Enclosure
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 209.
140700
- 25 JUN 17)
663
The following Regulations made by His Excellency the Governor in connection with Interpreta- tion in the Public Service have been approved by the Secretary of State for the Colonies and are published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th May, 1889.
FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary,
I.
Regulations for Public Officers, other than Members of the Police Force, for the encouragement of proficiency in the Chinese language.
I.
Public Officers other than Cadets who pass an examination, to the satisfaction of the Examiners, in the Chinese language, of the Cantonese or Hakka dialect, or any other dialect approved by the Governor, will receive an allowance according to the following scale:-
Officers in receipt of salaries under $200 per month.
For colloquial and written Chinese, For colloquial only,
.$400 300
Officers with sularies over $200 a month. $600 450
This regulation applies only in respect of dialects which Officers have hitherto not professed to understand, or in which they have hitherto not been employed to interpret.
II.
In the case of Cadets the allowance will be granted to those who acquire proficiency in other dialects than those in which they have passed.
III.
On receipt of an allowance under these regulations, an Officer will be required to give security for the re-payment of the whole sum, or such proportion of it as may be fixed by the Governor, in the event of the Officer leaving the service of the Colony within three years from the time of receipt.
IV.
The allowance for a Chinese Teacher will be continued to Officers, who have passed their Exami- nations, for a period not exceeding three years, on their satisfying the Board of Examiners at the end of each year, that they are profiting by the teaching.
II.
Regulations for the encoarigement of the acquisition of the Chinese language among residents of the Colony, with a view to
secure efficient interpretation in the Courts of Justice and Public Offices.
I.
His Excellency the Governor may appoint, from residents in the Colony under 16 years of age, who have shown an aptitude for acquiring the Chinese language, and who have distinguished them- selves in the Examination for the Colonial scholarship or other similar competition, three student In- terpreters, each to be attached to such department of the Public Service as to the Governor may seem fit. Student Interpreters "must not, under ordinary circumstances, look for" promotion in other branches of the Public Service.