340
as
I see that they have postponed the prison,
to which we have at various times had a good deal
of correspondence, on the satisfactory ground that the supply of prisoners is not sufficient to justify it.
# $160,000 is required for the continuation of
the new Law Courts, leaving $221,000 to be spent in future: and a similar sum for the Post Office, leaving $490,000 more to be provided. We commented last year
on the enormous increase in the estimate for this
building: that estimate has since been further increased
by $58,000 owing to the decision to provide a Clock Tower, to which we agreed.
Final Votes of $256,600 and $30,000 respectively finish off two very costly works: the Kowloon
Waterworks ($1,194,600 is the total cost)
and the First section of the Tytam Tuk
Work, which will have cost $862,000.
As explained in the despatch, they have not,
in view of the need for economy, provided for any further resumption of Insanitary properties, a policy
on which more than half a million dollars has already
been expended.
The only remaining point is that referred to
in paragraph 12 of the despatch. Mr Hewett wants a
Committee appointed to consider the question of Civil
Service salaries. The matter was fully considered on
Connected
29801 and papers and Lord Elgin's despatch has been
communicated to the Council (see page 63 of debates
enclosed). Mr Hewett wants to go back to a system of
exchange compensation by paying the salaries on a
sliding