- 2 -
72
This
Chinese in various branches and posts of Government service is one with which I have much sympathy. Colony carries a much heavier overweight of Europeans than do other Crown Colonies, such as Malaya or Ceylon. There appears however to be a strong feeling, not only amongst heads of departments, but even amongst some members of the Chinese community against filling posts such as Sanitary Inspectors and Public Works Overseers with Asiatics. It will
therefore be necessary to proceed gradually and cautiously with the experiment in order to see whether these fears are real or, as I hope, imaginary.
In
any case no great economy will result in the immediate future, though taking the long view I consider this
may prove to be one of the most valuable of the
Commission's recommendations.
3. Much of the Report on the Education Department goes beyond the terms of reference of the Commission and some of the proposals would, if adopted, involve Government in very heavy expenditure.
4.
Retrenchment is a matter which cannot be lightly undertaken and might, if done too drastically, redound to the ultimate disadvantage of the Colony. The best method of effecting retrenchment in personnel is, in my opinion, by retirement at the top and then either abolishing altogether the post thus vacated, as in the case of one of the two posts of Assistant Director of Public Works falling vacant next year, or reducing the salary of the post, as in the case of the
post