In arrival here, however, I found those expectations painfully disappointed. I discovered that I had been totally mistaken and misled as to the expenses of living. And that private practice (under any circumstances, a matter of uncertain speculation) was in my case entirely out of the question. And that the nature and amount of duties required at my hands in my various capacities of Crown Solicitor, Coroner, and Sheriff in charge of the Jail were absolutely impossible for any unassisted person to discharge. I may observe that the duties now required of these capacities were previously to my entering upon them divided amongst three or four departments, each with facilities for their due discharge and advantages for working that I do not possess.
The heads of departments with which I often require my services at a time that I find myself utterly unable to meet their requirements. Nor would it be possible for me to undertake private practice, even if anyone would entrust to me the management of their business, pressed upon as I am in the unassisted discharge of public duties. And I will here observe that upon careful consideration, I feel certain that this press of business is not by any means attributable to the present disturbed state of the Colony. Out of the number of inquests which I have held since my arrival, one or perhaps at most two cases can be conceived to be attributable to the present crisis, while from the best information I have been able to obtain, cases are practically less frequent now than in ordinary times.
The empanelling and service of jurors, the holding of inquests once a month, my necessary support, fitting out, and salary wholly inadequate to the expensiveness of the Colony are the circumstances that I find my required duties that must press upon me. The preparation and service of subpoenas upon witnesses in different parts of the Colony (seeing that such witnesses are Chinese, the copies being necessarily in Chinese) the summons upon prisoners (the informations being on parchment), the drafting and engrossing of summons upon jurors (Criminal Sessions), and all necessary processes are forthcoming when required. Furthermore, to pay a bailiff is difficult even to be procured except when readily employed for assisting me.
I am at the present moment scarcely able to meet all other expenses for myself here and a family at home, and I have only a balance of £181 per annum, after paying the salary of a young lad merely a copying clerk, and the rent of an unequipped room of about eight feet square. As a Government official, it will surely be sufficient for me to state that, after paying the rent and expenses, the maintaining of a respectable position is out of the question.
It is now a month since I entered on the civil duties of Sheriff, and the fees in that time have averaged ... . Subpoenaing 74 witnesses for the present Sessions ... .
Page 246