CO129-420 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [1-2] — Page 260

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No 43

sir.

12483-

23

15

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG.

4th February, 1915.

256

With reference to Sir F. D. Lugard's despatch No.101

of the 23rd March, 1910, I have the honour to transmit a copy of a

petition recently addressed to me by the Indian Warders, Assistant

Warders and Guards of the Prison Service. The Captain Superintend-

ent of Police and Superintendent of Victoria Gaol in forwarding the

petition informed me that the Indian Gaol Staff are undoubtedly

very dissatisfied with their conditions of service and that it was

increasingly difficult to maintain their numbers at full strength.

The staff is now 5 men short and 14 others have sent in their

resignations.

2.

Mr. Messer at the same time submitted a scheme of

re-organization which he maintains will be acceptable to the Indian

staff without involving the Government in any additional expendit-

ure. He proposes to increase the numbers of the Indian warders, to improve their pay and prospects and to permit them to retire at the age of 50. A saving is to be effected by reducing the European

Gaol Staff by three Class II Warders.

3.

I enclose a table giving full particulars of the proposed establishment of the Indian Gaol Staff with a statement for purposes of comparison of the estimated expenditure over a period of six years under the existing and the proposed schemes. It will appear that, without taking into account the saving to the Government

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P..

&C..

&C.,

&c.