80
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
will probably have at least two unpleasant a good and ample milk supply and of results. The trade of the country will guarding against the introduction of cat- be strangled by the multiplied exactions tle disease of any description into the heaped upon it, and there will be in colony. In England cattle imported from surrections and (or) riots in various parts, abroad are subjected to inspection upon if indeed they do not assume a more landing, and it would rather astonish the pronounced form in the shape of a revolt people at home if it were suggested that the againste th dynasty. The people in several inspection might be suspended every sixth of the provinces are already not too well year while the officials responsible went affected to the Ta-tsing dynasty, and if they away to play, or to study bacteriology, or are ground down under a load of taxation for any other purpose, but that is virtually too heavy to be borne they will be likely the position taken up by the Government to follow the first leader who calls for the of Hongkong. If it is necessary to have a subversion of the authorities. Meantime, Colonial Veterinary Surgeon at all surely the policy of imposing such a tax as this it is as necessary one year as another. The demand indicates is extremely bad, inas- public interest demands, therefore, either much as it will only tend to destroy the that the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon should revenue by drying up the sources from never go away on leave, or that there whence it is usually obtained. The true should be an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon policy to be pursued at Peking is to open to take his place during his absence. The up the
country to trade and thus bring first alternative is impracticable and we are about such a natural expansion of the therefore thrown back on the second. In normal revenue as will soon enable China most other departments assistant heads are to pay off her indebtedness.
unnecessary, because when the chief goes away anyone can step into his shoes and ANOTHER VETERINARY SURGEON perform his duties, but a veterinary surgeon is a specialist whose place can only be taken by some one who has had the same training as himself. As to finding work for two ve- terinary surgeons when they were both in the colony, seeing that the management of the public slaughter houses and markets is attached to the department we think they need never be in want of something to do.
WANTED.
The Government has declared its convic tion that an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon is not necessary.
We have an Assistant Colonial Secretary, Assistant Registrar- General, Assistant Harbour Master, and Assistant This, That, and the Other, all of whom might be dispensed with without any detriment to the public service, but when it comes to a question of safeguarding the live stock and food supply of the colony we are told that an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon is not necessary because there would be nothing for him to do. That might be a very good reason for not making the appointment if we could have a guarantee that the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon himself would never be absent from the colony; but unfortunately Mr. LADDS has been absent during one very grave crisis and what has happened once may happen again and ought, as a matter of common prudence, to be provided against. The Governnicnt, however, adopts the view of the Secretary of the Sanitary Board, who writes, "The mere fact that a trading com- pany has been so unfortunate as to lose by far the greater number of their milch cows does not seem to me a reason why "the ratepayers of the colony should be "saddled with the salary of an officer "whose post would be for all practical pur- poses a sinecure." A mere trading com- pany perhaps could not expect much assistance from the Government, though it is to be noted that at one time the attitude of the Government to the particular trading company referred to was somewhat different from that now assumed and a valuable piece of Crown land was most unwarrantably pre- sented to it for a town depot, an appropria- tion of public property to private purposes that could not have occurred under a municipality.
"C
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We are concerned, however, not with the past, but with the present and future The question that presents itself is, whe ther it is safe and prudent that the colony should be left for lengthened periods without any veterinary surgeon within reach. If it were merely the pecuniary interest of the dairies that had to be considered it might be said with some reason that the proprietors should be left to make their own arrangements to guard against the risk of losing their cattle by disease. But the matter cannot be dis cussed on that narrow ground. Regard must also be had to the public health aspect of the question, to the necessity of keeping up
July 30, 1896.
with payments made ugh the Crow! Agents, such as pensions, the Gover presumably gets the enefit of the Bank rate. If not, the question into whose pocket does the diffe it a perquisite of the Crown Agen even if all the pensions payable in sterling had been paid at the Treasury ra difference between 28. 1d. and 28. 0:d, would. have worked out at considerably less than $1,000, whereas the amount paid in excess of the estimates, and which attracted Mr. WHITEHEAD's attention, was $18,776. The real explanation is that new pensions to that amount became payable during the year, and fluctuations of exchange had little or nothing to do with the matter. ✨✨ From Mr WHITEHEAD's question; we should judge that he is not quite familiar with the principle on which the estimates are framed, and it would have been more to the purpose if Mr. LOCKHART had enlightened him, and the public, instead of bending his energies to make it appear that Mr. WHITEHEAD was at sea on question of exchange, on which, as it hap- pened, Mr. LOCKHART was at sea himself. When a certain sum is put down in the estimates for pensions it is not expected, we take it, that the amount will be sufficient for the purpose, o account apparently being taken of new pensions that may become payable during the year, except those. which have already been applied for. Every year, therefore, the estimated amount payable for pensions is exceeded.
If the suggested appointment be made it would perhaps not be unreasonable to call upon the various dairies in the colony to
The steady and rapid growth of our contribute to the extra expense in pro- pension list is a subject that seems to call portion to the average number of cattle for serious attention. Ten years ago the kept by each, for we see no more reason amount paid under this heading was $36,252. than Mr. McCALLUM why thèse establish- Last year this sum had grown to $112,776, ments should be provided with veterinary which amounts to one-twentieth of the total attendance at the cost of the public. As revenue of the colony. Exchange is respon a matter of fact, the Dairy Farm Com-sible for a large part of this increase, say one- pany did actually pay an annual retainer half, but making allowance for that, the in- to Mr. LADDS up to the time he went on crease is still remarkable. On looking down leave. All the other dairies might be the list of pensioners we are struck by the called upon to pay in like proportion and large number who have retired on account the fees be accounted for to the Government, of ill health. It is perhaps inevitable that a as is done in most other departments. If pension system, should give rise to abuses, the dairies were all willing to contribute it but in this matter of alleged ill health might pay a private veterinary surgeon to
as a cause for claiming pensions we think establish himself in practice here, but many the taxpayers of Hongkong have just ground of the dairies are in the hands of Chinese, who of complaint. The climate is no doubt would contribute nothing except under com- trying to some constitutions, but in non- pulsion, so that it seems necessary for the official life we do not observe anything ap Government to move in the matter. It could proaching the proportionate number of re not be expected that any of the dairies under tirements ou account of ill-health that are European management should themselves to be found in the public pension list maintain a veterinary surgeon, because in and if a gentleman enters the Hongkong case of an outbreak of disease in other service and finds after a few years that dairies his services could not possibly be re-
the climate does not agree with him fused if they were asked for, and it would
we do not 800 that the therefore amount to one Company main- should be called upon
pay him taining a veterinary surgeon for the colony large pension for the remainder of his at large.
if he is well enough to earn a living for Kim of the himself elsewhere. Take the case Rev. W... JENNINGS, for instance. ✨✨ The rev. gentleman comes to Hongkong, serves When the Colonial Secretary informed the for a few years as Colonial Chaplain, retires Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD that the amount on the ground of ill health; obtain by which payments on account of pensions desirable living at home, discha in 1895 exceeded the estimates was due parochial duties, and draws in part to exchange fluctuations he must of £250 a year from this surely have been speaking without any con- of the oldest of Hongkong sideration of the facts of the case; the CHARLES ST. GEO. CLEVER variation in the rate of exchange merely present age is entered offic striking him on the spur of the moment as a known."
"This gentleman possible explanation. The fact is that in General, but framing the estimates the dollar was taken health, and since 28th April, 1865. at 2s. Id., whereas the average rate for the for more than thirty-on
years he year was 2s. 11d., so that there ought to drawing a pension from have been a saving instead of a loss on ex- a year. Whether he change. It is true the Treasury rate, come by practising at which the military contribution has to know, but a year be paid, averaged 28. 0td., but in dealing | pay a visit to the
THE PENSION LIST.
on
very
his pension