The Hongkong Telegraph
HONGKONG, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1883.
THE extremely unsatisfactory manner in which the government contracts for the carrying out of the extensive public works of this Colony are manipulated and arranged has long been a theme of discussion amongst those of the community who take a more than passing interest in the affairs of Hongkong. It is universally acknowledged that the existing system, as it is actually carried out, is a radically bad one, opposed in principle to government policy, and in some respects at least, a wretched relic of those bygone days when the first duty of a government official was to feather his own nest at the expense of a paternal country.
We believe we are correct in assuming that all our local government contracts are supposed to be thrown open to public competition, on the same broad principles introduced into the Admiralty a few years back by the Right Hon. W. E. Baxter. When the member for Montrose, who as every one knows is the head of the world-renowned Dundee manufacturing firm of Baxter and Sons, became Under Secretary to the Admiralty, he was not long in discovering that the department was a hot-bed of chicanery and corruption.
The placing of the immense coal and other contracts had been quietly manipulated by certain officials at Whitehall Gardens who favored those who bribed highest for the privilege. In the hands of an experienced man of business like Mr. Baxter, gross abuses were quickly laid bare, and the rottenness of the entire system completely exposed. A searching investigation was instituted which ultimately led to several of the worst of the corrupt officials being relegated to the Old Bailey and from thence, in due course, to penal servitude; and what was perhaps more to the purpose, the establishment of a system which threw all contracts open to the public, the final selection being left to a specially appointed Board of responsible officers.
Mr. Baxter's innovation saved the country several hundred thousand pounds per annum, and at the same time greatly improved the efficiency of the service. It is generally believed that this system is strictly adhered to in placing all contracts for Government works in Hongkong; but that can hardly be, excepting in theory, otherwise the hints and suggestions which are constantly current as to certain officials "arranging" contracts with their friends for a consideration, would scarcely be so generally accepted in well-informed circles as matters of fact.
Ill-natured gossip must always be expected in a colony constituted like this and in most cases may be laughed at and ignored; but as there has no doubt been good foundation in the past for similar rumours to those to which we have just alluded, it is really no marvel that, in view of the anything but straightforward and business-like manner in which the Government contracts are managed, suspicions should be aroused and finally become ordinary subjects of conversation in business and social circles.
We frequently observe in the Government Gazette, notices inviting tenders for government contracts, which would seem to indicate that everything is carried out independently and impartially and with the interests of the Colony solely in view. This, however, may be altogether deceptive.
In the first place, the weekly government sheet is not read by the general community, so that these contracts are not given that amount of publicity which their general importance renders necessary. And secondly, a searching investigation into the mode in which the tenders are finally dealt with reveals a great deal that is the reverse of satisfactory.
It would be interesting to the community to know how such large contracts as the Causeway Bay Breakwater and the Tytam Water Works were arranged. A few weeks ago the China Mail, in dealing with the subject of Government contracts, asserted with some degree of authority that, as a general rule, the Government paid something like fifty per cent. more to the contractors than private firms would pay for the same work.
We have no means of knowing on what grounds our contemporary made this statement, but it may be fairly assumed that what is in reality a most serious charge against the Government would not have been made without sufficient justification.
At all events, an authoritative assertion in a public newspaper which directly challenges the policy of the Government, and very broadly, although indirectly, impugns the bona fides of certain government officials, is of far too startling a character to be conveniently ignored.
The authoritative statements made by the China Mail should be made the subject of a thorough investigation in the interests of the public service. Public morality demands it. If the Hongkong Government is paying for its public works fifty, or even ten per cent. more than a private firm would pay, it is plainly evident that there is roguery somewhere, which should be unmasked.
If the evening paper's information is inaccurate, it is the duty of the Government to give it a most unequivocal denial.
If Ruskin is to be believed—and we should say that his experiences of human nature have been extensive and varied—men have commonly more pleasure in the criticism which hurts than in that which is innocuous, and are more tolerant of the severity which breaks hearts and ruins fortunes than of that which falls impotently to the grave.
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been good foundation for the
AUTOAA to which
you refer ?
What have you found
5.
in the
mode
of
dealing with
tenders the reverse of satisfactory ?
6.
wrong
At hat is supposed to be
about the contracts for the Pauseway Bay break water
and the Fylan Water Works ?
7.
In the allusion to the
"squeezing propeneities of government officials in relation to contracts, what government
you refer to ?
Officials
do
Crown Solicitor.
(1.)
Conclosure 2.
The Hongkong Telegraph
HONGKONG, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1883.
THE extremely unsatisfactory manner in which the government contracts for the carrying out of the extensive public works of this Colony are manipulated and ar- ranged has long been a theme of discussion amongst those of the community who take a more than passing interest in the affairs of Hongkong. It is universally acknow- ledged that the existing system, as it is actually carried out, is a radically bad one, opposed in principle to government policy, andin some respects at least, a wretched relic of those byegone days when the first duty of a government official was to feather his own nest at the expense of a paternal country. We believe we are correct in assuming that all our local govern- ment contracts are supposed to be thrown open to public competition, on the same broad principles introduced into the Admiralty a few years back by the Right Hon. W. E. BAXTER. When the member for Montrose, who as every one knows is the head of the world renowned Dundee manufacturing firm of BAXTER AND SONS, became Under Secretary to the Admiralty, he was not long in discovering that the department was a hot-bed of chicanery and corruption. The placing of the immense coal and other contracts had been quietly manipulated by certain officials at Whitehall Gardens who favored those who bribed highest for the privilege. In the bands of an experienced man of business like Mr. BAXTER, gross abuses were quickly laid bare, and the rottenness of the entire sys- tem completely exposed. A searching investigation was instituted which ultimate- ly led to several of the worst of the corrupt officials being relegated to the Old Bailey and from thence, in due course, to penal servitude; and what was perhaps more to the purpose, the establishment of a system which threw all contracts open to the public, the final selection being left to a specially appointed Board of respon- sible officers. Mr. BASTER'S innovation saved the country several hundred thousand pounds per annum, and at the same time greatly improved the efficiency of the ser- vice. It is generally believed that this system is strictly adhered to in placing all contracts for Government works in Hong- kong; but that can hardly be, excepting in theory, otherwise the hints and suggestions which are constantly current as to certain officials "arranging" contracts with their friends for a consideration, would scarcely be so generally accepted in well informed circles as matters of fact. Ill natured gossip must always be expected in a colony constituted like this and in most cases may he laughed at and ignored; but as there has no doubt been good foundation in the
past
(2)
past for similar rumours to those to which we have just alluded, it is really no marvel that, in view of the anything but straight- forward and business-like manner in which the Government contracts are managed, suspicions should be aroused and finally become ordinary subjects of conversation in business and social circles.
We frequently observe in the Government Gazette, notices inviting tenders for govern- ment contracts, which would seem to in- dicate that everything is carried out inde- pendently and impartially and with the interests of the Colony solely in view. This, however, may be altogether decep- tive. In the first place the weekly govern- ment sheet is not read by the general community, so that these contracts are not given that amount of publicity which their general importance renders necessary. And secondly, a searching investigation into the mode in which the tenders are finally dealt with reveals a great deal that is the reverse of satisfactory. It would be interesting to the community to know how such large contracts as the Causeway Bay Break-water and the Ty- tam Water Works were arranged. A few weeks ago the China Mail, in dealing with the subject of Government contracts, as- serted with some degree of authority that, as a general rule, the Government paid something like fifty per cent. more to the contractors than private firms would pay for the same work. We have no means of knowing on what grounds our con- temporary made this statement, but it may be fairly assumed that what is in reality a most serious charge against the Government would not have been made without sufficient justification.
At all events an authoritative assertion in a public newspaper which directly chal- lenges the policy of the Government, and very broadly, although indirectly, impugns the bona fides of certain government officials, is of far too startling a character to be conveniently ignored. The authoritative statements made by the China Mail should be made the subject of a thorough inves- tigation in the interests of the public ser- vice. Public morality demands it. If the Hongkong Government is paying for its public works fifty, or even ten per cent. more than a private firm would pay, it is plainly evident that there is roguery some. where, which should be unmasked. If the evening paper's information is inac curate, it is the duty of the Government to give it a most unequivocal denial.
If Ruskin is to be believed-and we should say that his experiences of human nature have been extensive and varied-- men have commonly more pleasure in the criticism which hurts than in that which is innocuous, and are more tolerant of the severity which breaks hearts and ruins for- tunes than of that which falls impotently to the grave. In the matter now under dis- cussion, however, we should be sorry to
405
say
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