CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 334

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. Chinese inthe Straits Settlements. There is no reason why any

feeling of discontent should arise among interpreters, as was

feared by the previous Committee would be the case if a

separate Department was formed. Under the present conditions

in HongKong and China a good knowledge of English is at a

premiun, and to ensure efficient interpretation interpreters

as a class must be paid at a considerably higher rate than

the clerical staff.

6.

It still remains as true as it was in

1887 that there is no one to replace Mr.Ball and Mr. Li-Hong-

Mi at the Supreme Court in case of absence or sickness"

This is the great blot upon the present system- that there

is no one to take the place of the Head Interpreters when

they retire, and that the Government has to take the chance

which is a very small one of finding a suitable man outside

the Public Service. The only remedy is the training of

student-interpreters and the provision thereby of a successio

(n

of efficient offi

officers.

7. We not only concur in thinking it "very

acquainted

desirable that the Magistrates should be opened with

Chinese