CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 328

to take change in

7.

the Intepulationi

bepartment of the work of training translatus, but his enable tenin

by canyon

this work efficicully,

it will, in my opineni, huccessung

Clavil

to seperate the

при у Secreting and Repotion finent

It unght be possible to combine the porting Register fencel aluspector of Schools, expecially if the lessistant- Requstion fencial were con

Offices will sequanted with both written a spoken Chinese. For sometimes past her Ball Las acted as assistant Repetres funeral, and Whilst his knowledge of the spoken language has been most useful, aequanitance with the willen languesh has not untumalt Example

torchive the Strand

the bepartiment nou much translation work. legans, Thave had no practical Expencer of Ne work of respecting Schools which may either now or his the incrediate future by such as t Huder the combination Iuggested unctisirable. oy keeper, may suggestion to deemed worthy of consideration, Isccommend that it t repened to the Governor before the matter is finally decided. Ittlewwel Lockhart

$80.141.

sir,

14087

PZ 7 MAY 00

Government House,

HongKong, 3rd April, 1900.

1 327

I have the honour to inform you that

on the urgent representations of Mr.Stewart Lockhart,

Colonial Secretary, I appointed a committee consisting of Mr. Brewen, Inspector of Schools, Mr. Pearce, Head Master of the Diocesan School, Mr. Gomperty, Acting Police Magistrate, and the Honourable Dr.Ho-Kai to consider the

question of official Interpretation which is at present

in a very unsatisfactory state.

.

2. As the report of the Committee shows,

there is not at present an Interpreter in the Government

Service who could replace Mr. Dyer Ball, or Mr. Li-Hong-Mi

in the event of their absence or retirement. The difficulties

of translation from Chinese to English and vice versa can

only be realized on seeing its practical working. A

minute by Mr.Breven on the subject of publication of a

Chinese translation of Ordinance affecting the Chinese

will show how difficult is this apparently simple process.

3. It is in my opinion of Cardinal importaner

that the Chier Interpreter should be a gentleman of social

position who would watch carefully over the interpreters,

keep them up to their work and counteract tendencies to

there irregularities towards which

his in China exceptional

he Right Honourable

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

&C.

80,

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