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FIFTH MEETING.
Held July 14th, 1892.
Present.
Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART (Registrar General), Chairman.
F. H. MAY, (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
91
C. P. CHATER.
HO KAI.
T. H. WHITEHEAD.
Minutes.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
Mr. H. E. WODEHOUSE called.
The Evidence.
The CHAIRMAN.You are Police Magistrate?
Witness.I am Police Magistrate.
The CHAIRMAN.-Has any member any questions to ask Mr. WODEHOUSE? Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-Have you visited the Home of the Pó Leung Kuk Society?
A.-I have not.
Q.--From time to time I suppose cases have come before you from the Pó Léung
Kuk?
A.-They have.
Q.--And can you give us a brief history of how these cases have appeared before you, or any particular case?
A.-I think what usually takes place is that the detective, calling himself a detective of the Pó Léung Kuk, charges a certain person, or persons, with bringing either women or children into the Colony for the purposes of emigration or prostitution, and the women are then put into the box and their evidence taken.
Q.-The Police in all cases being the prosecutor?
A.No, the Pó Léung Kuk being the prosecutor.
Q.-The Police neither appearing nor interfering in the matter?
A.--Neither appearing nor interfering.
Q.-Would it not be better to place such cases in the hands of the Police?
A.-I am of opinion that it would.
Q.-Instead of allowing the Pó Léung Kuk detectives or the Pó Léung Kuk Society to prosecute you think that it would be better that all cases, including the Pó Léung Kuk cases, should be in the hands of the Police ?
A.--Well, they are in the hands of the Police in this way, that before any charge is made the people are taken to the charge room at the Central Station and there charged before the Police inspector, but the Police inspector does not concern himself any more about it, and the case comes before the Magistrate as a case from the Pó Léung Kuk.
Q-Why does he not interfere ?
A. He only interferes to this extent, that he puts the prisoner on the charge sheet, but he leaves the conduct of the case to the Pó Leung Kuk.
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