100
DISTRICT WATCHMEN.
The Captain Superintendent of Police was appointed by the Governor in November last to be ex officio a member of the Committee which advises the Registrar General in managing the District Watchmen Force. The revenue from voluntary contributions was $7,505.28 while $500 was contributed by Government. Owing to the fact that the Committee has a large surplus in hand, Government has decided to withdraw for the time the annual contribution of $2,000. The expenditure amounted to $10,472.71, of which, however, a portion was non-recurrent.
I estimate the ordinary expenditure at about $8,500 per annum, being an excess over ordinary revenue of about $1,000. As there is a balance in hand of over $16,000, it will be at least 12 years (allowing for unforeseen contingencies) before the Committee may have to request the Government to re-consider the renewal of the grant.
The present state of the force is as follows:---
5 Chief Watchmen at
1 Assistant Watchmen at
7 Watchmen at
11 Watchmen at
41 Watchmen at
.$240.00
180.00
96.00
90.00
84.00
the total being 65 of whom 2 are employed at the Pó Léung Kuk and 3 at the Chinese Recreation Ground, their wages being refunded by the Pó Léung Kuk and from the Chinese Recreation Ground Fund. Table IX shows the accounts of the year in detail.
CHINESE RECREATION GROUND.
The buildings are in a fair state of repair with the exception of the cook-houses. The advisability of removing them altogether is at present being considered. 94 stalls are let, out of a total of 125, besides the two "story telling" pavilions, and 33 permits to sell various articles on the ground at a uniform rate of $2 per month each have been granted.
The two Indian watchmen formerly employed on the ground have been dispensed with and their duty is now being performed by two Chinese lent from the District Watchmen Force, effecting a saving of $192 per annum. The revenue from the stalls, &c., was $2,404.35 as compared with $2,457.88 in 1892, while the expenditure amounted to exactly the same as the revenue, $1,600.00, being a repay- ment to Government of a portion of the loan of $6,000.00 advanced for the improvement of the ground.
The balance in hand is $1,097.21. I have recommended separately that $1,000.00 might now be transferred to Government in further repayment of the balance of the loan which on the 31st ultimo amounted to $3,000.00. The ordinary revenue for next year may be estimated at $2,500.00 while the expenditure may be put at $620.00. The debt to Government should therefore be paid off in less than 2 years.
GENERAL WORK.
The amount of translation and other general work has been rather increasing; 1,200 petitions on various matters were received, as compared with 1,005 in 1892. Table X shows the account of the Market Charitable Fund which is at the disposal of the Registrar General for charitable purposes, and Table XI gives an account of the money recovered on passage tickets of women and girls detained on board ship or at the Emigration Office under Ordinance 11 of 1890. The balance in hand of the former fund is $1,617.04 while that of the latter is $189.76.
STAFF.
Mr. LOCKHART went home on leave in June when I took over the duties of Registrar General. WONG WING CHIU was appointed Shroff in place of WONG WING HO resigned.
Sergeant WATSON of the Police Force was appointed Acting Inspector in the Department in room of Mr. HORTON absent on leave. Two Chinese writerships and a messengership were abolished on the retirement of To LOK-HIM, the resignation of YAU KI-TUNG and the dismissal of Lo MUN-wo; while the boat's crew has also been abolished and the boat sold. These changes effect a saving of over $650.00 per annum.
I would recommend that, when opportunity occurs, one of the higher paid clerkships should be abolished as the work could be distributed among the other members of the staff, and if the registration of brothels is dispensed with, one Inspector would be quite sufficient for the work of the office; one of the attendants might be abolished also on opportunity. These changes would effect a further saving of over $4,000.00 per annum.
The Registration Clerk is overpaid; while the Shroff, the first Chinese writer and the second Chinese clerk and interpreter are rather underpaid.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
A. M. THOMSON, Acting Registrar General.
The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Se
&c.,
&c.