Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 509

503

No. 82

97

HONGKONG.

CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE SALARIES OF OFFICERS EMPLOYED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

QUESTION. With reference to the Report of the Retrenchment Commission will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the despatches and instructions received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in relation thereto, and in connection with applications in respect of salaries similar to those recently referred by His Excellency the Governor to a Committee?

ANSWER.-

(Secretary of State to Governor.)

HONGKONG. No. 84.

SIR,

DOWNING STREET.

11th June, 1894.

I have the honour to enclose, for your information and for purposes of record, an Extract from a despatch recently addressed by me to the Governor of Ceylon on the question of compensation for fall in exchange, in which I have expressed the view that in the larger Crown Colonies there would be advantage in holding periodical inquiries into the public expenditure-such inquiries to be conducted by a Committee composed mainly, if not wholly, of unofficial members of the Legislative Council.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient,

Governor

Sir W. ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,

J'c.,

SC.,

&c.

humble Servant,

RIPON.

Enclosure.

Extract from a despatch from the Marquess of Ripon to Sir A. E. Havelock. No. 168. 8th June, 1894.

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I am inclined to consider that in any large Crown Colony where the establish- ments are on an extensive scale and whère in times of prosperity a certain laxity in creating vested interests may creep in, there is much to be said for inviting the Legislative Council at intervals, say of seven years, to inquire through a Committee into the public expenditure, and to submit for the consideration of the Governor and the Secretary of State such recommendations, in the direction of retrenchment, as they may think desirable. As a general rule I should say that such periodical inquiries should be mainly conducted by unofficial members.

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