1
180
As regards the 5th, Clerk, Mr. Chan Pui,he was formerly Clerk to the Assessor at $40 a month and had been granted an increase to $50 from the 1st. January, 1898.
I had had my eye on him for some time as being an unusually efficient officer and recommended him for ap- pointment as 5th. Clerk in the Treasury on $70 a month when
the vacancy occurred. Neither in his case nor in that of Mr.
Tsang Kit Fan were the recommendations of the Retrenchment Committee taken into consideration. The man was worth $70 a
month and took the place of an officer of equal standing who was drawing $80 a month, an economy was thereby effected not- withstanding that Tsang Kit Fan obtained an increase of $5 a
month.
(Sd.) T.Sercombe Smith.
20.7.98.