CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 59

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numbers (58) of Chinese Land Police required for the New Territory. Thus for the last 12 months there have been on the average 20 vacancies in the Contingent and I find it impossible to fill them.` This is very unsatisfactory. Service in the Police Force should be sufficiently attractive to ensure that a considerable number of candidates are always on the roster so that when vacancies occur the recruiting Officer may have some men to pick and choose from. I had hoped that as the people of the New Territory became bet- ter acquainted with the force doing duty amongst them they would be attracted to its ranks. But no candidates at all from the New Territory have offered now for a year, and the few that were enlisted soon after we took over the country have not given sa- tisfaction.

14.

In these circumstances it is absolutely neces- sary to make the service more attractive, and wages have increased so much in every branch of labour that the only thing that can be done is to increase the pay of the Chinese Police. This I recommend should be done by abolishing the limited numbers in classes as bas already been recommended for the Indian Force, leaving the actual pay as it is. The pay of the Chinese Police is as follows:-

3rd. Class.

$10.

2nd. Class.

$12.50.

with 30 cents ration allowance, per month.

1st.Class.

$15.

The wages of chair coolies, the lowest class of coolies in European employ, range now from $8 to $10 a month. It is manifest therefore that it is idle to hope to get Policemen for $10.80. At present it takes a well conducted Chinese Constable on the average 4 years to attain the 2nd. class and 8 years to at- tain the 1st. class, if there happens to be a vacancy. Under the scheme I recommend, he would be promoted to the 2nd, class after one year's service and to the 1st. class after five, and I con- sider that in view of the continually increasing cost of house rent and food in this Colony (and it must be remembered that the Chinese Police of the 1st. and 2nd, class are for the most part married) the increase of pay practically involved by the change recommended, is not more than what is necessary to attract man to the Police Service.

15.

I also desire to increase the number of Chinese Sergeants by seven. Chinese Sergeants are, with the exception of three Barrack Sergeants, employed on the Detective Staff, and the acquisition of the New Territory has necessitated a large increase in that branch for which extra Sergeants are required. The additional appointments will also increase the promotion open to the large Chinese Land Force.

16.-

The increase in expenditure involved if the whole of the above recommendations are adopted as I hope in the interests of the Force they will, amounts as shewn in Enclosure

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