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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 19TH JANUARY, 1889.
of meaning; and in view of the fact that there are used by witnesses here a great number dialects of a language so utterly unlike English as is that of China, it is quite hopeless to expect the attainment of a condition under which the Courts would be altogether free of difficulty and embarrassment in respect of interpretation.
Of the Hakka dialect alone which is mentioned in the report as one single dialect there are, the Governor is informed, several varieties, each sufficiently distinct from the rest to render a good interpreter of any one very possibly a bad interpreter of any other: and it is obvious that under such circumstances to secure for the Courts the command of satisfactory interpretation in all cases is a work of no ordinary difficulty, which at the best can only be accomplished approximately.
It would be evidently inexpedient to attempt the provision of all the necessary capacity and qualifications in a class of officers employed on no other duty. For that would not only involve the very great expense of a large Department of Interpreters and of students (many of whom would probably prove ineligible for office after large sums had been spent on their training) but it would mean a body of officers, for the most part required for service only very occasionally, and whose idleness,, as regards public work, in the intervals would be perhaps injurious to themselves, and certainly to the Government service generally.
For this reason it seems desirable to depend on regular interpreters only in respect of the two or three dialects in most common use; and as regards the less common dialects or varieties of dialects to provide the requisite capacity among other Public Officers whose services as interpreters would be called for only when actually required.
Partly with this object therefore, and also to promote improvement in all interpretation, as well as to obtain greater efficiency, through improved knowledge of Chinese, in other departments than the Judicial, the Governor las drafted certain regulations (I) which are now laid on the table and offerred for consideration, as appearing likely to secure what is required within reasonable limits of expense, and under other conditions least open to objection..
With further view to the same objects, the Governor has deemed as well worthy of the test of experiment the suggestion of the Commissioners as to the encouragement of the acquisition of Chinese among the younger members of the non-Chinese, community; and some proposals for the purpose in the form of regulations (II) are also offered for consideration. The case of the Police requires somewhat different treatment. Their tenure of office for a short fixed period renders unsuitable a reward in the shape of a lump sum; and it is moreover expedient in their case that a somewhat lower standard of knowledge of Chinese than is required from other Public Servants should not go without reward. For these and other reasons, after consultation with the Captain Superintendent and the Board of Examiners, the Governor has deemed it well to retain the principle of the existing system of rewards for acquisition of Chinese, increasing however the sums paid per mensem for the lower standards of knowledge, and adding a third standard, the attainment of which will carry a reward quite equal to that offered to the rest of the service. In another paper (III) now laid on the table will be found the scale of premiums which it is proposed to offer.
Though these various regulations which are suggested for adoption will probably be found to require amendment after experience has been gained of their working, the Governor hopes that they will at least bring about substantial improvement he condition of things which was the subject of the Commissioners' enquiry, and will thus tend to the greater efficiency of the Public Service.
By Command,
Government House, Hongkong, 10th January, 1889.
FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.
I.
In C.S.O. 1407
Proposed Regulations for Public Officers, other than Members of the Police Force, for the encouragement of proficiency in the Chinese language.
I.
88
Public Officers who pass an examination, to the satisfaction of the Examiners, in the Chinese language, of the Cantonese or Hakka dialect, or any other dialect to be approved by the Governor, will receive an allowance according to the following scale :-
For colloquial and written Chinese, For colloquial only,
Officers in receipt of salaries under $200 per month.
$400
300
Officers with salaries over $200 a month. $600
450
This regulation to apply only in respect of dialects which Officers have hitherto not professed to understand, or in which they have hitherto not been employed to interpret.
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