BOTANICAL AND AFFORESTATION.
(Report, para. 73. Evidence, p. 114. Superintendent's letter No. 11 of 7th April, 1894.)
27. No reduction is recommended in this department at present, but the Committee is of opinion that when the next vacancy occurs in the Office of Superintendent and Head Gardener, the salary of the former should begin at $1,500, and that that of the Head Gardener should be correspondingly reduced. This opinion will be borne in mind when a vacancy does occur in either of the posts in question.
28. I have no objection to offer to an increase to the salaries of the Chinese Clerk and Assistant Clerk, though I consider the maximum salary of the Clerk, viz., $720, is too high in view of the salaries received by other Chinese Clerks in the Government Service. A maximum salary of $600 ought to be sufficient.
(Report, para. 79.)
LEGAL DEPARTMENTS.
Evidence, pp. 1, 14, and 190. Letter from Registrar No. 100 of 29th March, 1894, et seq.)
29. In the various legal departments, the Committee recommends retrenchment showing a maximum saving of $13,110, and a minimum saving of $12,070, which it is proposed to effect as follows:
Confidential. 6th June, 1894.
Goy. No. 328 of 1888.
31. With regard to the question of the Attorney General being allowed private practice, I beg to refer Your Lordship to the despatches on that subject to and from the Colonial Office, from which it will be seen that it was on the recommendation of Sir WILLIAM DES VŒUX that Lord KNUTSFORD decided that the Attorney General should not be allowed private practice. In view of the strong representation of the Committee and of the opinion of Sir FIELDING CLARKE, Sir GEORGE O'BRIEN, and the Crown Solicitor (Mr. Jousson), in which I am inclined to agree, Your Lordship may be prepared to reconsider the decision arrived at by your predecessor in Office.
EDUCATION.
(Report, para. 190. Evidence, pp. 90, 99. Letter from Inspector of Schools of 4th April, 1894, et seq.)
32. As the question of Queen's College is still under consideration, I do not propose to deal at present with the suggestions of the Retrenchment Committee, but will address a separate communication to Your Lordship on this subject. In the meantime, care will be taken that no increased expenditure is incurred under the head of education, unless such is found to be absolutely necessary or unavoidable.
SUPREME COURT.
Present pay. Proposed. Deputy Registrar and Accountant, $8,240-4600 p.a. 960 to 1200. Interpreter, 3,000 3,600 if translator is abolished. Assistant Interpreter............... 2,000 Chief Clerk and Translator, 1,000. 840 to 1,200 Deputy Land Officer,.......... 3,840 abolish or 600 to 810. abolish. Chief Justice's Clerk, 1,200. Puisne Judge's Clerk, reduce. Head Bailiff, 1,500. Registrar, 6,840. Official Receiver,........... 50 (abolish). Registrar's Clerk, 720 to 840. Clerk and Usher, 600 to 960. Second Bailiff, Assistant Bailiff,. 480 to 600. Messenger in Bankruptcy,. 600 480. abolish. Clerk and Shroff, 720 to 1,000.30. In all of these recommendations, I concur, with the exception of the proposed abolition of the post of Chinese Clerk and Translator. I consider it most important in the interests of justice that the Supreme Court should have on its staff a competent Chinese translator, and I am, therefore, decidedly of opinion that this post should remain a distinct and separate office, and that no reduction should be made in the salary assigned to it.
(Report, para. 189.)
MEDICAL DEPARTMENTS.
Evidence, pp. 142, 107. Letter from Colonial Surgeon of 3rd April, 1894, et seq.)
33. The Committee recommends no decrease in the cost of the Medical Department, but quotes the evidence of Dr. AYRES as to the cost of drugs. The Colonial Surgeon will be called upon to report, and when he has furnished me with his views, I will again address Your Lordship on this subject.
34. In this connection, I beg to recommend for Your Lordship's favourable consideration that all the members of the Civil Service be allowed to obtain their drugs from the Civil Hospital at cost price, to which might be added a slight extra charge to cover any expenses which the supply of drugs might entail. Such a privilege would be regarded as a great boon by the Civil Service, and I understand that Dr. ATKINSON, the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, who is at present on leave and whom Your Lordship might consult on this matter, is in favour of the proposal.
35. I concur in the proposed addition of $10 a month to the salary of the Steward, Mr. CHAPMAN. With regard to Dr. Lowson's request that the Doctors at the Civil Hospital should be allowed to be consulted by patients sent to them from the out-ports, I am not disposed to recommend it, but I would suggest that, before any definite decision is arrived at on this point, Dr. ATKINSON's views be ascertained by Your Lordship.
36. I agree that the charge for private patients should be increased, and steps will be taken at once to carry out this recommendation.
(Report, para. 167.)
POLICE AND GAOL.
Evidence, pp. 21, 30, 71, 80. Letter from Captain Superintendent of Police of 3rd April, 1894, et seq.)
37. I concur in the recommendations of the Retrenchment Committee as to the increases and reductions in the pay of the Police, which are shown in the following schedule, and which are almost entirely based on suggestions made by the Captain Superintendent of Police,