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vacancy. If this course is adopted, however, the saving caused by the abolition of one Magistracy would for the present be reduced from $5,000 to $3.000 a year. The duties of Coroner might perhaps be given to the Superintendent of the Gaol, and you could doubtless select some other officer to undertake the duties of Super- intendent of the Fire Brigade. The abolition of the second Magistrate will apparently require an amendment of Ordinance 10 of 1890.
9. In regard to the proposed combination of the post of Superintendent of the Gaol with that of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, I have to remind you that General GORDON stated, in a Report dated 16th April, which formed an enclosure to your despatch No. 148 of 27th April last, that for the efficient carry- ing out of the duties of the Hongkong Police, it was in his opinion necessary that there should be two superior officers whose whole time should be devoted to Police duties. I am disposed to concur in this opinion, and am therefore not satisfied that the duties of Deputy Superintendent of Police could be efficiently performed by the Superintendent of the Gaol. If, however, the latter officer's time is not fully occupied, he might perhaps be given some additional work, e.g., that of Coroner, as suggested above.
10. I have already stated that I do not view with much confidence the experiment of entrusting the Magisterial duties of the Colony to a single Officer, nor am I wholly satisfied that the Assistant Harbour Mastership can permanently be dispensed with, although both in the one case and in the other you have my authority to make the reduction when opportunity offers. I cannot but think that in Hongkong as in other Colonies such amalgamation will not improbably imply a present increase of pay to the surviving officer and a re-establishment of the abolished appointment in the near future.
The fact seems to be that in more than one department in the Colony there is too much work for one officer and too little work for two, inviting to some extent re-distribution of duties but forbidding any extensive abolition.
11. You are at liberty to reduce the number of Cadets to two. If that number should hereafter be found insufficient to supply the vacancies which arise whether in permanent or acting appointments, it will be easy to increase the number again.
12. As to the Police, I would refer you to the 3rd paragraph of my predecessor's Confidential despatch of the 5th August, in which stress was laid upon the necessity for great circumspection in dealing with any proposals for reducing the strength of the force. You might, however, consider whether any changes are advisable in the specially favourable Pension Regulations of the Police, all of whom (European, Indian and Chinese alike) are allowed to retire after only 15 years' service. In the Straits Settlements there is an additional proviso to the effect that a member of the Force must have attained the age of 45 before he is allowed to retire on pension (except on grounds of ill-health); and it might be desirable to introduce at any rate this provision into the Hongkong rules, so as to some extent to reduce the heavy charges for Police pensions. Any change in the Pension Rules could, of course, only be applied to men hereafter appointed to the Force.
I have the honour to be,
Governor
SIR W. ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,
&c.,
&c.,
Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
RIPON.