THE HONGKong goverNMENT GAZETTE, 25TH SEPTEMBER, 1869.-
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447
Crime under the Harbor and Coasts Ordinance. The latter involve the examination, visiting, registration and general superintendence of about 36,000 Junks annually, and this in a Colony where each year 5 millions of tons of Shipping, manned by 800,000 sailors, arrive and depart.
29. In a similar manner it may be said that the Establishment of the Post- master General has increased largely from a total Expenditure in 1868 of $32,088 last year to an estimated Expenditure of $41,112 for 1870. New duties entail fresh expenses, and Her Majesty's Government having imposed on this the superin- tendence of the various Postal Stations at the Ports in China and Japan, there is now an Expenditure of about $10,560 in Salaries, Rent and Allowances at the Ports instead of about $4,000 formerly. It is true the Colony receives from the British Government an annual reimbursement in aid, of $6,000, and an increased profit on letters, which however has not averaged more than $500. The bargain, therefore, has not been a good one, especially if you have often to incur such an outlay as that of paying $10,000 to build a Post Office at Japan.
30. You will also find that a sum of $6,744 is expended by the Government on Marine Sorters employed on board the various Mail Steamers from Singapore here and hence to Shanghai. Now, if the Public wish the luxury of an early and sure delivery of their letters, I presume they expect to find the charge included in the Estimates. It nevertheless swells the cost of the Post Office and may possibly furnish scope for various judicious remarks as to the folly of maintaining such an unwieldy Establishment. Now, if you really think this luxury useless and extra- vagant, you have only to say so and I shall strike it from the Estimates. If, however, you think it may reasonably be maintained, and that nearly $7,000 is thus wisely expended every year to promote general convenience and the interests of Merchants specially, I count on your influence with the latter to abolish the present perverse usage of sending clandestinely large packages of letters by the very Mail steamers which are actually carrying Marine Sorters, at great expense, to arrange and facilitate the delivery of such correspondence without any extra charge.
31. Nevertheless in a Council where practically I assert there is the most substantial liberty of suggestion, speech and action, and where it has always been the anxious.desire of the Executive to encourage the free interchange of thought for the improvement of such Legislation as may be proposed, I do not think it necessary to go seriatim through all the Establishments or items now offered for consider- ation. You have had copies of the Estimates supplied to you beforehand, and no doubt your own experience is sufficiently suggestive.
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32. In reference to Public Works, however, as being the branch of Expenditure in which the Executive is most responsible because its greatest power of initiation and "veto" lies there, I have to call your attention to the fact that in reality .circumstances have greatly narrowed the margin of choice in that direction. You will observe that out of $137,000 estimated for Works and Buildings, no less than $98,000 are required for completion of the Reservoir at Pokfoolum. The original estimate for that work by which the Government was induced to undertake it at all, was $100,000, whereas it now appears that it will cost double-whilst, as it is half completed, you have no option but to proceed with the work. Its whole history, however, has been most discouraging as shewing how heavily, even when attempting the most useful and necessary objects, the Colony can lose by the oc- casional incompetence of its employés, and how seldom the most obvious deficiencies of such persons can restrain them from projecting schemes beyond their strength. I only regret that the work had been proposed and launched before my arrival
here.
33. It is true that suggestions by an eminent Engineer in England have added to the cost of the work whilst in progress. Those suggestions, however, were few, as indeed the most eminent professional man could suggest little as to a scheme, whose general propriety and fitness, depended mainly on circumstances not before him. The most costly change was the substitution of cement for ordinary mortar, and if the change was essential, I see no reason why that point should have escaped attention here.
34. Be that as it may, the large sum of $100,000, and possibly much more, being required to finish what you were led to believe would have been completed without such additional expense, it would be useless to discuss at present projects for either a new Court House or a new Civil Hospital. The former Building I hope can easily be made to serve the purposes of the Colony for several years yet, though the same cannot be said of the Civil Hospital.
35. For Roads, Streets and Bridges," the Sum of $41,000 is put down,
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