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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The sum of $40,000, with the supplementary vote of $10,000 added, for the launch to replace the "Victoria has been carried over to next year. The matter was fully discussed in Finance Committee and the work will be in progress this year but payment is not expected to fall due until 1928.
Head 15-Fire Brigade Department,
A European Sub Officer is substituted for an Inspection Officer; this will mean a slight saving as the salary of the former is less than that of the latter.
Subhead 2-"Clothing" has been increased by $3,500. The pre- sent material used is not satisfactory, and it is proposed to purchase 'Wet Proof" material from England, This should prove much
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more durable, and so more economical in the long run.
$10,500 has been inserted for the purchase of a light motor pump to replace a worn out machine.
Head 17-Attorney-General.
In order to obviate the necessity of taking a supplementary vote in a small department, where there would not be sufficient savings to pay the salary of the officer acting for an officer on leave, it has been decided that where such liability can be foreseen provision shall be made in the Estimates. There is a case in point in this department.
Head 23-Police Force.
There is a nett increase on this head of $185,525, of which $128,100 is accounted for by two launches. Under personal emoluments pro- vision is made for one more European Sergeant, who will take the place of one European Lance Sergeant. Provision is, however, made for seven additional European Lance Sergeants so that the Estimates show one additional Sergeant and six additional Lance Sergeants. This increase has been very carefully considered by the Government, and has only been allowed because the Government is satisfied that it is necessary. One of the seven is required for the finger print and photography department, for which at present only one officer can be spared; the work is very much on the increase, and extra assistance is urgently required, one is needed for duty in the Pass Office to assist in keeping track of and rounding up undesirable aliens. Of the remaining five, two are required for street duty in the Mongkok District, and three for the Kowloon City District, which embraces Kowloon Tong. Both these districts are expanding rapidly, and it is necessary that they should be properly policed. The only other change in personal emoluments is the increase in the Indian contingent by forty-five posts, to balance the decrease of forty-five posts in the Wei Hai Wei contingent.
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