the difficulty the late Mr Douglas laboured under for four years getting suitable men to accept the situation at this salary. After several changes Mr. Douglas in April 1868, @so No 844, submitted a scheme for dispensing with the European Clerk, and dividing the salary of the Office as follows. Mr. Yip Ling I now, the Interpreters,
was also to act as clerk and receive an addition to his salary of $10 per month; the Warden was to receive $20 and the Head Turnkey $10 per month each. It will be seen that Sir R. MacDonnell had doubts as to the efficient discharge by one man of the Duties of the two Offices but subsequently approved of the arrangement, Vide letter from this Office No 55 of 28th August, 1868.
By the above arrangement Mr. Yip King Moi undertook and has since performed the most important part of the office work, being fully employed from 8 am till 4 pm.
Previous to 1868, a deal of Clerical work had always been done by a prisoner, or, when there was not a qualified prisoner in the Gaol, a Turnkey.
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