N°
32628
REG II JULIS
499
228.
REC
HONGKONG.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
2nd June, 1916.
Sir,
784
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your
despatch No.71 of the 10th March tranmitting an application from Mr. H. G. Pilling for a transfer to the Hongkong Service.
2.
I desire with your sanction to make provision in the Estimates for 1917 for a new post of Supervisor and Accountant in the Department of the Superintendent of Imports and Exports, the work in which is, owing to the war, exceedingly heavy and will be even heavier when the taxing of tobacco is taken in hand. I attach a statement of the duties of the post as far as they can at present be foreseen. Any relief after the war will be counter-balanced by the collection of trade statistics which I am now engaged upon organising and by the taxing, as I hope, of salt if that impost is not made
sooner.
3.
I propose a salary of £400 rising to £500 by annual increments of £10, with the privilege of occupying Government quarters at a rent fired by Government should that system be introduced later, for the new post, and if Mr. Pilling is willing to accept the post on the following conditions I would recommend him for the appointment:-
(a). To undergo before he takes up the post three months
training in book-keeping and accounting. Perhaps such training could be arranged in the Department of the Comptroller and Auditor-General.
(b). To undertake to take up the study of Cantonese Colle-
quial on assuming his duties under General Order No.134)
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,
*0..
&C..
80.