rota feprevosia (hat he is unable to ud 8 August 8th.—(1) The Governor of For-sufficient number of Magistrates to fill the vacant posts in the island. This spring several deaths having occurred amon, local officials, the Government of Fukien was requested to transfer three expectant Magistrates from that province to Formosa. But of the three, only one arrived, and he too has since died, so that the Memorialist's staff is no better off than before. It appears that owing to the bad climate and the presence of malaria in the island, more than ten Sub-prefects or Magistrates have died within the last two years; and, this having become known, officers who are transferred from other provinces find means to escape complying with their orders. It is thus imy ible to fill the vacancies which occur. There are at the present moment eight or nine posts without oceupants, and in addition, the acting Magistrate st Feng-shan has applied to be re-Lsved immoliately on scconat of serious illness. This state of things is particularly jared at the present moment, has just been measured with a view to its taxation, and are being issued to the owners, no that thee i special n¢ competent officers. ere are ofitals under the order of the Memo-who possess the experience and knowledge of the country, but unfortunately they are not of the standing had required for promotion to the rank of Magistrate. Under these circumstances the Memorialist suggests that the regulations regarding promotion should be placed in abeyance for a limited time, say for ten years, or till the works at the new provincial capital be completed, and that during the said period he shall be allowed to exercise his discretion in making appointments to District Magistracies without, being bound bythe ord rules.—Refer to the Board of Civil Office for a report without delay.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.