Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 510

504

HONGKONG.

No. 67.

(2)

(Secretary of Staté to Governor.)

DOWNING STREET,

14th March, 1895.

SIR,

The more important of the points raised in the report of the Retrenchment Committee and in your covering despatch No. 201 of the 4th of September last have been or are being dealt with in separate despatches, and on some you have promised further reports.

2. For what remains I have to convey to you a general expression of concur- rence in the views.contained in your despatch on points of detail, and my acknow- ledgment of the care and attention which the Retrenchment Committee bestowed upon their report.

3. In paragraph 10 of your despatch you propose to abolish the chief clerk- ship in the Post Office in preference to abolishing the appointment of Assistant Postmaster General. I incline to share your view, and unless there is a distinct public opinion in favour of the other alternative, that view can, as occasion arises, be carried into effect.

4. Under the heading "Miscellaneous Services" reference is made to the fee of £300 per annum which has been paid to Mr. CHADWICK as Consulting Engineer on the subject of water and drainage. You have since learnt through the Crown Agents that from the beginning of this year he has ceased to draw an annual stipend and will be paid the usual professional charges for such references as may be made to him.

5. You state that you contemplate the concentration of all the Government offices under one roof. I shall, of course, be ready to consider any specific sugges- tion of the kind, which may be made, but I fear that any such re-arrangement would involve great expense.

6. The recommendation of the Committee, which you support, "that no further increase either in salaries or in offices be made in future until a full and independ- ent inquiry has been made and the necessity for the same established beyond doubt," is probably too broadly stated to be carried out in its entirety. That the expenditure of the Colony, and especially the expenditure on offices and appoint- ments should be rigidly scrutinised, is the wish of all who are in any way responsible for its welfare; and one safeguard I suggested in my despatch No. 8± of the 11th of June last, taking the form of periodical inquiries by committees composed mainly if not wholly of unofficial members.

I have the honour to be,

Governor

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

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

Sir,

Your most obedient,

humble Servant,

RIPON

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