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Q.-In the case of the Pó Léung Kuk, have you ever been to one of their meetings?
A.-Never.
Q. Do you know as a matter of fact that they have men arrested and brought before them, and that they exercise magisterial functions?
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A.--I do not know as a matter of fact.
Q.-So your opinion is formed from fancy?
A.-It is my opinion, not fancy.
Q.-Or from information you have received?
A.-I do not accuse the Pó Léung Kuk of having done anything of that kind. I that the Ordinance enables them to do so, that is to say it does not prevent them from doing so. It gives them a status, and they have detectives under their entire control. Whatever they choose to do with regard to these detectives, and however they choose to deal with the individual, there is nothing to prevent them.
Q.-You say the Ordinance allows them to do it?
A.-I withdraw that. I say there is nothing in the Ordinance to prevent them.
Q.-Is there an Ordinance that prevents you from taking a little drop too much in your own house ?
A.-No.
Q.-Is there an Ordinance to prevent you from creating a row in your own house -breaking furniture and so on?
A-I think there is.
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Q.-Not unless you make a nuisance of yourself to the neighbours?
A.-No.
Q.-Because the Ordinance is silent on certain points you are not supposed to be allowed to do anything upon which the Ordinance is silent, are you? Because the Ordinance does not expressly forbid it the Pó Léung Kuk is not supposed to be allowed to, say, commit burglary or murder?
A. The cases are not at all parallel. As far as I understand it, I will tell you what power the Ordinance gives them. It gives them power, under the status of the Government, to aid, by correspondence and other means, in bringing persons kidnapping to justice, and to help to restore the rescued women to their families, &c., and assist the Government to carry out the laws. Then added to that it provides that certain detectives and Police shall be at their disposal for their use in carrying out these things. Now, if it was a simple benevolent body, the Police and detectives would not be necessary in my opinion.
Q-My question is what power does it give to them to conduct a magisterial enquiry over the accused?
A. That is another question. It does not give them power directly, but, as it says nothing about it and you confer on them a status enabling them to bring to justice certain persons and give them police and detectives to help them, I say the Ordinance is defective inasmuch as it does not prevent them doing these things.
Q-I will put you a parallel case.
Suppose the Ordinance is silent on the point that they should not conduct private enquiries, that they should not murder, steal, or exercise a thousand other functions which are ultra vires, you surely don't expect the Ordinance to include all that?
A. But when the Ordinance confers powers it has to hedge them about.
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