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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH NOVEMBER, 1877.
"It is due to Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY to say that he had found the Hongkong Police a very indifferent force, and that he left it vastly improved. He frequently expressed the opinion that its increased efficiency was mainly to be attributed to his having carried out Mr. HAYLLAR'S recommend- ation of recruiting the bulk of the force from Chinese. I, therefore, caused the papers on the Gaol staff to be sent to the same gentleman, with a request that he would favour the Government with his views as to the employment of Chinese Turnkeys in the prison; and I have the honour to lay his Report before your Lordship.
"Mr. HAYLLAR expresses the opinion that Chinese, who have earned their characters and undergone some disciplinary training in the Police Force, who are in a position to offer security, and who would receive sufficient salaries, fair play, and reasonable instruction in their new duties, would be calculated to give a high degree of satisfaction as prison Turnkeys. I venture specially to draw your Lordship's attention to the last two sentences in his Report :-
"I would only add, that apart from the great and obvious consideration of language, wherein the advantage lies with the Chinese over all other competitors likely to seek the lower offices in the gaol, the former are, in my opinion, owing to their sober-mindedness, docility, and sense of responsibility, better fitted for the work than the latter. Neither in the previous characters, habits, or discipline of mind of this class of foreigners, are, in my opinion, to be found sufficient guarantees for that fair dealing towards prisoners which should form so important a factor in the good management of a prison: and further, looking to the natural tastes of such men, their social environments and the effects of climate, they are subject to temptations quite as deleterious in degree, if different in kind, as those which affect the Chinese.'
"Carrying out, therefore, the views of competent local authorities, as well as complying with your Lordship's wishes, I have provisionally appointed SUNG Lò Tò, WONG YEE, and NG KAM FUK, to be Assistant Chinese Turnkeys at salaries of $36 per month each.
"On the important question of securing a few specially trained Europeans for the better posts, I avail myself, with much satisfaction, of your Lordship's offer to secure two skilled Warders from the Home service. One of these I would propose to appoint Warden, in succession to Mr. CORCORAN, whose resignation I reported in despatch No. 80 of this date; and the other I would put on an equality with the present Head Turnkey till some other arrangement could be made. The Warden's salary is £250 a year. It may be well to allow it to increase to £300, by annual increments of £5. The salary of the new Turnkey from Home would be £150."
You all know the shocking condition in which Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY found the Police Force of Hongkong. No Governor could inherit a more difficult task than the necessary reorganization of the Police; and he has well earned the gratitude of this Colony and the thanks of Her Majesty's Government by his prompt decision to recruit the bulk of the force with Chinese. In his last despatch on this subject, Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY, writing to the EARL OF CARNARVON on the 14th of November, 1876, said:-
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Shortly after my assumption of the administration of this Government, I arrived at the conclusion that the best mode of increasing the efficiency of the Police Force was to strengthen the Chinese element in it.
"The policy then adopted of developing the Chinese branch of the force has proved most satisfactory. "The Chinese contingent has done excellent service, and has shown itself capable of being drilled into a high state of efficiency."
It must be admitted, however, that the happy idea of largely utilising the Chinese as Police was not confined to Mr. HAYLLAR'S Commission and to Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY. Before that Commission assembled, and before Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY became Governor of this Colony, an honourable gentleman, whom I am happy to see seated at our Council table to-day, my friend Mr. KESWICK, as a member of the Legislature, suggested that policy, and pointed out the advantages of having Chinese in the Govern- ment service and especially in the Police.
There were a few who doubted it; my honourable friend Mr. MAY did not think it a proper thing to do; but it has turned out a great success. Well, then, my idea of having Chinese Turnkeys in the gaol is nothing more than the natural development of Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY's policy. I take no credit for it myself, for it was only following out what my predecessor had so successfully done in another and cognate department.
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Now, in connection with the state of crime and prison discipline, a Governor is bound to pay very great attention to the opinion of the medical officer of the prison. There occurred in a neighbouring Colony, in the year 1875, a serious event which led to a lamentable destruction of life, and in connection with that, a despatch was addressed by Lord CARNARVON to the Governor of Hongkong, in which he says:- "Sir,I have had under my consideration in relation to the outbreak in February last in Singapore gaol, the desirability of subjecting prisoners to what is called penal diet,' and then Lord CARNARVON suggests that certain changes may be made after consultation with the chief medical officer. In Singapore gaol a system of very great severity to Chinese prisoners was tried. Dr. LITTLE, an eminent Surgeon, and a Member of the Council, happened to be on leave of absence when the change was established, and on his arrival in the Colony he made a remarkable statement. He said, with reference to the change made in the discipline of the gaol, and especially in the matter of penal diet and the way it was applied to Chinese prisoners, "I protest before God against it; it is certain
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