PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
DIREC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
4680
92
No. 47.
HONG KONG.
GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(No. 522.)
*
(Received February 3, 1902.)
Government House, Hong Kong, December 31, 1901.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 12th instant, in which you informed me that you agreed to the proposed grant to Govern- ment Officials of additional exchange compensation from the beginning of next year on the conditions laid down in the case of the Straits.
2. In accordance with the instructions contained in your telegram, I have taken steps to inform the Legislative Council of the proposal, and warned them that it might become necessary to raise additional revenue in view of the large anticipated expendi- ture of the near future. I also informed the Council that the matter was one for the consideration of Unofficial Members only, and that the Officials would neither vote nor take part in the discussion.
1
3. I enclose a press report of the proceedings, from which you will observe that it was unanimously resolved by the Unofficial Members that the additional exchange compensation referred to in your telegram under acknowledgment be granted.
I have, &c.,
Enclosure in No. 47.
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor, &c.
"THE HONG KONG WEEKLY PRESS," December 30, 1901.
Hong Kong Legislative Council.
A meeting of the Hong Kong Legislative Council was held on the 28th instant
in the Council Chamber. Present:-
His Excellency the Governor (Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G.). Major-General Sir W. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).
Ion. W. M. Goodman, K.C. (Attorney-General).
Hon. Commander R. M. Rumsey, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. C. McI. Messer (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. W. Chatham (Director of Public Works).
Hon. A. W. Brewin (Registrar-General).
Hon. T. H. Whitehead.
Hon. J. Thurбurn.
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai.
Hon. Wei A Yuk.
Mr. R. F. Johnston (Acting Clerk of Councils).
Salaries of Civil Servants.
His Excellency the Governor.-Before we proceed to the orders of the day, gentlemen, there is a matter I wish to say a word or two about-namely, a telegram have received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies. In October last the estimates of expenditure went home and at that time we were aware that in the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States an increase had been granted in the salaries and emoluments of the officials. However there was no provision made for any increase here further than that recommended at the time by the Committee. A short time afterwards I received from the Secretary of State a copy of the despatch that had been sent to the Straits Settlements in answer to the representations made by the Straits Settlements and Malay States. The Secretary of State had determined that in future all appointments the emoluments of which were over $1,200 a year shall be paid in sterling, as also the salaries of the European police, prison warders and other subordinate positions occupied by Europeans appointed from home, but as regards the present holders of these there were certain exceptional advantages at present such as the advantage of officials receiving when they are on leave their half pay at 3s. 8d. a dollar, and pension at the same rate.
• 41690: not printed.
93
The Colonial Secretary.-4s. on leave and 3s. 8d. on pension.
His Excellency the Governor.-Yes. Well, the Secretary of State felt that he could hardly interfere with these advantages enjoyed by the present holders. So as far as the present holders of these were concerned, they received the option whether they would have their salaries in future paid in sterling at what the practical valuation of the sterling was, taking into consideration the possible advantage to pension pay, but that they would have the alternative of an increase not on the pay but that while actually serving in the Colony the compensation allowance for exchange should be given on the whole instead of the half salary. That increase was not to be calculated in either their leave or their pension, but was to be a purely local increase while they continued to serve in the Colony, during the lifetime of the present holders. Well, when that came before me, in that despatch the Secretary of State informed me that he did not at present propose to increase the salaries of the officials in Hong Kong until he was satisfied as to the financial position of Hong Kong. When I received that despatch I saw at once the position in which this Colony would be placed if the officials in the Straits were to be paid better than the corresponding positions were worth in Hong Kong. Both Colonies are recruited, and will be recruited in the future, by cadets who go through the same examinations, and in accordance with their posi- tions on the list these cadets have the option of choosing where they go. Naturally, if we are the worst paid Colony in the East, we must expect to get simply the remainder. The most successful will naturally choose the best paid position. I wrote in answer to that, and I pointed out this to the Secretary of State and also that we find it extremely difficult to get recruits for our police, water police, and warders, or any position for which we want Europeans in this Colony. I pointed out further the posi- tion in which this would place Hong Kong. Furthermore, I went into the question of the financial position of the Colony, and I am speaking entirely to the unofficial members of this Council-I think it is unnecessary for me to say anything upon that matter. Anybody who has seen the list of public companies, shares, and other matters which are within the cognisance of anybody who chooses to take the trouble to inquire, must see that the operations in this Colony are very much larger than -in Singapore; and I think as far as I, after nearly three years' experience, can gather, the financial position of this Colony is as sound as that of any in the British Empire. I pointed out that, and in answer to that I received this telegram from the Secretary of State on the 12th:-"Referring to despatch 443. I agree to proposed grant to Government officials additional exchange compensation, to begin the first of next month, on condition laid down in the case of the Straits, and subject to consent by the Legislative Council, who must be warned that more revenue may be required." He pointed out in his telegram that possibly very large votes would have to be taken as a consequence of a possible revisitation of the plague, also possibly as the result of the visits from the two experts coming out, and that it was right to put this before you. But that being so, I place the matter before you. Every official member except myself is interested in this and it is, I need hardly say, a matter upon which they can neither speak nor vote. The following are the number of people who would be affected. There would be on the whole a total of 311 public officials affected by this--135 in the police, 26 in the gaol, 17 in the Harbourmaster's Office, 27 under the Sanitary Board, 32 in the Public Works Department, 9 in the Colonial Secretary's Office, 10 in Queen's College, 24 in the Medical Department, &c.—and the amount that will be necessary to pay that increased exchange compensation during their service in the Colony would be about $120,000 a year, as far as I can see. These are the facts the only facts-I have and am able to place before you. My own view is that it would be very injurious to this Colony, if it were placed upon a basis of inferiority to the Straits Settlements and the Malay States, and further I may tell you that we have the greatest difficulty at the present moment with our present salaries in procuring men for the gaol, the police, the water police and those small appointments for which Europeans are required. The Colonial Secretary has placed in my hands a letter from the senior unofficial member, Mr. Chater. He states that he is sorry at being unable to be present and adds:-"I am very strongly of opinion that our Civil Service here should not be placed in a worse position than the Service in Singapore, and I feel sure that the community would be of the same opinion." That is all I have to say upon the subject, and I place it before you.
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai.-I understand, sir, the unofficial members are chiefly concerned in this matter and that the official members will neither discuss nor vote.
His Excellency the Governor.-No, they will not.