15
61. On the 15th March the Colonial Secretary moved the following resolution in Legislative Council :—
"That it is desirable to give effect to the suggestion of the Secretary of State for the Colonies that in view of the fall in exchange, those of the Civil Service, who are domiciled in the United Kingdom or other countries having a gold currency and are willing to draw their salaries when on leave at the rate of 3/- to the dollar, should be granted such a non-pensionable allowance as will make the half of their salaries calculated at the rate of 3/- to the dollar."
64
62. The Senior Unofficial Member moved an amendment that the consideration of this question be postponed until the Retrenchment Commission applied for in the memorandum dated 12th January, 1893, has been appointed.
63. The amendment was carried by the vote of the Unofficial Members, the Officials abstaining from voting, and a Retrenchment Committee was duly appointed. Such is briefly a history of the exchange compensation question up to the present time.
No. 77.
No. 74. 3rd April, 1891. 3rd April, 1891, No. 78. 5th April, 1894.
1341
64. The Retrenchment Committee having now recognised the necessity of some relief being extended to the Civil Service on account of the fall in silver as soon as possible, it is unnecessary for me to enter into any details on that point, especially as it has been fully dealt with in previous despatches to Your Lordship. The only question now to be considered is whether the finances of the Colony are such as to warrant the extra expenditure of $125,000 which will be incurred if the recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee is carried out.
65. I am of opinion that the finances of the Colony are able to bear the extra burden, and I strongly recommend for Your Lordship's favourable consideration that, as in the case of the Straits Civil Service, the Members of the Hongkong Civil Service on active service, who are not domiciled in the Colony, be allowed to draw half salary at the rate of 3/4 from the 1st of January last. I think it only right to inform Your Lordship that a good deal of discontent exists among the Members of the service on account of the serious loss they have already sustained through the fall in silver, and the feeling will not be diminished if a privilege is withheld from them, while it is granted to the Civil Servants of a neighbouring Colony, the currency of which is practically the same as that of Hongkong, and the cost of living in which is said to be considerably less than it is here. I shall be glad if Your Lordship will be good enough to inform me of your final decision in this matter by telegram.
66. Having considered the recommendations of the Committee as to the various departments and other matters of expenditure, I now proceed to deal briefly with the general remarks with which the report is prefaced and concluded.
67. The Committee calls attention to the increasing amount spent on salaries and emoluments, but it has not pointed out in its report that this increase is to a great extent due to the fall in the value of silver, though in the appendix a return is included showing the difference in the sterling rate of salaries drawn by heads of departments in 1874, 1884 and 1894, from which it will be seen that such salaries measured in gold are in most cases considerably lower than they were 20 years ago, notwithstanding the additions made to them from time to time.
68. The Committee gives the amounts spent on salaries and personal emoluments in the following years :—
1874 $374,746.00
1884 $510,570.45
1893 $728,238.44
1894 (estimated) $741,293.00
Schedule B. p. LXII,
Para. 5.
Paras. 250, 251.
Para. 255,
and states the sterling equivalent of the amount expended in 1874 to have been £89,939.00, which at the present rate of exchange represents in silver about $899,000 or actually $150,000 more than the estimated expenditure on salaries for the present year.
69. Again the Committee gives the expenditure for the years 1874, 1884 and 1894, but while it has pointed out that the population has grown during the past 20 years, from 1874 to 1894, from 130,563 to 250,000, or almost doubled itself, it has not shown how largely the Revenue has increased during the same period. The following table shows the Revenue and Ordinary Expenditure in 1884 and that estimated for 1894.
1884.
Revenue $1,171,098
Ordinary expenditure $1,237,992
1894.
Revenue $2,007,210
Ordinary expenditure $1,982,981
70. These figures indicate that with a 71 per cent. increase in revenue there has been only a 60 per cent. increase in expenditure. After careful enquiry the Committee is only able to recommend retrenchment to the amount of $79,000, which will reduce the total ordinary expenditure of the Colony to about $1,900,000.
71. I concur in the opinion of the Committee that, with the exception of what I have herein recommended, no further increase either in salaries or in offices should be made until after a full and independent inquiry, and unless the necessity for such increase is established beyond doubt, and that the staff which it has recommended is sufficient for the wants of the service.
72. As regards paragraphs 250 and 251 I may mention that the office hours in the Civil Service are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no interval for luncheon, and that I have never found any hesitation on the part of public officers in Hongkong to give additional time to their work when necessary, and to co-operate with each other. On the contrary, they have always, so far as my experience goes, shown themselves zealous in the discharge of their duties and ready to spare neither time nor trouble when any occasion has arisen calling for special exertions.
73. With respect to the remarks of the Committee on the question of the taking of leave by public servants, as this matter is governed by regulations which, so far as their principle is concerned, are common to all the Crown Colonies, it is unnecessary to enter into a discussion on this subject, but I desire to state that I consider the Retrenchment Committee was perfectly right in declining to listen to the theory that an extra staff should be kept up solely for the requirements of leave taking.
PUBLIC WORKS (EXTRAORDINARY.)
(Report, paras. 235, 240 and 241,)
74. The Committee has no remarks to make with regard to Public Works Extraordinary but expresses regret at the delay in the completion of the Central Market. In explanation of that delay I enclose a report from the Acting Director of Public Works, Mr. CHATHAM. I am glad to be able to inform Your Lordship that the new Market will be ready for occupation about the end of this year.
Encl: 2 30th August, 1894.
75. The Committee also call attention to the desirability of having constructed without delay lairs for cattle on landing, as recommended by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. I will refer this recommendation with which I agree to the Sanitary Board for report, with a view to having the work commenced as soon as practicable.
15
61. On the 15th March the Colonial Secretary moved the following resolution in Legislative Council :---
"That it is desirable to give effect to the suggestion of the Secretary of State "for the Colonies that in view of the fall in exchange, those of the Civil Service, "who are domiciled in the United Kingdom or other countries having a gold 'currency and are willing to draw their salaries when on leave at the rate of 3/- "to the dollar, should be granted such a non-pensionable allowance as will make "the half of their salaries calculated at the rate of 3/- to the dollar."
64
62. The Senior Unofficial Member moved an amendment that the consideration of this question be postponed until the Retrenchment Commission applied for in the memorandum dated 12th January, 1893, has been appointed.
63. The amendment was carried by the vote of the Unofficial Members, the Officials abstaining from voting, and a Retrenchment Committee was duly appointed. Such is briefly a history of the exchange compensation question up to the present
titne.
No. 77.
No. 74. 3rd April, 1891. 3rd April, 1891, No. 78. 5th April, 1804.
1341
64. The Retrenchment Committee having now recognised the necessity of some No. 64, 24th March, 1894. relief being extended to the Civil Service on account of the fall in silver as soon as possible, it is unnecessary for me to enter into any details on that point, especially as it has been fully dealt with in previous despatches to Your Lordship. The only question now to be considered is whether the finances of the Colony are such as to warrant the extra expenditure of $125,000 which will be incurred if the recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee is carried out.
65. I am of opinion that the finances of the Colony are able to bear the extra burden, and I strongly recommend for Your Lordship's favourable consideration that, as in the case of the Straits Civil Service, the Members of the Hongkong Civil Service on active service, who are not domiciled in the Colony, be allowed to draw half salary at the rate of 3/4 from the 1st of January last. I think it only right to inform Your Lordship that a good deal of discontent exists among the Members of the service on account of the serious loss they have already sustained through the fall in silver, and the feeling will not be diminished if a privilege is withheld from them, while it is granted to the Civil Servants of a neighbouring Colony, the currency of which is practically the same as that of Hongkong, and the cost of living in which is said to be considerably less than it is here. I shall be glad if Your Lordship will be good enough to inform me of your final decision in this matter by telegram.
66. Having considered the recommendations of the Committee as to the various departments and other matters of expenditure, I now proceed to deal briefly with the general remarks with which the report is prefaced and concluded.
67. The Committee calls attention to the increasing amount spent on salaries and emoluments, but it has not pointed out in its report that this increase is to a great extent due to the fall in the value of silver, though in the appendix a return is included showing the difference in the sterling rate of salaries drawn by heads of departments in 1874, 1884 and 1894, from which it will be seen that such salaries measured in gold are in most cases considerably lower than they were 20 years
notwithstanding the additions made to them from time to time.
ago,
68. The Committee gives the amounts spent on salaries and personal emoln- ments in the following years :--
1874
$374,746.00
1884
$510,570.45
1893
..$728,238.44
1894 (estimated)
..$741,293.00
Schedule B. p. LXII,
Para. $.
7750
775
Tam, 5.
Para. 248.
Paras, 250, 251.
Para, 255,
and states the sterling equivalent of the amount expended in 1874 to have becu £89,939.00, which at the present rate of exchange represents in silver about $899,000 or actually $150,000 more than the estimated expenditure on salaries for the present year.
69. Again the Committee gives the expenditure for the years 1874, 1884 and 1894, but while it has pointed out that the population has grown during the past 20 years, from 1874 to 1894, from 130,563 to 250,000, or almost doubled itself, it has not shown how largely the Revenue has increased during the same period. The following table shows the Revenue and Ordinary Expenditure in 1884 and that estimated for 1894.
1884.
Revenue
Ordinary expenditure ............
.$1,171,098 .$1,237,992
1894.
Revenue
.$2,007,210 .$1,982,981
Ordinary expenditure .......
70. These figures indicate that with a 71 per cent. increase in revenue there has been only a 60 per cent. increase in expenditure. After careful enquiry the Com- mittee is only able to recommend retrenchment to the amount of $79,000, which will reduce the total ordinary expenditure of the Colony to about $1,900,000.
71. I concur in the opinion of the Committee that, with the exception of what I have herein recommended, no further increase either in salaries or in offices should be made until after a full and independent inquiry, and unless the necessity for such increase is established beyond doubt, and that the staff which it has recommended is sufficient for the wants of the service.
72. As regards paragraphs 250 and 251 I may mention that the office hours in the Civil Service are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no interval for luncheon, and that I have never found any hesitation on the part of public officers in Hongkong to give additional time to their work when necessary, and to co-operate with each other. On the contrary, they have always, so far as my experience goes, shewn themselves zealous in the discharge of their duties and ready to spare neither time nor trouble when any occasion has arisen calling for special exertions.
73. With respect to the remarks of the Committee on the question of the taking of leave by public servants, as this matter is governed by regulations which, so far as their principle is concerned, are common to all the Crown Colonies, it is unnecessary to enter into a discussion on this subject, but I desire to state that I consider the Retrenchment Committee was perfectly right in declining to listen to the theory that an extra staff should be kept up solely for the requirements of leave taking.
PUBLIC WORKS (EXTRAORDINARY.)
(Report, paras. 235, 240 and 241,)
74. The Committee has no remarks to make with regard to Public Works Ex- traordinary but expresses regret at the delay in the completion of the Central Market. In explanation of that delay I enclose a report from the Acting Director of Public Works, Mr. CHATHAM. I am glad to be able to inform Your Lordship that the new Market will be ready for occupation about the end of this year.
Enel: 2 30th dust. 1894.
75. The Committee also call attention to the desirability of having constructed without delay lairs for cattle on landing, as recommended by the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon. I will refer this recommendation with which I agree to the Sanitary Board for report, with a view to having the work commenced as soon as practicable.
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