CO129-285 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [9-10] — Page 394

་་་་་་

}

377

387

not be overcome in two years as it is a well known fact that

Eastern nomenclature is puzzling to Westerns. He would he ab-

solutely ignorant of the character and ability of the Portu- guese and Chinese employés respectively and might for a while commit disciplinary mistakes accordingly.

There is nothing against the working of the Clerks in this office except that they are occasionally care- less and timid in asking for directions but that is a fault typical to the local clerk and one which I venture to say no expert will be able to eradicate,

I believe that all my clerks are perfectly ho- nest and I can say that they are certainly willing to do their work.

The forms, &C., in use in the office are the same

as those used by every country in the Postal Union whose sys- tem is such that no improvement is suggested by any country without its being made known to all the countries in the Union.

The other objection to an expert is the old

one that so soon as a man is brought out to an office in the East and has to stick there, he becomes discontented and either wants promotion or a rise of salary. Besides His Excellency's arguments would apply equally in the case of the Treasury, the Police and in fact every Department in Hong-Kong except the Registrar General & Colonial Secretary.

This adoption would mean the entire reversal scheme

of the Cadet system,

I