CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 423

422

the

The Chairman - I think goublemen

in the

pozition of judges

Are

quite comprétent to fight their own case and to make their

own applications . "

3. Aince I became a member of the Ofonial Service in 1878 I have never

an mcrease of

Anade

any application for salary, and I do not profiese to do so new. It seems to me that such applicx. tions are undesirable in the cusé Of Judges of the Supreme Court - (I) the same time, "echon the sularies of other civil servants of the Velony

are about to be increased for reasons ieluch affect all officers alike, it improper for the Judges

does not seem to

to ask that the attention of the Secretory of State should be drawn to the financial position of the Judges, with a view to his considering whether it is just that the Inages should share in such contemplated general increase of salaries.

11. With regard to the question as affecting the Indges generally, it may be printed out that the first Chief Justice of Henghing was punits a Salury of £3000 per annum, while the present Chief Instice, with no doubt considerably -cnlarged responsibilities and greatly. mercated orde for expenditure, receives - salary of a little less thave half this

ament

ameant - Again, in Honghong there are

large number of wratthy. Canker, merchant, brokers, etc, and it is becoming

ner aut

arc-

PILOTHED_

more impossible for the Judges, who at least I speak for myself - possessed of but slender private means, to maintain their social position in un

adequate Further, if the salaries of the Judges

compared with the méreated salaries of the firmicipal officers of the Goocument, it will, I think, be ferme that the ratio usually

Cre

manilunied between such salaries in the Colonial Service Fras been last.

5. With

regard to the

rd to the personal question, perhaps I may be allowed to add a few

observations. When, in December, 1895, I was offered the Chief Justiceship of Hong -Kong, I was Altering - General of British Eliana, with a Salary of £1500 per

I knew nothing about the valore of the silver doller, and I asked the Chief Justice of that Colony, Sir Edward O'Malley, who had enverly been Attorney General of Houghing, what would be the

sterling equivalent of the salary of the lippein Inant. " He said he thought about £1800 free annan. But, on

amirning in the Cong,

Heu"

was at the rate

of

I found that my salary $14.928.62 per aumane, which, at an exchange of 20/246

( 24th for the deltar, was 1 equivalent

To