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between the landing stage and their dwellings will be necessary; (c) because some of the existing mule tracks are so bad that they require immediate improvement. If such works are to be undertaken a supervising staff must be provided.

Again, it is urged that the only way to check the land tax is to make an allot- ment survey and see that the people pay for the areas they now claim as their pro- perty. A difficulty is also suggested by reason of the new boundary dividing properties, and it is asked how anyone is to decide what proportion of the land tax hitherto paid by the owners on the frontier will in future be due to the Chinese, and If that what proportion to the British Government unless such a survey is made. contention is sound, a survey staff must be provided for at least two or three years.

Colonel Dorward tells me that he found it necessary to seek the assistance of Lieutenant-Colonel Bower, of the Chinese Regiment, and he placed Matou I do not know in iis charge, as well as the collection of the tax on native craft. whether any promise of remuneration was made to Colonel Bower, but it is con- I have said sidered that he should receive 1,200 dollars a year for his services. that the police work should be done by the Regiment, and Colonel Bower or some The other officer should receive 1,200 dollars a year as Superintendent of Police. other duties now undertaken by him should be taken over by the Assistant Commis- sioner and his subordinates. Finally, I am told that the surgeon of the Chinese Regiment has hitherto attended gratuitously to any Government officers or natives who applied to him, and Colonel Dorward proposes to build a small civil hospital and give the surgeon an allowance for looking after it and attending to all civil servants.

29. These proposals seem reasonable enough, and, in the estimate which fol- lows, I have made provision to meet the cost of carrying them out as economically as possible. My estimate differs considerably in details from that suggested by Colonel Dorward, and the establishment suggested by me is rather stronger.

I have tried

to avoid all such allowances, as “fuel and lighting," and I have framed my estimate in dollars throughout.

Civil Commissioner:-

Prison:-

Allowance to Military Officer acting as Civil

Commissioner

$2,400

Assistant Commissioner and District Magistrate

4,800

Financial Clerk

1,800

Interpreter and Writer (Chinese)

1,200

*Clerk and Interpreter (Chinese)

600

One mounted orderly at $96, and four unmounted

at $34

432

$11,232

Public Works Department:-

Allowance to Royal Engineer Officer as Superin-

tendent, Public Works Department

$2,400

Overseer of Works (non-commissioned officer of

Royal Engineers)...

2,400

Interpreter

480

Two Native Overseers at $96

192

Orderly

84

$5,556

Medical:-

Allowance to Military Surgeon

$1,200

Two Hospital Attendants, at $120 and $84

204

$1,404

• To be also Postal Clerk.

59

Survey:-

Revenue Surveyor (non-commissioned officer,

Royal Engineers)

$2,400

Interpreter

600

Survey Party

200

$3,200

Gaoler

Three Warders, at $90

$240

288

$528

Horse Allowances:----

Assistant Commissioner, for two ponies

$360

Financial Clerk, for one pony

180

Mounted Orderly and purchase of pony

280

Overseer Works

180

Revenue Surveyor

180

$1,180

Travelling and Personal Allowances:- Commissioner (at $5 a night)...

$180

Assistant Commissioner (at $4 a night)

Financial Clerk (at $2 a night)

360 120

Native Writers, &c. (at 50 cents)

100

Works Branch (overseer at $2, natives at 50 cents)

500

Survey Branch (surveyor at $2, natives at 50 cents)

500

$1,760

Office Contingencies

$250

Stationery, all offices

600

Telegrams

150

Medical Stores and Appliances

1,000

Survey Instruments

1,000

Passages of Officers first joining

1,200

Total establishments,

Allowances, contingencies, &c.

$21,9207 7,140 S

$29,060.

I asked Colonel Dorward to give me an estimate of the cost of certain buildings, which I specified, to accommodate the staff provided for in the foregoing estimate, both as regards quarters and offices. The following are the figures furnished to me, except that I have converted sterling into silver:-

Quarters for Assistant Commissioner

$10,000

Overseer, Public Works Department 3,000

5x55

"2

>

Revenue Surveyor

3,000

Financial Clerk

39

"

Five Clerks and Interpreters

4,000 or rent allow-

ance in lieu of

Ten Orderlies

"J

+

Two Hospital Attendants

quarters.

Gaol for 20 prisoners

6,000

Hospital for 20 patients

15,000

Public Offices, Court, and Treasury for Commis-

sioner, Assistant Commissioner, Surveyor,

Public Works Department, &c., &c. .

10,000

Furniture for Offices, Gaol, Hospital, and Assist-

ant Commissioner's quarters

3,500

Contingencies

2,000

Total

..$56,500

B 3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

144 174 C.O. 882

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-