Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 133

No. 299.

129

No. 2

1900

HONGKONG.

DESPATCHES RELATIVE TO THE SALARIES OF OFFICERS IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.

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

(Extract from the Secretary of State's Despatch No. 239 dated the 16th September, 1898.)

Before arriving at a decision in the matter, I shall be glad to be informed more definitely what is the amount of extra work to which Mr. ORMSBY and Mr. CHATHAM refer, and Mr. ORMSBY should be reminded, with reference to the conclu- ding paragraph of his letter of the 18th July, that his whole time is at the disposal of the Government, and that within reason he is expected to undertake whatever duties are assigned to him without extra remuneration.

(Governor to Secretary of State.)

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 21st October, 1898.

SIR,

With reference to paragraph 5 of your despatch No. 239 of the 16th Septem- ber last, I have the honour to transmit for your information copies of letters from Mr. ORMSBY and Mr. CHATHAM,

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,

W. BLACK, Major-General, Officer Administering the Government,

The Right Honourable

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

SIR,

(Enclosure No. 1 in Governor's Despatch No. 299 dated 21st October, 1898.)

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 20th October, 1898.

The Honourable

1. With reference to C.O.D. 239 and your minute of 18th October, 1898, I regret that I am unable to give any more definite information.

2. Work such as I am daily called on to do in connection with the Pra ya Works cannot be measured as the work of a clerk or of a day labourer, no more than the work of a consulting physician or a barrister could be measured in res- pect to any one of the many cases on which they might be called on to express an opinion in a day.

3. The Praya Reclamation work is the most important engineering work in progress at present in the Colony; frequently questions arise in which I am obliged to exercise such skill and judgment as years of experience in work of construction have made me capable of. All matters of importance are referred to me for decision, and my visits of inspection to the works are as frequent as the nature of my duties permit.

THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.