Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 339

SIR,

SUPREME COURT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 27th April, 1895.

In reply to your letter No. 517 of the 18th March, I have the honour to inform you that the Retrenchment Committee agrees with Mr. COOPER'S views concerning the reduction of the salary of the Chinese draftsman when opportunity offers.

2. As regards the evidence upon which the concluding paragraph of the supple- mentary report on the Public Works Department was based, I have to report that no written evidence was recorded, and that the oral evidence of Mr. ACKROYD and Mr. JACKSON was that upon which the Committee founded its remarks.

3. Mr. ACKROYD made special reference to smells by Seymour Terrace and on the level of that block, whilst Mr. JACKSON drew attention to the odours arising from spots close to his residence, and has since the last meeting favoured me with a note which contained the following:-"as to wanting evidence for the concluding portion of the report, let anyone wishing to satisfy himself upon the point take a walk along Bonham "Strand. If he is not satisfied with the quality and quantity of the smells he will get, "he will be very hard to convince. I have recently taken several walks through the town, east and west, and am sorry to say that in all my time here I have never "experienced such stenches."

4. Mr. JACKSON has authorised the insertion in this letter of the above extract.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

T. SERCOMBE SMITH, Secretary, Retrenchment Committee.

The Honourable

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

&c.,

fc.,

je.

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