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The population naturally leads to increased labour in the general registration work of the Office.
So far, then, from there being any ground for reducing the salary of the Office of Registrar General on the score of decrease in the duties of the post, it appears that if additional salary is to be given, the Registrar General of to-day as compared with the Registrar General of five years ago would have a just increase of pay in view of the increased duties, the manner in which the work continues to grow.
I trust it may not appear from the remarks I have made that I am not sensible of the high honour the Secretary of State has been pleased to confer on me by appointing me to the Office of Registrar General and Protector of Chinese after a comparatively short career in the public service. I appreciate the favour that has been bestowed on me, and I beg to request that you will kindly convey my thanks to His Excellency the Governor for having been pleased to appoint me, and to state that I will endeavour to fulfil the duties of the post in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary of State, to the Governor, and to the public of Hong Kong.
I have,
(Signed) J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Registrar General