Aug. 6.
The Municipal Council's wholly inexplicable attitude regarding publicity, in connection with the recent incidents in Hongkew is giving rise to all manner of absurd rumours, and deductions obviously drawn from an incomplete acquaintance with the facts. The result is that in various local publications it is being portrayed in a light, which, untrue as it Is expected it must turn out to be, is to say the least unfortunate. Sergt. Bellamy, whose fate as the result, of an inquiry into the circumstances of the first Hongkew incident, has been wrapped in complete secrecy $0 far as officialdom is concerned, is either being glorified as a martyr, sacrificed to expediency, or the Council is being accused of a machiavellian intrigue, which, if the story were correct would do very considerable damage to its credit in the eyes of the ratepayers. It will be remembered that on the day following the first unfortunate occurrence in Hongkew, the authorities refused to make a statement to the Press as to what happened. It can be admitted at once that. they were perfectly within their rights to do so; the wisdom of such an attitude, however, is entirely another matter, especially as, ori~ ginally, a time was fixed for the making of such a statement. To the best of their ability the local Press accumulated information and published it with every possible Precaution against. inaccuracy which it was possible to take, at the same time commenting very strongly on the methods adopted by the authorities. On the other hand the Japanese consular officials were quite frank as to their side of the matter, and it was possible to publish accurate information as to what steps they had taken for the punishment of their own nationals involved in the trouble. In the light of their conduct, the correctness of which cannot in any way be gain said, the course adopted by the Municipal authorities has about it all the qualities of a wayward eccentricity to which very much stronger terms could be with justice applied.
Those publications which. for purposes of their own have decided that the Council is entirely in the wrong with regard to the manner in which they dealt with the two. incidents, have been able, in the absence of an authoritative statement as to what was done with regard to Sergt. Bellamy, to assume that officer has been unjustly treated by his superiors for the purpose of effecting an adjustment with the Japanese authorities in the nature of an unsavoury bargain to the effect that if Bellamy were punished, the Japanese authorities would take action against their own nationals. It is also alleged that, as result, the confidence of the public in the police, and the confidence of the rank and file of the police in their own superiors has been undermiifed by a procedure, which if indeed it were as described might very well have produced the effect complained of. Indeed as time passes the allegations made against the authorities increase in outrageousness, until the treatment of Sergt. Bellamy is described at least two publications as "dis graceful," and personal reputations are being besmirched in a manner which, if unjustified, is nothing sort of scandalous. The facts which this paper has obtained despite official coyness in the matter, appear to show that Sergt, Bellamy's conduct wae the subject of official investigation, which it ts to be assumed was conducted with the scrupulous fairness to be expected of officials with the traditions behind them which his seniors undoubtedly have. As a result of that investigation Sergt, "Bellamy was duly disciplined and it would not appear that he was in any way too severely dealt with. It may be argued that this aspect of the Hongkew incident was purely depart mental and that it was within the discretion of the municipal authorities to maintain secrecy in the matter if they considered it desirable, There is a great deal to be said for such a contention, but the question still remains unanswered as to whether the exercise of that discretion in this particular instance has been in the best interests of the public at large, There will be a large body of public opinion which will decide that question against the authorities and in view of all the ascertainable facts it would appear that its view would be correct. It is advanced for the consideration of those concerned that suspensions and disciphuings in such a force as the London Metropolitan Police, oven though they may not subsequently lead to court proceedings, are matters with which the British Press concerns itself, and which are consequently reported for the informa: tion of the public, and it is yot to be learned that the interests of the police are in any way adver= sely affected. thereby.
This journal does not subscribe the view that either the public confidence in the police, or the confidence of the rank and file in their superiors, has been materially affected by what has happened. Tt is believed that the offeials will do their duty in the future as they have in the past—that manner which does them infinite credit. But it is manifestly unjust to them, unjust to the Council itself, that stories are allowed euro rency which could be branded for what they are by the simplest possible statement emanating from the Municipal Council, detailing what was the complaint against Sergt, Bellamy, and the exact amount of Punishment inflicted upon him. This journal does not believe for tone moment that the officer in question has been made a scapegoat for the purpose of high policy. No tone except those suffering from a wilful political strabismus would for one moment harbour such a thought. "But there are individuals suffering from. that complaint who naturally rejoice in the unhappy situation in which the Council finds itself at present. The lie, if it is 4 lic, has had a very good start and will be correspondingly dimeult to overtake. That, however, 1s reason why the Council even at this late date should not do everything within its power to prevent judgment going against it by default, An attitude of injured innocence is never entirely dignified, and in this instance is perfectly Tidieulous when it would be rendered unnecessary by taking the step which it is suggested should even now be taken. It is, ther fore, earnestly urged that th authorities should reconsider their resent policy, which in all seriousness it is suggested is singularly advised, Tt does the community not the slightest bit of good for stories such as have been current over the week end to go undenied, and the sooner the true facts of the case are divulged, the better it will be for all parties concerned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.