CO129-293 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [8-9] — Page 263

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

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7. It is, of course, open to Government, and Mr. Boulton is perfectly aware of the fact, to keep him on as a monthly paid officer under no agreement or covenant, but I am of opinion that his good services extending over 10 years merit more consideration, and that the permanent securing of an officer of his skill and experience would be entirely to the advantage of Government. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fill Mr. Boulton's place in a satisfactory manner to Government, if an offer of better paid employment induced him to relinquish his present post on a month's notice. He has been identified with the Praya Reclamation from its very initiation and he has every detail of this important work at his finger's ends. This work has for some time proceeded so smoothly that I think the magnitude of it as an engineering undertaking may have been to some extent lost sight of; it is being carried out with a minimum of expenditure on administration, the special Engineer appointment in connection therewith having been abolished when Mr. Bowdler retired on pension, thereby saving to the Marine Lot holders a salary of $480 plus $120 Exchange Compensation a month, but throwing much additional work and responsibility on the Director of

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250 7. It is, of course, open to Government, and Mr. Boulton is perfectly aware of the fact, to keep him on as a monthly paid officer under no agreement or covenant, but I am of opinion that his good services extending over 10 years merit more consideration, and that the permanent securing of an officer of his skill and experience would be entirely to the advantage of Government. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fill Mr. Boulton's place in a satisfactory manner to Government, if an offer of better paid employment induced him to relinquish his present post on a month's notice. He has been identified with the Praya Reclamation from its very initiation and he has every detail of this important work at his finger's ends. This work has for some time proceeded so smoothly that I think the magnitude of it as an engineering undertaking may have been to some extent lost sight of; it is being carried out with a minimum of expenditure on administration, the special Engineer appointment in connection therewith having been abolished when Mr. Bowdler retired on pension, thereby saving to the Marine Lot holders a salary of $480 plus $120 Exchange Compensation a month, but throwing much additional work and responsibility on the Director of
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250 7. It is, of course, open to Government, and Mr. Boulton is perfectly aware of the fact, to keep him on as a monthly paid officer under no agreement or covenant, but I am of opinion that his good services extending over 10 years merit more consideration, and that the permanent securing of an officer of his skill and experience would be entirely to the advantage of Government. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fill Mr. Boulton's place in a satisfactory manner to Government, if an offer of better paid employment induced him to relinquish his present post on a month's notice. He has been identified with the Praya Reclamation from its very initiation and he has every detail or this important work at his finger's ends. This work has for some time proceeded so smoothly that I think the magnitude of it as an engineering undertaking may have been to some extent lost sight of; it is being carried out with a minimum of expen- diture on administration, the special Engineer appointment in connection therewith having been abolished when Mr. Bowdler retired on pension, thereby saving to the Marine Lot holders a salary of $480 plus $120 Exchange Compensation a month, but throwing much additional work and responsibility on the Director of
2026-05-31 06:49:12 · Baseline
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250

7. It is, of course, open to Government, and Mr.

Boulton is perfectly aware of the fact, to keep him on as a

monthly paid officer under no agreement or covenant, but I am

of opinion that his good services extending over 10 years merit

more consideration, and that the permanent securing of an officer

of his skill and experience would be entirely to the advantage

of Government. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be

extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fill Mr. Boulton's

place in a satisfactory manner to Government, if an offer of

better paid employment induced him to relinquish his present

post on a month's notice. He has been identified with the Praya

Reclamation from its very initiation and he has every detail or

this important work at his finger's ends. This work has for

some time proceeded so smoothly that I think the magnitude of

it as an engineering undertaking may have been to some extent

lost sight of; it is being carried out with a minimum of expen-

diture on administration, the special Engineer appointment in

connection therewith having been abolished when Mr. Bowdler

retired on pension, thereby saving to the Marine Lot holders a

salary of $480 plus $120 Exchange Compensation a month, but

throwing much additional work and responsibility on the Director

of

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