506
3.
rest assured that if after three years work on the provisional staff my zeal and abilities gave uniform satisfaction, I would be rewarded by the recommendation of my name to the Secretary of State for a transfer to the permanent working staff.
this
With this incentive before me and on the faith of asswance, I strove earnestly for the three years of the probationary term, even to the sacrifice of my hearth, to give satisfaction to the heads of my department and I was fortunate as to earn their approval and to merit at the hands of the Governor of the bolon, the reward for which I had worked, ie: the recommend cition of my name tol Lord Knutsford for a post in the permanent establishment. b.
In February 1891 His Excellency the Governor caused me to be officially gazetted to the post of Assistant Engineer on the permanent staff not only because the Severnyer General, Mr. Brown diemed me competent to fulfil the dukes of that office to his satisfaction, but because His: Excellencs himself recognized the equity of my claim to permament employment
in vew of the three which I had previously worked on the provisional stuff.
in order to establish that claim.
in
ne
A
years
A respect of the recent rute requering officers appointed to the public Works Department to sign three year contracts, the Secretary of State observes in the last paragraph of his dispatch to the Stovenor that a departure my cause might lead others to expect similar treatment. I would however with great deference point out that there is
unalogy whatever between
my
crse and the case of the other officers on the provisional staff. The latter have been sent out to the Colony at the public expense or have been engaged locally wethout any previous probationary tual and on the explicit understanding that theirs is only three year's agreement. In my case prospects" after a three years trial at low pay were a consideration from the first, whereas in their coise no such consideration could possibly enter since it was understood ab initic, and
a
8.
G.
10,
mutually covencunted that cell connection between the contracting. parties was to recise at the expiration of the third year).
In
consequence of the comparatively high rate of professional remuneration which obtains in private employment. the East and of the frequent openings which present themselves to
young Engineers, the public Works Department of Hong Kong has bein than once seriously inconvenienced by inexp: resignations on the part of members of the staff who have seen opportunities of bettering themselves and it has been explained. to me that the three year
year contracts are therefore designed to safeguard the interests of the service and ensure that officers
2
more
years.
sted
Also I
in order to
engaged shall be secured for at least three understand the Contracts are no less requisite enable the Government to clispense with the services at the end of the third your of such officers as maturer experience may have shown to be incompetent or otherwise objectionable.
my
sase however I would respectfully submit, neether of these contingencies can crise to requine in the interests of the puble service that I should sign such a contract, for the Colonial Government has abundy a three years experience of.
my
sĥaracter and capabilities, and with this more than mature experience has recommended me to the secretary of ritate for a -permanent office, while in respect of any likelihood of mus leaving the service, to seek private practice I trust Lord the
my Secretary of State will accept
my
earnest assurance that my sole ambition is and how been to make an honourable career in the public service, preferring the advantage of continuity of employment under Government at less pay, to the higher or remunercition of private employment with its fluctuations and uncertainties, and that therefore far as my own action is concerned nothing short of broken health compelling. abandon the climate of China would cause me to relinquish my
Work Department which i have had the honour to serve nearly four years with satisfaction to my senior officers.
In these circumstances and in view of the ever? or increasing importance of the public Works Department of Hong Kong which makes the post of Assistant Engineer, at present
tw a
as
me to
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