CO129-379 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [8-9] — Page 149

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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26.

defalcations being possible proves that the check kept upon the Sailors' Home money was inadequate.

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Commander Taylor writes (para 11):- "I, as did my predeces- sors, consider it a part of my duty to go round the Harbour every day in order to see for myself what is going on". In order to elicit the facts, I addressed the following minute to the Acting Harbour Master on the 19th instant "What has been the Harbour Master's usual routine as regards his own indoor and outdoor work? Does he go the round of the Harbour every day? To this Mr Jones, Acting Assistant Harbour Master, replied in a minute dated the 21st instant:- "From what i can gather I think that the Harbour Master went afloat on an average once or twice weekly". Commander Beckwith forwarding this minute on the same

day writes:- "I agroe with Acting Assistant Harbour Master that

Commander Taylor went aflost about twice a week in the Harbour".

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Commander Taylor expressos (para 14-16) a high opinion of the old class of Portuguese clerks, ## a poor opinion of the e Chinese cler's, and says that it has been his endeavour to obtain Europeans. I would, however, invite attention to what has been recorded in this memorandum with regard to ir d'Almada e Castro, dr Alves, Mr Guterres, r Britto, and Mr Botelho, all of whom appear to have left a good deal to be desired, although they bo- longed to "the old type of Portuguese clerks, in whose excellent qualities and abilities the younger generations are so conspicu- ously lacking" I quote from a minute by Commander Taylor dated the 14th June 1907 (0.5.0.1378/07) shortly after his appointment to be Harbour Master, Commander Taylor now writes:-"I have never been satisfied with any Chinese clerk, nor expressed myself as such": but he has evidently forgotten his warm commendation of Ar Chan Pui quoted in paragraph 16 of this memorandum. Moreover, if Commandor laylor's aim was to staff his office with Europeans, he can now, owing to the co-operation of the government, and notably of the Secretariat

of his efforts.

P

congratulate himself on the success

When Commander Taylor became Marbour faster there

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