Page
March 28, 1893.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE-REPORT.
228.
opinion that both the service and Mr. LOCK- & taking sound with it, but if it means, not ["rohbed of a gold watch. The boy was HARI would have benefited had he been abolition of offices, but the bolding of plural" suspected and charged, but nothing allowed a wider sphere in which to gain ex-offices, each with an Assistant Head, it may "could be provel against him. When perience we do not doubt that he will by be found that instead of reducing the staff it hard work and care make up for the de- will increase it. ficiency and fill his high office with credit to himself and profit to the colony,
Now that the Registrar-General and Pro- tector of Chinese has been appointed Colonial
REGISTRATION OF SERVANTS.
The idea that registration of servants would Secretary it is to be hoped that the ex-prove a panacea for all domestic troubles pediency of abolishing the former office, seems to have taken some little hold on the except in so far as registration work is con-
"the next regiment came he again found
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•
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employment at Munay Barracks. His new
master lost a very large sum of money. The
erned, may be recognised. The registration | Popular imagination. How the beneficent" would have been practically impossible for
ter, or to translate and annotate petitions in one office to prepare them for considera tion in the other, is an absurdity.
I
"boy once more made the acquaintance of the 'police, but, as usual, there was not sufficient " evidence to connect him with the crime, and “he was allowed to go at large. He is still told that "under a system of registration it "in employment in the colony." We are
work might be performed by any intelligent effect could be prodneed no one seems to care "this boy to find employment after his clerk, either working independently or to inquire. Just as some persons suffering "first dismissal," but we are not told attached to another department. The chief from real or fancied ailments will eagerly way it would have been impossible. Ar's object of the office as at present constituted swallow any quack nostrum that may be could not have made one particle of differ- matter of fact registration would not wnd is described with approximate correctness by the secondary title, that of Protector brought to their notice, although they ence. As long as nothing can be proved of Chinese. It was this that gave to the know nothing of its character or of its against a man he is entitled by law to be office its dignity and importance and in operation, so Hongkong bouseholders, regarded as innocent, and it is very certain virtue of which the holder has usually filled or some of them, want to try the reme- the law in that respect. A law to the effect that the Legislative Council will never siter a seat in the Legislative Council. The Re-dy for the servant trouble recommended that one class of the community, domestic gistrar-General was supposed to act as an intermediary between the Chinese com-
by the Captain Superintendent of Police, servants to wit, might be convict d' on munity and the Government; native petitions without pausing to inquire whether it suspicion only and be punished by being passed through his hands, were translated would prove any remedy at all. If deprived of the opportunity of obtaining in his office, and were forwarded to the Mr. Max can elaborate any system which employment would be an outrage on justice, Colonial Secretary's office with his remarks will afford relief be will deserve the thanks of such a law passing the local legislature it and even if we could conceive the possibility and recommendations; and it was he who of every member of the community, but, would certainly not receive the sanction of was supposed to keep the Government informed of the drift of native sentiment great as is our respect for that capable and the Secretary of State. An employer who and opinion. With the appointment of Mr. energetic officer, we think the task is alto, suspects a servant of dishonesty naturally Stewart LockhART to be Colonial Secretary gether beyond his power. He seems to do, but if the case does not go beyond dismisses him, as he has a right o the raison d'être of the inferior office disappears. think that, if he were given free hand, he suspicion his power stops there. It was To retain Mr. STEWART LOCKHART as Re- would be able to guarantee the politeness, held by the late Sir JoHN SMALE, Chief gistrar-General in order that he may inform the honesty, and the efficiency of all the Justice, when the old registration law was Mr. STEWART LOCKHART as Colonial Secretary servants in the colony. That is a thing that in force, that to write on a servant's registra- what the Chinese think on this or that mate
no Government in the world has yet at-tion ticket that he had been dismissed on tempted, much less accomplished, and if suspicion of dishonesty was libellous. The Mr. MAY attempts it he will find that, while same rule would hold good under any new he may be hell as a heaven sent deliverer as system of registration, so that in the absence The maintenance of the office of Registrar-long as expectation lasts, as soon as the non-of proof of crime a servant would have just General and Protector of Chinese bas always fulfilment of the expectation becomes apparent the same chance of obtaining employment, been looked upon by a considerable portion he will be the best abused man in the colony neither more nor less, that he has now. Re- of the European community as of doubtful and every master or mistress who has any ference has been made to the licensing of expediency, Various reasons, some of un- trouble with a servant will put it all down public chair and jinricksha coolies and to te deniable weight, have, however, been ad- to him. All that could reasonably be ex-improvement which it is claimed has been vanced for keeping it up, the principal of pected from registration would be that it effected in that class by the system. S which was that the Governor and Colonial might enable the police more readily to put far as the argument from analogy goes wo Secretary being as a rule unacquainted with their hands upon a man who was wanted on should say the reference to public chair and the Chinese language and the habits and a criminal charge, but in any other respect inricksha coolies tells rather against than modes of thought of the people, it was it would necessarily be foredoomed to failure. for a system of registration as applied necessary to have responsible and An examination of some of the cases that domestic servants. If the police have specially trained officer as intermediary and have been mentioned will serve to show how achieved such a relatively small measure of adviser. That reason is now wiped out, for ineffective registration would be to work a success in exercising control over the chair the two offices of Colonial Secretary and
A correspon lent in our yesterday's and jinricksha coolies what measure Registrar-General are under the new arrange issue mentioned a case in which a cook who success could they hope to achieve in respect ment to be held by one and the same in- had received notice of dismissal deliberately of house coolies, boys, cooks, and amabs? The dividual. It may be advanced on the other prisoned his mistress's pet dog. That is a number of licences issued for the drawers or side that when it becomes necessary to ap-favourite form of revenge amongst native bearers of public vehicles is limited, and as point a successor to Mr. STEWART LOCKHART servants against European employers, be- the number of applicants is greater than as Colonial Secretary-which we hope may caus roof of the offence is almost impos- the number of licences to be issued, ît is not be for many years to come-the new BIL Registration would make the proof possible to make a selection and in that way incumbent may be a stranger to the colony no easier. If the offence could be brought something may be done towards getting the and all the old reasons for the maintenance home to a man the Police Magistrates would best;inen offering. But we suppose no one of the office of Registrar-General and Pro- in ordinary course inflict a very severe would propose that the number of domestic tector of Chinese will revive. In reply penalty for it, but they cannot convict on servants should be limited, or that employers to that we would point out that the mere suspicion; neither could the Registrar should be restricted in their choice to certain office of Assistant Colonial Secretary will of Servants, if such an officer were appointed, men and women selected by the police. If presumably always be held by a locally deal with a servant's registration ticket on anything of that kiud were attempted em trained officer and that he might serve mere suspicion, however well founded the ployers would have a very bad tuno the intermediary just as well as another suspicion might be believed to be. Another it and would soon begin to sigh for officer bearing the title of Registrar- case that has been mentioned is that of "a greater liberty they at present enjoy. General. It should perhaps be mentioned peculating house-boy, who, in spite of the registration pure and simple, howeve, there that the Registrar General has duties to "efforts of the police, is still at large in the is this to be said, that if it does a good it discharge in connection with the issue of "colony, and probably will continue to rub can do no harni, except that it ll involve certain licences, the protection of women and "his employers so long as there is no means some little trouble, and if M children, and other matters, but these could" of checking his career. His first employer anxious to put his views to the text of ex- be transferred to the Police or other depart- "had reason to suspect him of dishonesty, periment and the public are willing to give ments. The only reason, indeed, that we can “but although a careful watch was kept his system a trial we see very great rei- conceive of for maintaining the office of “ upon him he was never caught rel-handed son why it should not be one. Registrar-General as a separate depart- "in any crime. Ho was ultimately dis- believe that registration wil transform the
now is that it provides an
"missed. Sme time after he was seen at character of their servats will, however, be pointment for & cadet as
Assistant "the Murray Barracks. The officer in whose very much disappoined with the result zod Registrar-General, The amalgamation of
"service he was disregarded the warning Mr. MAY will lay for himself offices with a view to economy carries rather "given him and in a month's time was
ource of troublend disgust.
ment
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