No.71.
0.0.
10051
RECO
&
REC 22 APR 1966
Government House.
Hong Kong, 23rd March, 1899.
Sir,
$120
With reference to your despatch No.295 of the 11th November last, I have the honour to request authority to give immediate effect to the recommendations of the Captain Superintendent of Police detailed in paragraph 5 of Major-General Black's despatch No.65 of the 11th March, 1898, for increasing the emoluments of the Chinese Contingent of the Police Force.
2. Mr May has represented very strongly to this Government the difficulty which is experienced in obtaining Chinese recruits for the Force, and which he attributes to the fact that the existing rates of pay do not offer sufficient inducement in view of the increased cost of living. The result is that the Chinese Contingent is considerably below strength at a time when extra demands may be made upon the Force in connection with the Policing of the new territory.
3. I shall address you separately on this latter subject, when I am in a position to lay before you in detail the proposed arrangements. In the meanwhile the Captain Superintendent of Police urges the necessity of granting the increases
The Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
800.1