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A.--I don't think he could assist them. Their work, as I take it, is so entirely preliminary to the point where the work of the Police really comes in. The prevention of crime attempted by the Pó Léung Kuk need not interfere with the Superintendent of Police more than if a citizen of Hongkong in one Terrace were to appoint a vigilance Committee. There is one Terrace I know where every night thieving is going on, where the Police are utterly unable to detect it. The residents may make their own arrangements and not interfere with the Superintendent of Police.
Honourable F. H. MAY.--You think the Pó Leung Kuk should report to the Super- intendent of Police ?
A.--I think the Registrar General will know what, and how, and when, to communicate with the Superintendent of Police. I think he might be safely left to do that. The Registrar General would bring in the Police as soon as there was any need for it. And besides the detectives might, under the regulations made by the Governor, be put under some supervision on the part of the head of the Police; but I think it necessary for the successful working of the Pó Léung Kuk that the Pó Léung Kuk should have to do with the Registrar General and him alone as the representative of the Government.
The CHAIRMAN. With regard to the question of marriages. Do you think that even if these girls are married as second wives that the life they are likely to lead will be such a one as will be happy under ordinary circumstances?
A.-There is no necessity why it should not be. Polygamic households exist in China, and if the secondary wife is discreet and does her duty, there is no necessity why she should be particularly unhappy. Families, where there are several wives, are generally well-to-do, and in a well-to-do family as secondary wife a woman may have a much happier lot than as the first wife of a coolie.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-With regard to the meetings of the Committee of the Pó Leung Kuk, do you think that Justices of the Peace should be at liberty to attend those meetings?
A.-European?
Q.-Or that the whole of the work of the Pó Leung Kuk should be carried on in private?
A.-I don't think that there would be any good derived by European Justices of the Peace interfering in these things. It is an affair entirely for the Chinese community. There is no occasion at all for Justices of the Peace to go. They do not understand the thing, they do not understand the underlying customs and feelings of the people. What good can they do? I think that all that Justices of the Peace could do will be done much better by the Registrar General.
Honourable Ho KAI.-You mean only admission but not interference ?
A.--It would do no good and it would lead perhaps to unpleasantness on both sides. I think there is no necessity for the interference, but this occurred to me that as regards access to the buildings of the Committee, the access should not necessarily be confined to the Government. Paragraph 14 says "All the meetings and premises of the Society shall be open to the Governor and any other person whom His Excellency may appoint." I dare say that the Committee of the Pó Léung Kuk would not object to Justices of the Peace-European or Chinese-going in at any time, saying that he wants to see what is going on.
The CHAIRMAN.-Do you know the building where the Girls are at present housed?
A.-I think I know where they are housed.
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