654 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12TH NOVEMBER, 1879.
putation waited upon me and expressed, on behalf of the community, an earnest desire that the views of that Committee should be carried out. I have reported that to the Secretary of State. The estimate for the proposed scheme amounts to $50,000, and if I am called upon to expend that sum for this purpose I think I may appeal to you, and the whole community that for getting that sum-or $30,000 at all events-I would be fully justified in asking the householders to contribute, and therefore it would be my duty next month, when I have to consider this question of the house rates, if Her Majesty's Gov- ernment approve of the expenditure, to re-impose the two per cent. to get the money to pay for that which is practically a fire brigade service, and of course affects, more than any other, the actual house- holders. At the present time you won't find this $50,000 included in the Estimates, because it requires the sanction of the Secretary of State; and you will see that the Colonial Treasurer has estimated the house-rates at the lower rate of ten and not twelve per cent.
There is a change, under the head of Postage. The amount of expenditure has increased and the receipts have also increased. On that subject it is only necessary to remind you that for some time past for a year or two--there has been a question, which has not been discussed at this Council table, but has been discussed in another form, as to how far the Postal revenue is correctly stated on the Estimates. I entertain a decided opinion that we should deal with postal revenue as with everything else, that the Postmaster should include in his estimate of expenditure all the money expended, and in his estimate of receipts the gross receipts. However, he entertained a different opinion and handed in figures of a different character. This occurred during my absence in Japan. Mr. MARSH referred these figures back to him, pointing out what was the practice elsewhere, and what he himself, with his experience as Auditor General, thought it was the proper one to be followed. On returning to the Colony, I therefore placed before the Treasurer the figures which the Audit Office had resolved upon on a careful investigation of the whole subject, which were the figures showing the gross receipts and gross expenditure.
The total estimated expenditure is $964,355, and as the estimated revenue is $1,017,956, the estimated surplus on the transactions of the year 1880 is $53,601. The most important change is that under the head of Police. Now the question of the Police Force in this Colony has engaged the attention of the Government more than once. We have had of late years two Committees or Commis- sions sitting upon the subject. I appointed a Committee presided over by my lamented friend, Mr. MAY, to investigate the question of Police and crime in the Colony. I had previously taken the responsibility, I think in August, or September, 1878, of giving instructions to Mr. DEANE, the Captain Superintendent, to strengthen the night force, and I pointed out the desirability of having the night duties of the force increased thirty-three per cent. The Committee I appointed examined Mr. DEANE, Mr. CREAGH, and a number of the Inspectors and other persons competent to give advice on the subject. No one indeed was more competent than the Chairman himself to form an opinion upon it. They arrived at the conclusion that the two-thirds night system, as it is called, should be tried, and that the system would probably tend to diminish crime, for they expressed a decided opinion that the Colony was not adequately policed at night time. Well, that report was laid before Her Majesty's Government, and about the same time, or indeed a little before that report reached the Government, they also received, from two important sections of the Community, the opinions of those sections upon that very question, as to the Police. Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH received a memorial addressed to him by all the leading Chinese merchants of the Community, in which amongst other things, they expressed an opinion that the town had not been for some years adequately policed at night, and expressed a hope that he would sanction a moderate increase of the Police Force. On the other hand, a resolution was also laid before Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH in which some of the European section of the Community took a different view, and thought no change was necessary in the Police arrangements of the Colony. Well, that point has been considered carefully by the Secretary of State, and he has conveyed to me the decision that be entirely approves of the two-thirds system of night duty, and he asks me also carefully to consider the question whether some increase ought not to be made in the Police Force. Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH also points out that Mr. MAY'S Committee called attention to the fact that on one particular day in October, to which they referred, there were 106 members of the Police Force employed on what were called special duties, that is five or six at Government House, a few employed taking care of the Courts of justice, and in different parts of the Colony the Police were engaged in that way--my Honourable friend Mr. TONNOCHY had twenty in the Gaol-and in various ways 106 inembers of the force were diverted from what were really their proper duties. Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH directs that these Policemen should be paid for by the different departments that were using them. Accordingly, in preparing the Esti- mates, I have charged the various departments with these Policemen who were formerly charged to the Police vote, and I requested Captain DEANE to state what increase in the force he would require, inasmuch as all the money not so required would be struck off the Police vote. Mr. DEANE in his minute expresses his views, and is content to have an increase of thirty-six men in the Police force. The sum which will be charged to the various departments, amount to $12,245. However, with certain reductions of salaries which you will see by the pay list-the net increase in the salaries of Police force will be $10,680, and there is a further expenditure for the present year of something over $11,000 in connection with steam launches for the Police. I have told you what the opinion of the
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