MEMORANDUM NO.2
127031 43
REC
MEGE
JUN
1.
The salary drawn by Mr. H. E. Wodehouse, C.M. G. as
sole Magistrate and Coroner was $650 a month or $7,800 a
year, with a chair allowance as Coroner of $144 a year.
2.
In C.0. D. No.191 of 2nd. August, 1895, it was stated
that on the occurrence of a vacancy the question of the
*salary to be attached to the joint office should be reconsi-
"dered and should probably not exceed $6,000 - the pay of
"the First Magistrate at Singapore".
3.
As no definite decision regarding the salary of
the post is given in this despatch, I beg leave to advance
the following statements in favour of the present salary
being maintained:-
(a) In Singapore there are three Magistrates, in
Hong-Kong only one.
(b) The population of Singapore in 1891 was
184,554,of Hong-Kong 221,441: the present population
of Hong-Kong is 248,498 (vide Colonial Office List
1897,pages 131 and 227).
(c) The sole Magistrate in Hong-Kong also per-
forms the duties of Coroner, who, in Singapore, is a se-
parate officer paid by fees.
(d) The cases at the Magistracy during 1895,1896
and 1897 numbered 45,968, giving an annual average of
15,323 cases or a daily average of nearly 50 cases.
4.