CO129-301 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [9-12] — Page 545

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Fat 2 JAN 01

Government House,

HongKong, 28 November, 1900.

sir,

I have the honour to transmit for your

favourable consideration the enclosed copy of a Minute by the

losure 1 October, 1900

Director of Public Works, in which he asks that the staff of

his department may be increased by one Assistant overseer at

$1200 a year and a clerk at 3480 a year.

2. I regret that these recommendations

of the Director of Public Works were not submitted to me in

time to be considered with the draft Estimates for next year,

which are now in your hands. Mr. Ormsby explains, however, that

it was only within the past 2 months, when the break-down of

some water engines and pumps at Kowloon took place as a con- sequence of the great and continuous strain on the apparatus

that the want of more help in the Water-works staff became

apparent.

3. In the event of your approval of these

appointments I will give directions for the new clerk to be

engaged locally. It will be necessary however, to obtain the

new Overseer from England, and I have therefore the honour to

The Right Honourable

re-

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.

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