CO129-303 - Public Offices & Others - 1900 — Page 447

)

No....

332.

Ja any further correspondence on this subject, the above number should be quoted,

and

the communication should be addressed to

«The Comptroller and Auditor General"

sir,

EXCHEQUER AND AUDIT DEPARTMENT,

SOMERSET HOUSE,

LONDON, W.C.

442.

31st December, 100.

0.

111

2 JAN CI

I am directed by the Comptroller and Auditor General

to transmit to you, for submission to the Secretary of

State, a copy of a letter received from Mr Nicolle, the

Local Auditor of Hong Kong, forwarding an application from

Mr Hanson, the Audit Clerk, for an increase of pay.

2.

The salary attached to the post of Clerk is, as

stated by Mr Hanson, only $80 a month, with Exchange

Compensation. At this small rate of pay it would be quite

impossible, in ordinary circumstances, to obtain the

services of the class of officer required in Hong Kong,

where the Audit Clerk, in the absence of the Local Auditor,

has to act in his place for long periods, extending some-

times to twelve months.

3. Up to the present time the Comptroller and Auditor

General has been able, at a nominal expense to the Colony

for passages, to obtain the services of young officials

of good education and standing, whose families were in a

position to make them allowances of at least £100 a year.

This has been an advantage both to the Colony and to this

Department, as the Hong Kong Audit Office, especially under

an experienced Officer such as Mr Nicolle, is an excellent

training school for the junior officers of the Colonial

Audit Branch, A list of the Clerks from 1891 to the

present time is appended.

4. Mr Hanson states that, owing to the increased cost

of living in Hong Kong, an allowance from his family of

e Under Secretary of State,

£150,

31

COLONIAL OFFICE.

R. & A. D. Form 1b.

WB & L (z)-22184--2000-10-09