afraid for. – The Fringe Office apparently presents a surprising annual Allowance, in consideration of which the Officers should, at all times under such directions as might be required of them, be paying for Services as required. Each individual case of work done; - and there being allowances made for extra duties occasionally performed, were naturally given to the Office actually performing the work.
Previous to my appointment, there did not exist any regular Auditor of the Colonial and Consular Accounts in China ... The Colonial Secretary had partially executed the duties, but the growing importance of the Colony and consequent great accessions to his work made it impossible for him to attend to this branch, and the auditing of the Accounts had fallen considerably into arrears, particularly the Colonial audit for nearly four years. Under these circumstances, both the Colonial and Foreign Departments appear to have seen the necessity of appointing an Officer exclusively as Auditor, and to his work would be fully and equally divided between the two services, it was arranged that his salary, as well as that of his clerk or clerks, should be paid in equal proportions from Colonial and Consular revenues.
The Consular work performed by the Auditor is a portion, - fully half, - of his regular Official duties; and the payment for it would therefore seem also to be a part of his regular Official salary, and not remuneration for extra personal services as in the case of the Interpreter and Surveyor General.
This was the view of the matter taken by His Excellency, apparently entertained by H. Labouchere, for, in offering me the Appointment of Auditor of Colonial and Consular Accounts, he named the salary as a whole, and not as made up partly of salary and partly of allowance; - in fact, it was not until I arrived in Hong Kong that I was aware my salary was derivable from two different sources.
When likewise on leaving England I applied to have my passage paid by the Government, - it was declined, on the grounds, I presume, that my salary being over £500 a year, the Colonial Regulations required that it should be defrayed by myself.
His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, in appointing Mr. Mitchell to act for me during my absence, did not authorise him to draw more than half salary, either as a portion of the Colonial or of the Consular funds.
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