§ 42. Mr. WELLOCKasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Government proposes to abolish the Piracy Prevention Regulations; what is the reason for so doing; is he aware that the Inter-Departmental Conference on Piracy in Waters adjacent to' the Colony of Hong Kong, held in 1925, recommended co-operation with the Chinese authorities whenever opportunity occurred; and whether, with a view to securing the prevention of piracy, he will recommend the Hong Kong Government to avail itself of the opportunity which now presents itself of co-operating with the competent Chinese authorities for that purpose?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe Sunning Piracy Commission recommended that the Regulations, should be abolished. Their views are contained in a Report of scene length on which I am awaiting the Governor's observations. I am aware of the terms of the Report of the Inter-Departmental Conference of 1924. The Hong Kong Government is only too anxious to co-operate with the Chinese authorities in suppressing pirates and has invited their assistance on many occasions, but those authorities appear to possess little, if any control over the areas in which the pirate lairs exist.
§ 43. Mr. WELLOCKasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the pirates who are in the habit of landing their booty at Bias Bay are stated to have their headquarters in Hong Kong and Singapore; that the Hong Kong Government has been requested to expel pirates from Hong Kong and has neglected to do so; is he aware that the extradition of the pirate Liu Lun has been repeatedly asked for by the Chinese authorities at Canton and that this man was set free for a heavy sum of caution money instead of being extradited; whether he is aware that the Chinese Nationalist Government has established a piracy extirpation commission for the coasts of Weichow and Pao-on and proposed measures for securing extirpation to the Hong Kong Government; and what reply has been returned to these proposals?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe facts are as follows. The Government of Hong Kong has made repeated representations to the authorities at Canton urging them to eradicate the Bias Bay pirates and offering co-operation. A reply was received in which the allegation was made that these pirates had their headquarters in Hong Kong and elsewhere and a list of names was supplied to the Government of Hong Kong. It was exhaustively examined by the police, but unfortunately proved to be of no real value. The case of Lau Lun is a peculiar one. It is not connected with the Bias Bay piracies, since the crimes of which the Canton Government accused him were armed robbery and brigandage on land. Before any communication had reached the Governor from outside sources the police arrested Lau Lun as a person dangerous to peace and good order in the Colony. In accordance with the law he was liberated on heavy bail. The Canton authorities applied for his extradition as a brigand but he escaped by forfeiting his bail. I am aware that the Canton Government has appointed an anti-piracy commissioner but so far his activities have been nugatory. The Hong Kong Government has invited the Canton Government to confer with a view to arranging a scheme of action.