35
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
AUDIT DEPARTMENT
One additional Assistant Auditor is provided for. The Government attaches the greatest importance to the prompt and regular check by Audit on all re- venue and expenditure accounts and is satisfied that this cannot be adequately maintained with the existing Audit Staff.
POST OFFICE
The present Accountant and the present Superintendent of the Money Order Office, after many years of faithful ser- vice are both approaching the period of retirement. A new Accountant to be recruited if possible with postal experi ence in England is now provided for and it is intended that he shall in due course be responsible for supervising all the financial work of the Post Office, the separate post of Superintendent of the Money Order Office being abolished.
A large saving is anticipated under the subhead Carriage of Mails owing to new arrangements made by the British Postal Authorities.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OFFICE
Two Boarding Officers, One Junk Inspector, Two Marine Surveyors, One Stenographer,
The increase in salaries owing to these new posts is $33,344 but the Government feels justified in asking for this increase in order that the Harbour Departament may be in a position to deal efficiently with that increase in business which we confidently anticipate on the return of normal trading conditions. The present staff has found it a matter of the greatest difficulty to cope with the work now fall- ing upon it and is inadequate to deal with any considerable increase.
The separate post of Master of the Rescue Tug disappears as the duties will be performed by one of the additional Boarding Masters,
The only other item calling for special mention is the sum of $40,000 under Special Expenditure for a launch to re- place the Victoria which is now about 40 years old and has been condemned as unfit for further service.
FIRE BRIGADE
Under Personal Emoluments there is
Under this head there is a very con- an increase of one European and three Chinese Revenue Officers. It is anticisiderable increase in Personal Ěmolu- pated that increased supervision will re-
ments owing to the adoption of many of sult in an increase of revenue which will the recommendations of the Fire Brigade Committee whose report was published much more than meet the increased cost. There is an anticipated saving of $25,000
as Sessional Paper No. 6 of 1926. There in the cost of raw opium.
is an increase in the floating staff owing to the fact that the new fire float was brought into service this year. The re- duction in Rent of Stations is due to the approaching completion of the new Fire Station. Under Special Expenditure it will be seen that provision has been made It is hoped for two light motor pumps. that these will prove specially useful in the steeper districts where fire-fighting has always been a serious problem.
HARBOUR DEPARTMENT
It is I think unnecessary for me to em- phasize the importance to this Colony of the Harbour which is indeed the cause and reason of the Colony's existence. It is all important that our splendid har- bour should be efficiently administered and the Government, after careful con- sideration of a very full report by the present Harbour Master in which he pointed out the inadequacy of the pre- sent staff, has decided to recommend to this Council the following increases:
One Deputy Harbour Master,
(The post of Assistant Harbour Master being retained on a lower salary),
SUPREME COURT
Owing to the increase of work in the Registrar's Department two officers have been transferred a.s Bailiffs from the Public Works Department and
an in- crease in the vote for watchmen has become necessary.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OFFICIAL RECEIVER
It has been customary in the past for this post either to be filled by a Cadet Officer, or, when such officer was not available, to be combined with that of Registrar, Supreme Court. This arrange- ment has proved unsatisfactory and the Government, on the advice of His Honour the Chief Justice, consider that a per- manent appointment is necessary for this important post. Provision has therefore been made accordingly.
POLICE FORCE
As regards Personal Emoluments the only changes of importance are in the relative strengths of the Indian and Wei Hai Wei Contingents. The total strength remains the same-viz., 908 but as the periods of engagement of the Wei Hai Wei men come to an end they are replaced by recruitment from India; the Indians are more expensive but experience has shown that they are worth the extra cost.
An increase has been provided in the numbers of Cantonese Female Searchers, owing to the prevalence of smuggling of arms and opium.
Under Other Charges conveyance al- lowances have been increased in pur- suance of the policy of encouraging officers to provide their own motor cycles and to use them on Government service.
Under Special Expenditure $6,000 has been inserted for purchase of arms. Many replacements and spare parts are necessary and it is essential that this branch of equipment should be kept in
proper order.
The Verey light pistols and cartridges are in the nature of an experiment and are intended for use by villages in the New Territory in case of attack by armed bands of robbers.
The motor car is intended chiefly for the use of the Criminal Investigation Department and will save considerable expenditure now incurred in hiring cars.
The last sub-head, Expenses of convoy Bystem $19,800 provides for the 50 machine gunners employed prior to the boycott in piracy prevention work on the
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river steamers. The men are held in readiness for the resumption of the convoy system and are meanwhile being used to supplement the Police Force which is below strength owing to unfilled vacancies.
TRISONS
Provision has been inserted for rent for
quarters for European Warders. Owing to the insufficiency of the Jail Quarters it is necessary to provide rented quarters for married warders in close proximity to the Jail.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
In spite of the need for economy the Government has considered it necessary to make a considerable increase in the personnel of the Medical Department in order to safeguard effectively the all-im- portant question of Public Health. Pro- vision is made for three new Medical Officers, one for Radiological work, one for the enlarged Victoria Hospital and to assist at the Tung Wah Hospital and one for the Kowloon Hospital for which only one permanent Medical Officer is at present provided. Provision is in- serted for the first time for the staff of the Peak Hospital, including five nurs- An Assistant Bacteriologist ing sisters. is provided for owing to the growth and importance of the Bacteriological work; it is hoped that by this arrangement we shall in future be able not only to supply our own requirements in the matter of vaccines and sera, but also to supply out- side requirements as well, and that the savings and profits will more than cover the cost of the additional staff.
The only other matter calling for special comment is the X Ray plant sub- head 43. It was not possible to obtain the new plant this year and the Govern- ment is advised that the amount provided in the current estimates was inadequate. The amount has therefore been increased to $15,000 of which $10,000 is a revote.
SANITARY DEPARTMENT
As in the case of the Medical Depart- ment a due regard for the Public Health has led the Government to provide an increase in the personnel of the Sanitary