112139-1927-Supplementary-Draft-Bills--Watchmen — Page 3

Admission

to the Watchmen's Register.

Power of arrest.

Watchmen

not to be money- lenders.

Search.

Recovery

of sums payable.

Presumption.

l'enalties.

540

11. Subject to an appeal to the Governor in Council, the Captain Superintendent of Police may refuse to per- mit any person to register himself in the Watchmen's Register.

12. Every registered watchman shall while acting in the discharge of his duties as a watchman have the same powers of arrest as a police officer.

13. No watchman shall act as a money-lender or take any part in the business of any money-lender or share in the profits of any such business.

14. It shall be lawful for any police officer who is authorized thereto by the Captain Superintendent of Police, either generally or in a particular case, to enter any place, and to search any vessel (not being or having the status of a ship of war), in or on board which such police officer has reason to believe that an unregistered watchman is employed, and to search such place or vessel, and to do everything which may be reasonably necessary in order to make such search effective.

15. Every sum of money payable under the provisions of this Ordinance or of any regulation made thereunder shall be recoverable in the same manner as Crown Rents are recovered upon a certificate purporting to be under the hand of the Treasurer.

16. In any proceeding against any person under this Ordinance it shall be presumed until the contrary is proved that such person is not of Chinese race.

17. Every person who contravenes any of the provi- sions of this Ordinance or of any regulation made there- under shall be liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars or to impri- sonment for a y term not exceeding six months.

Objects and Reasons.

1. In the year 1917, the Captain Superintendent of Police inaugurated a system of supplying watchmen to private employers. The scheme was begun with 20 men. The numbers have increased yearly and at the present time about 600 watchmen are so supplied. Of these about 330 are ship's guards and about 270 are employed on shore. 50 recruits have just been taken on in order to meet the demand. The scheme has evidently been appreciated by employers. The police are in a better position than indivi- dual employers to select the best men aud to weed out the less desirable men. The employers also get the advantage of police supervision and control, and better discipline can be kept with less trouble to the employer. Incidentally, the system is of much use for police purposes,

At the present day, with the exception of the Kowloon and Taikoo Dock Companies, most of the principal employers of watclimen get their men through the police. The system has now grown to such an extent that it seems desirable to regulate it by Ordinance,

2. The proposed Ordinance and regulations are on the whole intended to embody the existing practice, with one important exception. That exception is that in future no unregistered person will be allowed to act as a watchman, and no employer will be allowed to employ an unregis- gistered person as watchman.

3. Two points require special explanation. One relates to a particular provision of the Ordinance which is a little complicated, and which may appear rather artificial, but which seems to be the only practical solution of the par- ticular problem with which it deals. Most of the watch-