615
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they have been contracted for and imported, too often disappear, whilst, do what you will, whether you recruit in Europe or in India, you cannot procure a force homogeneous and speaking the requisite languages. You can only put it together bit by bit, and gradually utilize it by patience and by holding out to each individual substantial inducements and facilities to improve. This has been done and I have reason to be satisfied with the progress made and being made.
25. In proportion, however, as you find less chance of diminishing your Police Expenditure, owing to the peculiar geographical position and exceptional circumstances of the Colony, I would be glad that you should, as I have already said, turn your attention to effecting economy in other Departments. I am aware of the difficulty attending attempts to accomplish Departmental retrenchment without impairing efficiency. Lord Lawrence, has recently described how he commenced his late administration, hoping and resolved to effect great retrenchment in all the Indian Departments, and how he was forced to leave them largely increased. I mention this not to discourage, but to prevent undue expectations. As yet, I have only seen my way doubtfully to suggesting the eventual amalgamation of most of the duties of the Treasury and Audit Office, an experiment which may be said to be now in its first stage, and the eventual saving from which may amount to upwards of $6,000 annually. Nevertheless, I think an equal saving can ere long be effected in other minor details, which however, I have not yet ventured to put on the Estimates, preferring to feel my way first. My chief wish at present is to urge on you the necessity of keeping the principle of economy in view, when possible without impairing efficiency.
26. To facilitate your labors the form of the Estimates now before you has been improved, by keeping all the expenses of each Department together instead of spreading them, as formerly, over different and totally unconnected pages. Because some Departmental expenses are for "Establishments" and others are "exclusive of Establishments," and others again for "Rent," or "Transport," I see no reason why such expenses should not be grouped together. Such an arrangement, whilst more symmetrical and clear, does not interfere, as you will find, with the distinct classification of the details so grouped.
27. In the Summary (Pages 30 and 31) you will see the totals of the cost of all the Departments collectively and separately, as proposed for next year, side by side with the expenses incurred for the same during the past year. You will there see that the total Expenditure of last year amounted to $991,311, whereas the vote proposed for next year is nearly $200,000 less—or $791,882. This diminution is, in a great measure, owing to the fact of the large arrears of the Military Contribution having been paid last year, so that there is about $114,000 less to provide on that service alone.
28. Improved arrangements of your Estimates will probably prevent many mistakes. Few persons, and certainly not those to whom it would be inconvenient that accurate information opposed to their theories and objects should be forced on them, take much trouble in sifting such dry details. It must also be admitted that it was not easy formerly to understand the Annual Estimates. Thus in the Harbor Master's Department, there were no means of knowing accurately the cost of the Gunpowder Depôt, a concern which accidentally is superintended by the Harbor Master, but which has little connection with his special duties as such. You can, however, now see that, independent of the sum necessary to reserve for purchase of a new Hulk hereafter, the annual cost of the Gunpowder Depôt is $3,928. On the other hand, if any one were to ask how much the Office of Harbor Master, properly so called, costs the Colony, it would be impossible to say, because you cannot divide the $21,272, allotted to the Department so as to distinguish the cost of the ordinary duties of the office from others even more
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important and onerous which devolve on him for suppression of Piracy and Crime under the Harbor and Coasts Ordinance. The latter involve the examination, visiting, registration and general superintendence of about 36,000 Junks annually, and this in a Colony where each year 3 millions of tons of Shipping, manned by 800,000 sailors, arrive and depart.
29. In a similar manner it may be said that the Establishment of the Post-master General has increased largely from a total Expenditure in 1868 of $32,088 last year to an estimated Expenditure of $41,112 for 1870. New duties entail fresh expenses, and Her Majesty's Government having imposed on this the superintendence of the various Postal Stations at the Ports in China and Japan, there is now an Expenditure of about $10,560 in Salaries, Rent and Allowances at the Ports instead of about $4,000 formerly. It is true the Colony receives from the British Government an annual reimbursement in aid, of $6,000, and an increased profit on letters, which however has not averaged more than $500. The bargain, therefore, has not been a good one, especially if you have often to incur such an outlay as that of paying $10,000 to build a Post Office at Japan.
30. You will also find that a sum of $6,744 is expended by the Government on Marine Sorters employed on board the various Mail Steamers from Singapore here and hence to Shanghai. Now, if the Public wish the luxury of an early and sure delivery of their letters, I presume they expect to find the charge included in the Estimates. It nevertheless swells the cost of the Post Office and may possibly furnish scope for various judicious remarks as to the folly of maintaining such an unwieldy Establishment. Now, if you really think this luxury useless and extravagant, you have only to say so and I shall strike it from the Estimates. I however, you think it may reasonably be maintained, and that nearly $7,000 is thus wisely expended every year to promote general convenience and the interests of Merchants specially, I count on your influence with the latter to abolish the present perverse usage of sending clandestinely large packages of letters by the very Mail steamers which are actually carrying Marine Sorters, at great expense, to arrange and facilitate the delivery of such correspondence without any extra charge.
31. Nevertheless in a Council where practically I assert there is the most substantial liberty of suggestion, speech and action, and where it has always been the anxious desire of the Executive to encourage the free interchange of thought for the improvement of such Legislation as may be proposed, I do not think it necessary to go seriatim through all the Establishments or items now offered for consideration. You have had copies of the Estimates supplied to you beforehand, and no doubt your own experience is sufficiently suggestive.
32. In reference to Public Works, however, as being the branch of Expenditure in which the Executive is most responsible because its greatest power of initiation and "veto" lies there, I have to call your attention to the fact that in reality circumstances have greatly narrowed the margin of choice in that direction. You will observe that out of $137,000 estimated for Works and Buildings, no less than $98,000 are required for completion of the Reservoir at Pokfoolum. The original estimate for that work by which the Government was induced to undertake it at all, was $100,000, whereas it now appears that it will cost double—whilst, as it is half completed, you have no option but to proceed with the work. Its whole history, however, has been most discouraging as shewing how heavily, even when attempting the most useful and necessary objects, the Colony can lose by the occasional incompetence of its employés, and how seldom the most obvious deficiencies of such persons can restrain them from projecting schemes beyond their strength. I only regret that the work had been proposed and launched before my arrival here.