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native to take over the rations periodically as they are issued under the supervision of the European Officer in charge. 45 Sergeants and Acting Sergeants will therefore not be more than are required making due allowance for men sick in Hospital etc. This increase in Sergeants and Acting Sergeants renders necessary an increase in the numbers of men in the Indian Contingent allowed married quarters or allowances in lieu thereof. I can provide married quarters for 6 and there is a proposal under considera tion to buy some property opposite the Central Station to convert into 6 more such quarters. I therefore recommend that provision be made for allowances at the rate of $10 a month for 8 married Sergeants or Acting Sergeants, making the number of men allowed married quarters or allowances in lieu thereof, 20. The addition of a Mohammedan Sergeant Major is rendered necessary by the large increase in the Mohammedan section of the Contingent. Till the New Territory was taken over the number of Sikhs largely preponde- rated. In recruiting for the New Territory I took the opportunity to balance the two sections. Moreover, it is a question whether a sufficient number of Sikh recruits could have been enlisted as it is unfortunately becoming increasingly difficult to obtain them. The above increase in the number of N.C.0s. will serve as a stimulant to good conduct, promotion to N.0.0.. rank being entirely by selection.`
12.-
As regards the addition of Two Jemedars I find thaf as far back as 1872 there were already two Jemedars in the Contingent although it was then much smaller. Captain Goodwin has carefully scrutinised the majority of the Indian Contingent and his opinion is that a considerable number of men especially in the Mohammedan section are serving with the Police who would not have been enlisted in any native regiment in India owing to inferior caste etc: and it is mainly with a view to assist in the recruiting for the Contingent and to guard against undesirable men being enlisted in the future that the recommendation is made. Moreover, the successful management of the Contingent as a whole will be an easier task if the Captain Superintendent of Police bas two Officers who can be held responsible for the good conduct of the Contingent. If this latter recommendation is approved I shall recommend that the present Sergeant Major who is a Sikh be promot- ed as he is a capable and deserving Officer and is in Captain Goodwin's opinion well qualified by birth and education for the rank, and that the Jenadar for the Mohammedan section be obtained from India there being no Mohammedan in the force whom I can re- commend for the rank.
13.
CHINESE CONTINGENT.
I regret to have to inform you that recruit- ing for the Chinese Contingent is attended with such difficulty that it has not been found possible to obtain the increased
numbers