That Dr. Adams has a claim to retain all the fees he may have earned for the inspection of emigrants; at any rate as the Officer, who receives fees under the XIth clause, is necessarily a Govt. Officer whereas those who receive them under the sixth clause, are not necessarily Govt. Officers, as Dr. Adams is allowed private practice, he appears to have a much better claim to his fees than Dr. Thomsett had to his: however it would seem that all these fees have hitherto been paid to the Treasury.
The migration has of late much increased, and Dr. Adams, so long as he inspects the emigrants, receives none of the fees, has a fair claim to some increase of Salary: the question is therefore whether $1500 is a proper addition to his salary on this account.
I should be borne in mind that the large increase in the fees which the Treasury are now receiving is due to the emigration to San Francisco: the Hongkong Govt. have lately been reminded to explain this with reference to Lord Granville's instructions of 1870, and should Lord Kimberley ultimately decide to throw further restrictions on the free migration to the United States as well as that under contract, the amount of the fees received, if not Dr. Adams' work will probably both be much diminished; but in that case it will not be so easy to reduce Dr. Adams' salary again.
I would myself suggest as preferable that Dr. Adams should be allowed to retain a certain percentage of the fees he receives; but Sir. J. Kennedy has a very strong opinion that the receipt of any fees by Public Officers is highly objectionable. This principle does not appear to hold equally when Officers are already allowed Private Practice.
As I consider that it is impossible from Great Britain to prohibit free Chinese Immigration from Hongkong to San Francisco I should not be so much afraid that Dr. Adams' work will diminish.
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