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Q.-The primary object was two-fold then-to assist the Government to put down the crime of kidnapping and to establish a Home for boys and girls who were rescued?
A. Yes.
Q.-The rules and regulations were drawn up and approved by the Secretary of
State?
A. Yes.
Q.--Did you know those rules during the term of your vice-chairmanship-did you act up to those rules?
A. Yes.
Q-In those rules it was stated that the first object of the Society was to assist to suppress the crime of kidnapping and provide for the protection of kidnapped women and children. You stated that during the time you were Vice-Chairman you did not do anything to accomplish the object of suppressing kidnapping.
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A.--We did so by sending the detectives of the Pó Léung Kuk on board the river steamers.
Q.-You did?
A. Yes, to see whether there were any kidnappers or women or children who were kidnapped on board.
Q-Is that the whole extent to which you went?
A. Yes.
Q.--And whenever you heard of any case either personally or through your detectives you gave instructions to have the kidnapper arrested and handed over to the Police?
A.-Yes.
Q. And do you not think that a Society of Chinese gentlemen here sending their detective on board and arresting the criminal, or communicating with the Police and handing him over to the Police, is of great assistance to the Government?
A. Yes it is.
Q.-Is it not likely that the Chinese will hear more about the doings of these kid- nappers than the Superintendent or Inspectors of Police?
A. Yes. I think that without the detectives and without the Pó Léung Kuk most of these kidnappers would escape unpunished.
Q.-So that in reality the assistance of the Pó Léung Kuk has been the means of arresting these kidnappers before they could get away?
A. Yes.
Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-The detectives of the Pó Leung Kuk assist the Government in the detection of kidnappers. Could the detectives employed by the Police not do that work equally as well as the detectives of the Pó Léung Kuk?
A.--I think the Pó Leung Kuk would do it better in this respect-supposing a man at Canton has lost a child and believing that the child has been kidnapped comes down by the river boat to Hongkong, he would send up to the Pó Leung Kuk much easier than to the Police. How do you expect Cantonese people to understand communicating with the Hongkong Police? But they can trust the Pó Leung Kuk.
Q.--Then, if it is a simpler method in that way, why not continue the Pó Léung Kuk as a purely benevolent Society and immediately the Pó Léung Kuk receives a telegram to the effect that a kidnapper is coming down, or a child has been kidnapped, why not send it to the Superintendent of Police? Why should not the Pó Leung Kuk do that instead of issuing instructions to their own detectives? Why not go direct to the Police ?
A.—I don't think it makes any difference.
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