No
$1.
gir,
493
360
REC
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 17th. March, 1914.
#
With reference to your Despatch No. 91 of the
6th. of April, 1911, I have the honour to transmit copy of a letter addressed to the Director of Public Works by r. D. Wood, Superintendent of Accounts, Correspondence and Stores, asking that his personal allowance may be increased by £50 a year. I have caused Mr. Wood to be informed that I cannot support his applica- -tion but I said I would forward it for your consideration.
2.
Mr. Wood is in receipt of £670 per annum in pensionable emoluments. He is therefore better paid than the three Executive Engineers of the First Grade whose maximum salaries are at the rate of £630 per annum with £60 per annum non-pensionable duty pay; and is also far more highly paid than any officer of the Clerical Service. Moreover his salary compares very favourably indeed with salaries paid by Mercantile Firms in the Colony. For instance the salary of the Accountant of the Honkong and Whampoa Dock Company, a very large commercial undertaking whose accounts probably involve as much labour as do those of the Public Works Department only receives £360 per annum, half of which is paid at
1.9 d. and the other half at the exchange rate of the day; while
the Storekeeper in the same establishment receives only $300 per
mensem and free quarters.
3.
Mr. Wood enjoys a high sounding title, but it
must be borne in mind that in the correspondence branch he has the
assistance
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LETIS HARCOURT, M.P.,
&c.
&C..
&c...