The reply of the Council then proceeds to touch upon the specific points raised in regard to the Police Force.
The Council does not consider it practicable to amalgamate forthwith, as was suggested, the Foreign and Japanese Branches of the Police Force, Apart from the financial aspect of such a change, it would be impossible to make a combined gradation list based on rank, seniority and qualifications, without chaotic results. Furthermore, a large number of the Japanese Branch have not the requisite knowledge of English to make it possible for them to do the work at present done by members of the Foreign Branch. A number, however, of selected men could, it is considered, do the work after a period of instruction, and in order to meet the requests made in a practicable m: ner it is proposed that the designation "Japanese Branch" be abolished and that the new Foreign Branch be divided into two sections. members of the present Foreign Branch becoming No. 1 Section and members of the present Japanese Branch becoming No. 2 Section.
As members of No. 2 Section, after trial and experience, show their ability to take part in the general work of No. 1 Section, they would be transferred to that Section, and the ultimate aim would be that the sections would become one, In way, in the words of the memo-random presented to the Council by the Japanese Consul-General, Japanese members of the Force would be given an equal opportunity for participating in the functions of all branches of the police administration. and would also have the authority to exercise control and supervision over Indian and Chinese members of the Force, and also over foreigners according to rank.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.