Mercantile Marine on the China Cosat will be delighted to assist in any measure which.will tend to the extinction of piracy, or to consider any practical suggestions which may be advanced by their professional brethren. They do not, however, propose to allow their duty to be dictated or criticised by any person or persons who are not pro- fessionally connected with the active duties of the Mercantile Mariac.

In conclusion, it is submitted that piracy, fire and shipwreck are risks, com- mon to every person interested in the voyage and, as such, are insurable. The officers engaged on the Chins Coast fail to perceive why they should gratuitously shoulder the responsibility at the dicta tion of any person or persons who do not personally or in any manner ahare the riak which these Regulations direct that

||

(9.)

cases of seizure of arms and/or ammunition.

That these Resolutions he at once the Honourable the presented to Colonial Secretary for the considera. tion 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.

י

As, 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 Authori

ties have the control of a duty which is obviously outside the province of their proper activities, so long will the Naval Authoritics refrain from taking any steps in a matter which is so essentially maritime and which cannot be efficiently directed under any dual control.

(a) That, as arma are indispensable to pirates for the prosecution of their nefarious designs, it is obvious that they will make them a prideipal objective-Bratly, to gain possession of the ship, and, secondly, to add them to their armament. It there- fore strongly emphasises the tention that theee arms are a danger and should be at once removed from the vessel.

7.

сол-

(b.) That the guards, who are neither

sailors, nor policemen, are not suf fciently intelligent to act in an emergency on previously formulated instructions without the steadying influence of a controlling European Oficer

In no case has the initiative been taken by them, they have al waya declized combat and accepted "the least painful of the alternatives of being disarmed or shot. It is obvious that this attitude in na emergency is a bindrance rather than a help to the already outman- ned Master of the vessel in any attempt to retain control of his ship.

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

That even when reports are made to the Officer Commanding Guards 18 to misconduct (sleeping on duty, drunkenness, disobedienco of the orders of the Master and Officers), the penalties are ridiculously inado- quate, and the little corrective effect they might have is rendered abso- lutely uugatory by the fact that fre quently the same guard is returned

(7.)

(8.)

(8.)

owners for the services of the guards might be more suitably directed to the insurance, of the lives and bodies of the European officers engaged in vessels subject to the Piracy Regula- tions. Under present conditions it is the lives and bodies of there off. cers which form the premium of in- surance on the property of others. No form of recompense for bodily injury sustained is demanded by the law and none has ever been paid.

When it is remembered that the least amount paid (in the case of vessels carrying four (1) guards) is $1,200 per annum, it is clear, that this amount would easily cover any premium on the life and limb of any of the officers engaged in that vessel. It would thus be an assurance to these gentlemen that they were some real value, rather than (as appears to them at present) mere food for powder. Their present position is that not only have they their mari time duties to perform, hut have in addition (at the behest of people totally unacquainted with those duties) to bear the brunt of and ali responsibility for a failure to carry out the regulations.

We have no knowledge of any other civilian calling in which the employé is called upon to offer bis life in order to defend the property of others, and we are constrained by reason to think that, if it were so, an adequate recompense would be given for the sacrifice.

That the absence of any form of of the cases of enquiry into any piracy which have occurred since that of the Sui An in November, 1922, has given rise to an intersc feeling of insecurity, greatly ag gravated by the attempt, in the

Draft Regulations submitted to His Excellency the Governor, to in- tensify the personal risks of those immediately concerned by a body of gentlemen who at no time ever had or ever will have similar duties to perform.

That as the offer of a reward for useful evidence is the practice in connection with the detection of other forms of crime, it could be profitably adopted in cases of piracy. That, as it has been noticed by many of our members that the search of passengers is frequently very superficial, it is considered that a hope of reward would strengthen the incentive of the searchers to discover artns and ammunition..

That the necessity of pressing for a detailed reply is demonstrated by the fact that our letter of 19 Septem- ber, 1993, addressed to the Honour- able the Colonial Secretary on the same subject has never been acknow- ledged.

That the necessity of pressing for. an early reply is demonstrated by the fact that, although the Regule tions have been on the Statate Book since 1914, piracy is increasing and the lives of our members constantly at stake, but no satisfactory action has been taken whereby a remedy might reasonably be expected.

At any time and on any notice, however short, we shall be pleased to wait on you and endeavour to explain any points which may appear to be obscure.-We have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servants,

(Sgd.) T. T. LAURESBON,

Assistant Secretary, China Coast Officers' Guild.

(Sgd.) W. J. STOKER,

Branch Secretary, The Marine Engineers' Guild

of China.

[Reply from Colonial Secretary.]

Colonial Secretary's Office; Hongkong.

11th February, 1924. GENTLEMEN,--With reference to your Letter of the 4th February, 1924, I am the Buggee directed to inform you that tions convoyed in your letter of the 19th Beptember, 1923, are receiving the careful consideration of Government, which will also be given to those forwarded in your letter of the 4th February, but it is un- likely that a detailed reply can be furnish- ed in time for your proposed meeting on Sunday, 17th February.I am, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, (gd) A. G. M. FLATCHYA, The Assistant Becretary,

Colonial Becretary,

China Coast Officers' Build, Branch Secretary,

The

Marine Engineers' Guild of China. (Continued on page ?);

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