Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 636

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8. No. 9.-This Officer I have recently recommended for the salary of $75 per month on the 1900 Estimates, not previously assigned to any one, and this has been approved of from the 1st July. I however would beg leave to suggest that in the re-casting of the Salaries, the opportunity should be taken to make the difference between the three Marine Officers more evenly graduated, and to do so, I would recommend that the 3rd Marine Officer should receive a salary of $80 per month, plus the usual travelling allowance.

9. The maximum salary for the remainder of the Staff should I respectfully suggest be fixed at $80 per mouth instead of $70 as proposed.

10. The inaccuracy referred to is to be found in the inclusion of the 2nd clerk in the Money Order Office (No. 18 on the Schedule) with the other clerks who are entitled to draw extra allowance. I have therefore struck that out in pencil.

11. In connection with this subject it may not be out of place if I draw at- tention to and strongly urge upon the Government the very great need of the six extra men previously applied for being granted at an early date, as well as the two Assistant Marine Officers. There is at present no margin allowed for sudden illness of any of the Staff or providing for the efficient carrying on of the work of the Post Office during absences from this or any other cause, and it seems to me that it is essential that the inadequacy of Staff should be remedied.

12. Of the six clerks, I would recommend that at least two should be Englishmen from the General Post Office, London (Foreign Branch), at a salary of $100 per month to start with, rising to $140 per month. House allowance at the rate of $30 per month should be granted also, and a small allowance as an encourage- ment to them to learn Chinese. The other four, I am informed on good authority, I could obtain from India. This recommendation, if approved, would, to a certain extent, meet the difficulty in the Post Office, of being entirely dependent on the local employees. The principal duties that I would assign to the two Englishmen would be to open all mails and to inspect all mails leaving the Office, and to see to their being in proper order and condition.

13. As regards the Assistant Marine Officers, I may mention that in a letter from the Secretary, General Post Office, London, received yesterday, I am in- formed that the P. & O. have generously waived the question of payment and undertakes to convey free of cost the additional officers required to make up the force of two sorters and two stampers. The Secretary of State has also been informed by the London Post Office.

With regard to the suggestion that allowances for extra hours should not be continued but the same merged in the salaries, I would remark that extra allow- unces for the overtime and Sunday duty is universally recognised and paid for apart from salary.

I have the honour to be,

Sir.

Your obedient Servant,

The Honourable

THE ACTING COLONIAL Secretary,

&c.;

$c.,

&c.

E. C. C. LEWIS, Acting Postmaster General.

No. 402.

HONGKONG.

(Secretary of State to Governor, Hongkong.)

DOWNING STREET.

21st December, 1900.

SIR-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 440 of the 3rd of October last. forwarding a copy of the Report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the Salaries of Subordinate Officers in the Hongkong

Civil Service.

2. I have to request that you will convey my thanks to the Committee for the useful work which they have done.