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The remainder consists apparently of increases to subordinate officers, such as overseers and clerks, and the creation of new offices of like nature. In regard to these latter offices, I have no alternative to accepting the Surveyor General's re- commendations as endorsed by the Governor in Council. But with respect to the offices which formed the subject of Sir GEORGE DES VEUX's Despatch No. 234 of 27 July 1889, and my reply No. 243 of 28 December, I reserve approval of the present Estimates pending the consideration of the further Report on the subject from Mr. BROWN, which in the last mentioned Despatch I requested Sir GEORGE DES VEUX to procure.
7. With regard to Mr. BROWN's own salary, I notice that Sir GEORGE DES Vœux considers that in the present circumstances of the Department a salary of £1,000 by which I presume is meant $6,660 is sufficient for the Surveyor General, and he only recommends a salary of $7,992 in consideration of Mr. BROWN having been led to expect a salary of £1,200 before he left Cyprus. With respect to this consideration I have only to refer to the last paragraph of my Despatch No. 170 of the 30th of August last, and looking to the fact that $6,660 will, even if the rate of exchange does not rise, be an increase of more than £200 on the rate of salary paid to Mr. BROWN in Cyprus, subsequently to his appointment there being changed from a temporary to a pensionable one, I am not prepared to sanction a larger salary than this amount.
8. Turning to the Estimates of Expenditure on extraordinary works, I am somewhat at a loss, owing to the absence of information and the existence of some apparent discrepancies between the statement furnished by the Acting Auditor General, and the corresponding statement by the Auditor General in connection with the Estimates for last year. The works which appeared in the last named statement are now omitted, viz. the Slaughter House Sulphur Channel estimated to cost $50,000 of which according to the Surveyor General's statement $500 has probably been spent, and the Police Buildings extension, estimated to cost $135,000 of which $42,188 had been spent up to 31st December 1887.
9. It is not stated whether the one new District School and the two Public Latrines now estimated for, are to take the place of the 5 Schools and 12 Latrines put down in last Estimates. If the Colony is committed to building the larger number, they should have appeared in the Statement although only the cost of those which could be built within the year would be included in the Votes. Again the Estimate for the Cattle Market Extension and new sheep and pig market, is $20,000 and a vote for the whole of this is taken, although $1,530 is said to have been spent before the 31st December 1888. Similarly the entire estimate for the Filter bed at Pokfoolum, viz., $35,500 is inserted although $4,000 were spent in 1889.
10. I notice a large increase in some of the Estimates of the total cost of works-that for the new Central Market was raised and more than doubled before Mr. BROWN'S appointment, but he has revised and increased those for Hospital quarters from $43,000 to $75,000, Laundries from $20,000 to $25,000, Police Station Aberdeen from $20,000 to $25,000, The Epidemic Hospital Hulk from $30,000 to $50,000.
On the other hand there is no vote for a new Gaol, the necessity of which has been repeatedly impressed upon the Hong Kong Government.
11. I do not wish to imply any doubt that the Colony, provided the Revenue continues to remain expansive, can afford to construct in a substantial way many public works of which there is pressing necessity, but the way in which the Esti- mates have been framed of late years seems to indicate a tendency to initiate numerous works on a perhaps unnecessarily liberal scale, without due regard to the capabilities of the Public Works Department, the relative importance of the works, and the possibility of defraying the total expenditure to which the Colony will thus be ultimately committed.