It affords an advantage to allow certain pay and allowances of Imperial appointments, which, amongst other things, provides for expenses both out and home. However, uncertainty and unexpected competition upon arrival here have to be met.
3. The Engineer Officers have been employed in civil Colonial duties to the benefit of the Colony, but if the Regulation of late years were enforced, that military pay should be drawn by them while holding civil appointments, the remedy would be at once applied. A recent instance will suffice to show the hardship I complain of - Engineer Shewday, who holds a subordinate clerkship in the department of the Law Officer General, was highly recommended for promotion by that officer upon the eve of his departure to England; and on the occasion of part of Kowloon being brought into the Market for sale, His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson was kind enough to offer him a temporary appointment, but he did not consider that the slight increase in pay was sufficient for the work required, together with the increased expenditure thereon, and he respectfully declined it.
It was then offered to another Engineer Officer, who accepted it; he retains his full military pay and allowances, without which he would not have accepted it, thereby doubling the emoluments offered to him. I am aware that the Colonial Government fairly seeks to carry out their several duties with due regard to economy.