* (
90
que tion, the Colonial Secretary laid on the table a despatch dated 31st December, 1900, from the Secretary of State, acknowledging receipt of a copy of the Committee's report, and asking that a scheme be submitted containing a complete classification of the whole subordinate service, with salaries attached to grades and offices rather than to individual officers, and, in addition, with definite recom. mendations as to the systematisation of their allowances. The requests made in the despatch have been complied with, and until the final sanction of the Secretary of State to the proposals forwarded has been obtained, nothing further can be done.
DISCONTENT IN THE POLICE FORCE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[July 29, 1901.
The following letter by the Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., appears in the June number of the Navy League Journal --
?
In our issue of Wednesday last we publishel SEA POWER IN THE FAR EAST an article on the discontent prevailing in the police force of this colony. While fully con- vinced at the time of its existence, we were not' in a position to enter into precise details. Some, though not all, of the reasons have now Dear Sir, I beg to acknowledge the receipt transpired.
[of your two letters dated 12th December, 1900, . One is that the agreement which the and 18th January, 1901, and my Committee have men signed stated that they were entitled to thank you for your very interesting oom. to light and fuel free. As a mat ́er of fact, they ments on the present political situation, and for receive the light, but have to purchase their the measures which you have adopted to make coal for cooking purposes. Another is public, through the Press, the necessity which that the last batch of men, who signed exists for strengthening the British Squadron to serve till their forty-fifth year of age, out in the Far East, and for seeing to the could receive money in lieu of boots, a promise adequate armament and defence of this most which has turned out to be a fable. The men important naval base. have to accept the boots issued to them as long
You state in paragraph 4 of your letter of as they fit in any sort of fashion, but never are 12th November, 1900, that “If we are to hold, as given the option as promised in the agreement. we claim to do, the command of the sea, we Still another reason is the present style of ought to be in the necessary position of That discontent has for a long period canteen management. The Captain Superin- superiority wherever our flag flies," and I need existed in the rank and file of the Hong-tendent is the sole head and arbiter of the hardly say that that view of yours is most fully kong Police Force is a fact recognised canteen and its fund, being only assisted in minor endorsed by my Committee, who contend with amongst the officials, who apparently have details by Inspector McNab, and none of the men out fear of contradiction that that position of either found the problem imposible of solution or sergeants are permitted a voice in the manage- superiority has been completely lost in the Far or have been able to discover no justifiable ment. Naturally the mon resent this. They East; and that if, as appears anfortunately to grievance. Several of the men, however, have claim, as it is their hardly earned money that be admittedly the case, we cannot spare any at last taken the course, it seems, of tender. keeps the fund up, they ought to have some more of our ships from the Channel and ing their resignations. Three have already voice in the matter. In military canteens a Mediterranean Squadrons for service in the resigned-Lance-Sergeant Reynolds and Con- mess committee is elected to manage, and Far East, it is necessary that a new Naval stables Bond and Broomfield-and it is monthly a meeting is held at which all are Defence Act should be passed at once laying rumoured that others, including several acting supposed to be present who are not prevented down a continuous and definite and adequate sergeants, contemplate taking a similar step, by duty. At such meetings a statement of programme for the construction of battleships The grounds for their action appear to be these. accounts is given, and every man knows in and fast armoured cruisers. Two agreements of widely different terms at what state the canteen finances are. Also all present operate in the Police Force. By the disposal of such funds for entertainments, etc., first and older agreement, a man on enrolling are made by vote. Nothing like that occurs with binds himself to serve for fifteen years, at the ter- the police. As an example of what may happen minution of which period he may retire on pen- it may be stated that some of the married sion. Every five years he is allowed nine months' men applied to Mr. May for $10 a week to be leave of absence on half-pay, at, we are infor- paid for the use of a launch to take married med, four shillings to the dollar. The second people on bathing or picnic parties. The re- agreement, which was drafted at a later period quest was granted, and now $4) a month is paid than the first, stipulates that before he is out of the fund to favour a few married men, entitled to a pension a man must serve until he without any consideration being shown to the reaches the age of forty-five years, when he bachelors, the heaviest contributors to the fund. goes home on an allowance possibly no greater than that of the man who has served under the fifteen years' system. It is also stated (but this we were unable to verify) that when on leave he is allowed only two shillings to the dollar. As we have said, this statement was not
the magnificent patriotic efforts which Germany borne out by other information; it is mentioned simply because the disparity alleged by some
is now putting forth to increase her fighting strength at sea, it makes one think with sorrow to exist in the two allowances to the dollar has
that the recent grave indiotments of Lord been advanced as a bona fide grievance. An- People living in the neighbourhood of No. 5 Rosebery and others against our nation are other complaint is that advancement in Police Station (Fire Brigade), were aroused true, and that we are wanting in that earnest- the Police Force is slow and promotion from their slumbers about 2.45 a.m, on the ness and thoroughness and public spirit which uncertain. In the latter connection this is 20th inst. by the clang of the fire-bell. Fire had is necessary, if we are to retain our naval and asserted that those entitled to promotion have broken out in a paper-shop at No. 7, Queen commercial supremacy in an age of fierce in many instances been superceded for no Victoria Street, and within a few minutes competition. If we are deprived of the command apparent reason. There are, however, always after the alarm was given the brigade was on two sides to a question, and the official point of the spot. Hoses were at once turned on, but view may place the whole matter in a different in spite of the hard efforts made by both light. One thing is certain, though, and this the Fire Brigade, under command of Deputy is that nowadays it is almost impossible to get Superintendent F. J. Badeley, and the police, men serving in any police force at home to come under command of Inspector Kemp, Sergeants to the colony as they did when the force here Garrod and Gourlay. No. 8 and then No was in the early days of its existence. This may 6 also caught fire, and it was impossible to be due to many causes, but the reason advanced subdue the conflagration until the three houses by those who are in a position to know is that were thoroughly gutted. The paper-shop where the conditions now existing here are respon- the fire broke out had fire-orackers in stock, the sible for the disinclination of trained_men explosion of which made bystanders almost think to come ont from home to join the Hong-themselves in the midst of a mimic battle. As kong Police Force. The result is that when soon as the fire was subdued, Sergts. Garrod and vacancies occur they have simply to be filled as Gourlay entered the rains of house No. 7, when best they may. Under the existing Ordinance, on reaching the back staircase, a gruesome sight a man may resign from the Police Force on' met their gaze. Six human beings lay huddled his giving three months' notice and paying together at the top. All were more or lea two months' salary for every unexpired roasted. At the same time it was evident that According to the Mercury, Major Bañer, an year of his term of servios. Rather than death reached them through suffocation from officer of the Railway Brigade attached to the complete his engagement, one man earning heat and smoke before they suffered much from staff of Count Waldersee, intended to return to a constablo's salary has forfeited $960, and in the burns. The victims were three malen, aged Germany through Manchuria and Siberia, but addition has to pay his passage home. This seventeen, nine and one year of age respectively, the Bumians, who apparently did not wish to` represents a considerable sum to one occupying and three females, aged 56, 36 and 12 years of age. let him see all their cards, refused him pamage. such an office, and the fact that he is willing We regret to report that P. C. Gordon, while He therefore returned to Chefoo and to sacrifice it would to an ordinary mind indicate actively engaged in amsisting to put out the Vladivostock. Colonel Powell had about t that a real grievance exists somewhere. Captain fire, had an attack of epilepsy, and falling in experience, but disregarded the Buenian Superintendent May, we understand, has already the midst of his work was somewhat ent about | tion and went ahead." It been approached on the subject, and pointed | the face by falling timbers from the burning sources that the Ba out that the men had signed an agreement and houses. He was taken to the Government | with the British must carry out the storms of that agreement. Civil Hospital, where he is reported to te it is inc On the other hand, however, the European part doing fairly well. It is rumoured that the papers. of the Police Force is not overmanned, we | Transatlantic and Hamburg Fire Insurance Co. | Powell certainly cannot afford to have it further | is involved in this fire to the extent of $4,000, | the depleted in strength if a rearrangement of in one policy, and another $2,500, while the working conditions will prevent it. - Daily - Fuk Os is responsible for $2,500, and Com Press, 24th July.
mercial Union for about 22,500,
It would appear that our Navy is distinctly drifting to looward as compared with the com- bined fleets of France and Russia, and that the proportion of five effective modern battleships to three, which we ought admittedly to make sure of at all times in relation to those two Powers, has not been maintained. In the National Review for October last, Mr. Me- Hardy pointed out that whereas our proportion of modern batttleships built and building in 1889 was fifty-three against thirty-seven battle- ships belonging to France and Russia combined, These are some at least of the grievances our proportion of modern battleships built which combine to make true of Hongkong the and building in 190 is only fifty-one against familiar quotation that "the policeman's lot is the fifty battleships of the other two allied not a happy one.”—Daily Press, 27th July.
A DISASTROUS FIRE IN QUEEN VICTORIA STREET.
Powers.
When we contrast such a state of affairs with
of the sea neither our army and auxiliary forces at home, nor our loyal Australasian and Can- adian troops in the Colonies, can avert disaster from the Empire, for the seas will then divide, instead of, as now, uniting the scattered forces of our race.
The Electors of Great Britain must be made by the Navy League to understand through the Frees that, important as Army Reform is, the instant and substantial increase of the British Navy is infinitely more important, in fact a vital question, that is to say (to quote Tennyson's expression) that "the fleet of England all in all."—I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
H. E. POLLOCK, Hon. Secretary,
Navy Langue, Hongkong Branch. Hongkong, March 30, 1901.
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