CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 438

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It is not difficult to find adequate reasons. The work

of the Shanghai Registry occupies a large proportion of the time of the Consul-General and of the Crow Advocate, j'ully

half the time of a Vice-Consul, and the entire time of one

clerk, while nothing; is charged for rent of office premises

nor for the use of furniture, There are now over 300

companies on the Shanghai Register about 25 new corporations

being added yearly and some ten cases involving the Registry

have come before the Courts here this year; the total value

of the services given to the Hongkong Government may be

reasonably estimated at 88,000 to 10,000 per annum; the

amount the Hongkong Goverment pay for these services is

$3,000 per amum; the amount they receive as a result of these services is between $100,000 and $150,000 per annum. (The total remittance in 1922 was $105,266.58, but this amount

will be much exceeded this year the collection at present

amounting to over £135,000).

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It should also be considered that the work of the

Registry is always increasing, and that it is not unlikely

that in the course of a few years it may demand the entire

time of one officer.

Should an increased contribution be arranged, it is

suggested that it should take the form of a payment to the

Consular Chest, definite allowances being assigned to the

officers engaged in the work. The present system is not

wholly satisfactory; after deduoting the wages of the clerk

and the amount estimated for incidental expenditure, the

balance is divided between the Crown Advocate and the Deputy

Registrar in the proportion of one-third to the former and

two-thirds to the latter. Their emoluments are therefore

dependent on the amount saved from incidental expenditure,

which means in effect that when legal proceedings have been

taken, they have to be prepared to pay the costs out of their

OWIV