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December 2, 1897.]
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415
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. they abandon en route. The letter shews | living. There are few outside the ranks of answering to the description given are clearly enough that the interpretation which officials who have received anything like in the same category as snakes in Ireland has been placed upon the treaty is an
the saine compensation and there are they are non-existent. It is only a few erroneous one, but it fails to indicate in what many who have received no compensation years since salaries were increased all round way the Government can recede from the at all and have to support themselves by thirty-five per cent., and since then an mistaken position assumed thirty years ago, and their families on the same dollar automatic increase has been established The Association say, however, after referring income as formerly. Moreover, public under the name of exchange compensation to the misappropriation of the revenue derived servants have their future provided for by for the benefit of officers brought out from from inland taxation on foreign goods: a sterling pension, whereas non-officials, who home. Also we may remark in passing "Those best disposed towards China-and have to make provision for their old age by that it is rather startling to have it suggested foreign residents in China are prevalently savings out of income, have seen the sterling that the respectability of a man paid in "well disposed--plead the impossibility, in value of their capital steadily diminishing silver diminishes pari passu with the dimi- presence of this malversation, of treating at a rate with which their annual savings in nishing value of the dollar. If that "her like a European Power. The fact silver have in many cases heen unable to were really the case
must be realised that we are here in pre-keep pace.
a large propor There has no doubt been an tion of the population would be rapidly sence of 'a rapacity' which is only bounded increase in the cost of living, for officials and degenerating into disreputable characters. by the limit of endurance in the trading non-officials alike, but hardly to the extent Proceeding to analyse the report fur- class; and foreign residents are as impa- to which the former have been compensated ther, we find that increases in the tient as they were thirty years ago of sec-
for it. The officials have worked their salaries of certain members of the Public ing their commerce restricted by exactions grievance judiciously and have managed to Works Departinent are recommended "which they know to be in a large propor
come out of the controversy with something for reasons which do not appear to be "tion wasted or misapplied.' They are
to the good, so that whereas the great mass supported by the facts of the respective 'persuaded that the only hope of financial of the population are in a worse position as cases; other increases are recommended for "salvation for China lies in such stendy regards the possible margin between income purely sentimental reasons; and it is only in "resistance to exaction as may compel ad- and expenditure than they were ten years
a few instances" that increases are recom- "ministrative reform; and the phenomenal ago the officials as a body are in a distinctly mendled on the only ground that can be "improvement effected in Korean finance better position. We are aware that there considered valid, having regard to the during the brief period Mr. McLEAYY are exceptions to the rule: men who main-financial position of the colony, namely, BROWN has been allowed a free hand may tain their families at home and have to "because the salary of the office seems to be contrasted with the present situation in
remit more than half their income lose us to be incommensurate with its duties China as an argument for the truth of this on the remainder, but the loss sustained
"and responsibilities, or because, as in the "contention as opposed to the policy of to- by these is small as compared with that cuses of some of the lower grade offices, "lerance laid down by the Board of Trade.” | sustained by non-officials similarly circum- the salary is appreciably less than that Let the British Government,then,abandon the stanced, who find themselves compelled which is paid in the open market to farce of dealing with China as witha Furopean not only to reduce their personal ex- persons performing similar duties." Power and inform her frankly that not-penditure but also to reduce their home withstanding any previous admissions as to remittances. It would of course be a the right of terminal taxation such taxation pleasant thing if incomes could be increased must now be abandoned once and for all round, but since that is impossible we all. If it is necessary to give reasons for fail to see why the official class should be this course the Chinese Government can be more specially favoured than they are at informed that the rapacity of its officials has present. passed all bounds formerly considered possi- ble and that circumstances alter cases. If it be necessary, a revision of the tariff can then be taken into consideration, but the principle of one single payment clearing the goods from all further taxation should be insisted upon uncompromisingly.
FC
OFFICIAL SALARIES.
In the year 1891 official salaries in Hong- kong were increased by 35 per cent. In 1894 a further increase took place in the salaries of a large number of officials under the name of exchange compensation, half their salaries being paid from that date at the rate of 3s. to the dollar. At the present rate of exchange this represents an increase of rather more than 25 per cent. on the nominal amount of the salary. Thus within the last seven years રી large number of salaries have been increased in the aggregate by 70 per cent.,
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Mr. WHITEHEAD, in his minority report, vetoes all increases on the ground of the colony's inability to bear increased expendi- ture. This view seems to have prevailed for the present, for at the meeting of the Finance Committee at which the Estimates for next year were considered it was stated that only one of the increases recommended in the majority report had been provided for, the case in question being that of one of the assistant engineers of the Public Works Department. H.E. the Governor, however, in his opening speech said he thought it right to state that, in his opinion, certain posts in the Civil Service were insufficiently paid, especially when compared with similar appointments in other colonies; and His Excellency trusted that it would be possible "to remedy this defect, and thus retain in Hongkong the services " of experienced officers who might otherwise. accept a transfer to colonies where they "would be more highly remunerated." With that expression of opinion on record no doubt the agitation for increased remuneration in the Civil Service will be continued with greater forec. In the meantime, however, it may be remarked that no indication is apparent of the approaching exodus of ex- perienced officials prophesied by the Go vernor. Cynics may perhaps be inclined to say that such an exodus would not cause unmixed regret. The prophecy rather reminds one of the little boy's threat to run away from home, and is equally appro- priately answered by the question "Where "will you run to?" We are not aware that there is any feverish anxiety on the part of other colonies to accept a transfer of officials from Hongkong, but the officials are of course entitled, like other persons, to sell their labour in the best market they can find.
A number of applications for increase of salary having been received from members of the public service the applications were referred to a committee consisting of Sir JOHN CARRINGTON, Chief Justice, Hon. C. P. CHATER, Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD, and Mr. T. JACKSON. The Chief Justice, Mr. CHATER, and Mr. JACKSON have presented a report which, if we may say so without offence, does more credit to their hearts than their heads, while Mr. WHITEHEAD presents a separate repor. giving the practical view of the questiont" The majority report admits that if the fall in exchange and the increased cost of living were recognised as sufficient to justify an increase of salary in particular cases it is obvious that the same considerations would apply in the case of every officer in the public service. They think, how ever, that these considerations may properly be allowed some weight in certain special circumstances, and they instance "the case or thereabouts. It will be convenient to 看看
of a junior officer whose salary was fixed give the figures by which this result is
some years ago, when the value of the arrived at, taking $100 as the unit. An silver dollar was higher, and the cost of official for each hundred dollars of his pre- living, including house rent, was less, than vious salary received in 1891 $135; in 1894 they are now. His salary at that time was he entered upon the enjoyment of exchange supposed to be adequate to enable him to compensation, being allowed to draw half maintain a standard of respectability suit- his salary at the fixed rate of 33. to the dollar, "able to his position. But his salary was so that when exchange is at 2s. he draws "small and probably was no more than suffi- $674, being half his salary, in dollars not, "cient for his needs. If this view is correct, and the other half at 3s., which equals $1014, "it seems to follow that such an officer may making a total of $168, or an increase of 684be, and probably is, affected by the financial per cent. on the amount of the salary attaching to the same office in 1890. Exchange is now below 2s., so that the above figures are under the mark, and the net increase at the present time, as compared with 1890, may be taken in round figures as 70 per cent. Under these circumstances no unc, we think, can say that the colony has dealt illiberally with its public servants in respect of the fall in exchange and the increased cost of
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changes to which we are referring to such a degree that his salary no longer suffices to keep him in comfort and respectability." The Committee are of opinion that an officer so situated may fairly ask the Government to reconsider the question of his salary, and they have accordingly recommended moderate increases of salary in cases which appear to them to fall within this ente- gory. Now it seems to us that junior officers
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II.
Exception, we understand, has been taken to our remarks with reference to the salaries question, on the ground that we exaggerated the increase received in 1891. To prevent any misunderstanding it may be well to state more precisely what the Secretary of State's instructions were. Lord KNUTSFORD directed, then, that the increase should be
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