3rd. That his character is such as to qualify him for public employment; and
4th. That he possesses the requisite knowledge and ability to enter on the discharge of his official duties.
The Salary of the vacant post is Eighty Dollars a month.
Candidates should send in their names, with any Certificates or Testimonials they may possess to C. May, Esquire, 1st Police Magistrate, before Noon on Monday, the 9th July.
The limits of age for this appointment are 16 to 28.
The following Gentlemen have consented to act as a Board of Examiners on this occasion:
The Right Reverend Bishop BURDON.
C. MAY, Esquire, 1st Police Magistrate.
NG ACHOY, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law.
For the existing vacancy, the examination will mainly consist of translations, oral and written, from Chinese into English, and English into Chinese. The Examiners will also set papers to test the Candidates' general knowledge and their capacity for official work.
The Examiners will lay before the Governor the names of the three Candidates whom they may determine to be the best, and from those three the Governor will select the person to be appointed.
By Command,
J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 19th June, 1877.
REPORT OF THE EXAMINERS.
The Examination having been duly held on the 10th of July, the Examiners made the following Report:
HONGKONG, 16th July, 1877.
SIR,-With reference to the Competitive Examination for a third Clerkship in the Magistrates' Office, we have the honour to report:
1. That the examination was held at the Magistracy at 11. A.M., on Tuesday, the 10th of July, in the presence of the three Examiners.
2. That eleven Candidates presented themselves, who were within the prescribed age of 28 years.
3. That papers were given them testing their power of translation from Chinese into English and from English into Chinese.
4. That after a careful examination of all the papers of these eleven Candidates, we are unable to recommend any one of them as really fit for the important and responsible post now vacant in the Magistrates' Office.
5. That their chief defect is want of power or experience in translating Chinese into English. As this is the main requirement of the post, and as much will often depend on the translation of a document, it is highly important that every effort should be made to find as good a translator as possible.
6. That we think it probable, that if the age were extended, a much better man might be had than any of those who presented themselves, and we, therefore, beg His Excellency the Governor to fix the limit of age between 20 and 35, instead of between 16 and 28, to advertise the vacancy once more in the Gazette, and appoint another Examination.
We shall be happy to conduct this second
The Honourable CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servants,
J. S. BURDON, Bishop.
C. MAY,
NG ACHOY,
Board of Examiners.
MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
1. I am much obliged to his Lordship the Bishop and the other Examiners for the trouble they have taken, and I will consider what is best to be done with respect to any future Examinations.
2. Meanwhile, we must endeavour to profit by the results of this open competition, and enable future Candidates, as well as the teaching staff of the Colony, to see the errors that have to be avoided, and to estimate the standard requisite for appointments of this class.
3. Nothing could have been fairer or more practical than the tests applied by the Examiners. The eleven Candidates who were examined, and all of whom failed, were tested in translation from Chinese into English and English into Chinese, and in writing and spelling from dictation.
4. The dictation consisted in the reading aloud by one of the Examiners of a short deposition in English, which had been taken in the ordinary course of business at the Magistrates' Office, and which the Candidates were requested to write down as it was being slowly read out.
5. The Chinese document for translation consisted of a brief instrument of gift, such as frequently comes before the Court in Chinese cases. The English document for translation into Chinese was the deposition already referred to.
6. Let those papers be printed, together with the verbatim result of the dictation as handed in by each of the eleven Candidates, and their translations. Instead of publishing any names it will be sufficient to print the Candidates' numbers as affixed to each paper.
7. Though I am certainly disappointed at the failure of the Candidates at this examination, yet I feel confident some of them will succeed on future occasions. Remembering the difficulty a Chinese youth must experience in translating into English and in writing from English dictation, and, on the other hand, seeing what little progress is made by Europeans in obtaining even a superficial knowledge of Chinese, it is evident that the Candidates, though they did not reach the requisite standard, showed no small amount of industry and ability.
8. I shall continue to dispose of whatever appointments may be in my gift by a system of open competition similar to that existing in England, believing that the best officers can thus be obtained, and that these public examinations will test and encourage the progress of education in the Colony.
J. POPE HENNESSY.
EXAMINATION PAPERS.
The following are the two Examination Papers:
九光
大師
1.-TRANSLATION FROM CHINESE INTO ENGLISH.
執垚休水兪茶送明送如於麗
此永深
等送別不長金亞
亦受
明家
用其女即日過屋任由
二人親手接足得支家
大員親交兪亞生夫妻
送別家此乃二家允肯
如不遵教亦任麗金轉
於長成任從麗金發落
立此送帖交與麗金收
休永無反悔今欲有憑
水深各安天命一送千
兪亞生理安倘或山高
茶禮如有來歷不明係
送等情亦未領過別人
孰存照
立送女帖人兪亞生妻林氏全立
光緒二年九月初十日
一眞實中人亞鳳
十年
A deed of Gift made by
Yu-Ashang, of Tseung
卽補交養乳銀陸拾伍
送與葉麗金收爲育女
收
立送女帖人係將軍澳
兪亞生嫡妻林氏爲因
家中貧窮夫妻謫議願
將親生女一口名喚亞
嬌年方七歲誕生於九
月二十九日寅時今願
瞋任拾育今喚議為軍
至由
家
妻伍女願九亞願因澳
In consequence
Kwan Ó, and his lawful wife Lam. of poverty, husband and wife after mutual consultation agree to give their daughter, named Akiu, aged 7 years, born in the Yan hour of the 29th day of the 9th moon, to Yip Lai Kam to be received as foster daughter, who immediately is to hand over to A-Shang the sum of $65 as remuneration for the bringing up of the child (hitherto). (This sum) Husband and wife have received in full for their own use. The girl from this day passes over to (another) family, and Lai Kam is at liberty to change her name, to use her daily as a servant, and when she is of age to dispose of her as seems to Lai Kam best. If found intractable, Lai Kam is at liberty to transfer her to another family. This is done by the mutual consent of the two families, a public giving and receiving without any extortion or compulsion, or anything of the kind. No betrothed money has been received (by the parents for the girl, i.e., she is not betrothed to any one). If anything should be found to be wrong in her antecedents, U-Ashang is to be held responsible, but if harm befall the girl hereafter, each party will regard it as the will of Heaven. On the girl being handed over, there can for ever be no change of purpose, and as evidence this deed of gift is made out and given to Lai Kam to be by him retained as proof.
In
presence of a true middle-man,
A Fung.
Kwong Su, 2nd year 9th moon 10th day.
Jointly made by
and his wife
U-Ashang
Lam.
15
3rd. That his character is such as to qualify him for public employment; and
4th. That he possesses the requisite knowledge and ability to enter on the discharge of his
official duties.
The Salary of the vacant post is Eighty Dollars a month.
Candidates should send in their names, with any Certificates or Testimonials they may possess to C. Max, Esquire, 1st Police Magistrate, before Noon on Monday, the 9th July.
The limits of age for this appointment are 16 to 28.
The following Gentlemen have consented to act as a Board of Examiners on this occasion:~
The Right Reverend Bishop BURDON.
C. MAY, Esquire, 1st Police Magistrate.
NG ACHOY, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law.
For the existing vacancy, the examination will mainly consist of translations, oral and written, from Chinese into English, and English into Chinese. The Examiners will also set papers to test the Candidates' general knowledge and their capacity for official work.
The Examiners will lay before the Governor the maines of the three Candidates whom they may determine to be the best, and from those three the Governor will select the person to be appointed.
By Command,
J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 19th June, 1877.
REPORT OF THE EXAMINERS.
The Examination having been duly held on the 10th of July, the Examiners made the following Report:
HONGKONG, 16th July, 1877.
SIR,-With reference to the Competitive Examination for a third Clerkship in the Magistrates' Office, we have the honour to report:--
1. That the examination was held at the Magistracy at 11. A.M., on Tuesday, the 10th of July, in the presence of the three Examiners.
2. That eleven Candidates presented themselves, who were within the prescribed age of 28 years.
3. That papers were given them testing their power of translation from Chinese into English and from English into Chinese.
4. That after a careful examination of all the papers of these eleven Candidates, we are unable to recommend any one of them as really fit for the important and responsible post now vacant in the Magistrates' Office.
5. That their chief defect is want of power or experience in translating Chinese into English. As this is the main requirement of the post, and as much will often depend on the translation of a document, it is highly important that every effort should be made to find as good a translator as possible.
6. That we think it probable, that if the age were extended, a much better man might be had than any of those who presented themselves, and we, therefore, beg His Excellency the Governor to fix the limit of age between 20 and 35, instead of between 16 and 28, to advertise the vacancy once inore in the Gazette, and appoint another Examination. Examination, but leave this to His Excellency to arrange as he thinks best.
We shall be happy to conduct this second
The Honourable CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servants,
J. S. BURDON,} Bishop.
Board
C. MAY,
Na Cnor,
of Examiners.
MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
1. I am much obliged to his Lordship the Bishop and the other Examiners for the trouble they have taken, and I will consider what is best to be done with respect to any future Examinations.
2. Meanwhile, we must endeavour to profit by the results of this open competition, and enable future Candidates, as well as the teaching staff of the Colony, to see the errors that have to be avoided, and to estimate the standard requisite for appointments of this class.
3. Nothing could have been fairer or more practical than the tests applied by the Examiners. The eleven Candidates who were examined, and all of whom failed, were tested in translation from Chinese into English and English into Chinese, and in writing and spelling from dictation.
4. The dictation consisted in the reading aloud by one of the Examiners of a short deposition in English, which had been taken in the ordinary course of business at the Magistrates' Office, and which the Candidates were requested to write down as it was being slowly read out.
5. The Chinese document for translation consisted of a brief instrument of gift, such as frequently comes before the Court in Chinese cases. The English document for translation into Chinese was the deposition already referred to.
6. Let those papers be printed, together with the verbatim result of the dictation as handed in by each of the eleven Candidates, and their translations. Instead of publishing any names it will be sufficient to print the Candidates' numbers as affixed to each paper.
7. Though I am certainly disappointed at the failure of the Candidates at this examination, yet I feel confident some of them will succeed on future occasions. Remembering the difficulty a Chinese youth must experience in translating into English and in writing from English dictation, and, on the other hand, seeing what little progress is made by Europeans in obtaining even a superficial know- ledge of Chinese, it is evident that the Candidates, though they did not reach the requisite standard, showed no small amount of industry and ability.
8. I shall continue to dispose of whatever appointments may be in my gift by a system of open competition similar to that existing in England, believing that the best officers can thus be obtained, and that these public examinations will test and encourage the progress of education in the Colony.
EXAMINATION PAPERS.
The following are the two Examination Papers:
九光
大師
1.-TRANSLATION FROM CHINESE INTO ENGLISH. 執垚休水兪茶送明送如於麗
此永深
等送別不長金 亞
亦受
明家
用其女即日過屋任由
二人親手接足得支家
大員親交兪亞生夫妻
送別家此乃二家允肯
如不遵教亦任麗金轉
於長成任從麗金發落
立此送帖交與麗金收
休永無反悔今欲有憑
水深各安天命一送千
兪亞生理安倘或山高
茶禮如有來歷不明係
送等情亦未領過別人
孰存照
立送女帖人 兪亞生妻林氏全立
光緒二年 九月初十 日
一眞實中人亞鳳
十年
A deed of Gift made by
Yu-Ashang, of Tseung
J. POPE HENNESSY.
卽補交養乳銀陸拾伍
送與葉麗金收爲育女
收
立送女帖人係將軍澳
兪亞生嫡妻林氏爲因
家中貧窮夫妻謫議願
將親生女一口名喚亞
嬌年方七歲誕生於九
月二十九日寅時今願
瞋任 拾育今 喚議為軍
至由
家
妻伍女願九亞願因澳
In consequence
Kwan Ó, and his lawful wife Lam. of poverty, husband and wife after mutual consultation agree to give their daughter, named Akiu, aged 7 years, born in the Yan hour of the 29th day of the 9th moon, to Yip Lai Kam to be received as foster daughter, who immediately is to hand over to A-Shang the sum of $65 as remuneration for the bring- ing up of the child (hitherto). (This sum) Husband and wife have received in full for their own use. The girl from this day passes over to (another) family, and Lai Kam is at liberty to change her name, to use her daily as a servant, and when she is of age to dispose of her as seems to Lai Kam best. If found intractable, Lai Kam is at liberty to transfer her to another family. This is done by the mutual consent of the two families, a public giving and receiving without any extortion or compulsion, or any- thing of the kind. No betrothed money has been received (by the parents for the girl, ie., she is not betrothed to any one). If anything should be found to be wrong in her antecedents, U-Ashang is to be held responsible, but if harm befall the girl hereafter, each party will regard it as the will of Heaven. On the girl being handed over, there can for ever be no change of purpose, and as evidence this deed of gift is made out and given to Lai Kam to be by him retained as proof.
In
presence of a true middle-man,
A Fung.
Kwong Su, 2nd year 9th moon 10th day.
Jointly inade by and his wife
S
Ashung
Lam.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.