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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841-1941
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
repairs, and a variety of works under the head of construction, fully detailed in my Report upon Works and in the Blue Book Return; the whole amounting to an expenditure of 1,523l. 1s. 4d., of which 1,206l. 5s. 6d. was for the church.
The direct supervision of convict labour is now entrusted to the Indian serjeant of the guard, who was formerly the overseer attached to my department. He receives his orders direct from me, or through overseer Assow (who also assists him). He is an intelligent man, generally attentive, and I am well satisfied with his conduct, as he performs his duties quite as well as can be expected from a man of his class.
In the supply of new tools, both for hard-labour within and without the gaol, and also for the repair of tools, I have expended the sum of 35l. 4s. 2d. This is considerably less than the previous year's expenditure, but many of the wheelbarrows must soon be condemned, being too old for repair; but there is a good stock of wood from houses pulled down or resumed by Government, which will be very suitable for new ones, or repairs to buildings, when demanded. If I had a good carpenter attached to my department, I should find his services most useful, and I have no doubt it would effect an ultimate saving, as it would enable me to execute a great variety of repairs, which, for however trifling an amount, I must previously obtain the sanction of his Excellency the Governor; and, in consequence, I am often obliged to defer sundry requisite repairs until a sufficient number have accumulated to enable me to submit them to his Excellency; whereas if the carpenter was always available, this delay would never occur, and the convicts' tools, and the several buildings under my charge (27 in number), would be repaired immediately they require it. I have no doubt that I could engage a tolerably good carpenter at 30l. a-month, or 18l. per annum, and as I invariably spend that amount of money in repair of convict tools alone, the employment of such a man would not be a burthen, although it would swell the amount of my departmental expenses. His work would be of the utmost advantage to the Government, and I am sure be attended with satisfactory results.
In the office Mr. Power still continues to give perfect satisfaction in the various duties required of him as book-keeper and general clerk, in the preparation of the ordinary accounts of expenditure of the department, as well as in the careful arrangement and entries demanded in the registration of memorials and the duties pertaining to the issue of leases. There have been but few transactions in land during the past year, only 45 memorials having been registered. Of these, 30 were for absolute sale affecting 35 lots, and only 4 for surrender to Government affecting 7 lots, the remainder being of a miscellaneous character. Of these 45, 13 were by Chinese and 7 endorsements of surrender, the documents necessary for which were executed in the office. The number of leases issued was 9, and sales of land have amounted to the sum of 156l. 3s. 1d. per annum only, the rental of lots resumed by Government amounting to 1537l. 8s. 11d., leaves (with the addition of 5 grants) the total land rental of the year 11,293l. 12s. 5¼d., or 447l. 9s. 1¼d, more than it was for the year 1849.
I trust that I shall be enabled, during the present season, to make the necessary surveys, alluded to in my last Annual Report, of the several buildings and works erected since my general survey of the town in 1843. I am preparing a map of the cantonment and ground adjoining, showing the several buildings and colonial property extending from the Albany Godowns to the Ice-house, and when that is complete I shall proceed to the survey of the remainder of the city; this duty, although a simple and by no means an arduous one, in ordinary cases where there happens to be any European assistant, or where a person can devote his whole time to the service, but it being incumbent upon me to attend the office at the ordinary office hours I can only devote the mornings and afternoons to it, which causes considerable delay, as it occupies additional time in going to and returning from work, as well as in re-arranging the several lines of the survey for the intended day's work, and this is of no mean consideration in this climate even during the cold season, where exposure without exercise is so injurious to health; surveying, although a tiring duty, and particularly street surveying, obliging a person to stand still almost for the greater portion of the time occupied in the work.
I have much pleasure in recording that the year has passed without any sickness in the department, and that the cause of my lameness (and consequent inability to walk or ride much during the previous year) having quite disappeared, I have been enabled to execute my duties with more satisfaction to myself both in the office and out of doors.
The Hon. Major W. Caine,
I have, &c.,
(Signed) CHARLES St. George CLEVERLY,
Surveyor General.
Colonial Secretary.
(True Copy.)
W. CAINE, Colonial Secretary.