2
66
(I). Colonial Secretary's Department. Two Unpassed Cadets. In connection with the establishment of Cadets the fact has to be taken into consideration that provision should be made for one-seventh of the Cadet Civil Service Officers being on half-pay leave (C. O. Regulation No. 120) and one-ninth on vacation leave (C. O. Regulation No. 133) i.e. for one-fourth altogether being on leave. There are now 5 Passed Cadets not holding substantive appointments and no unpassed ones on the establishment, while the number of Cadet Civil Service appointments is 16, apart from those in the Police which in future will be separately dealt with. There is therefore one Officer available to meet special requirements (such as the loan of Mr. R. F. Johnston to Weihaiwei) in addition to the four required to fill vacancies due to Officers on leave. This makes no provision for filling vacancies due to Officers leaving the service and for this I think 2 Officers should be in training.
always
A
(II). Post Office. Poste Restante and Enquiry Counter Clerk. This is one of the additional appointments in the Scheme for increasing the efficiency of the Post Office recommended in Mr. May's Despatch No. 264, dated the 20th June, 1904, to which conditional approval was given in your telegram of the 27th July. The complete scheme requires considerable recasting and it was not thought desirable to make provision for it in the Estimates for 1905, except with regard to this one appointment and to an extension of the issue of good conduct badges to Postmen.
(III). Botanical and Afforestation Department. The salary of the clerk and interpreter was left to my discretion