818
the completion of his probationary period, be placed on a scale of £360 per annum rising to £480 by triennial increments of £30. The salary to be assigned to the Headmistress of Kowloon School may remain on the scale proposed in your despatch No. 25 of 18th January last. The Master of the Belilios Reformatory might be given the same salary as a Third Grade Master in the Straits Settlements, viz., £225 per annum rising to £285 by two triennial increments of £30; and his Assistant should receive a salary of £150 per annum rising to £200 by two triennial incre- ments of £25.
16. The salary proposed for the Postmaster at Shanghai seems adequate, except that I am inclined to think that the increments attached to the post should continue up to a maximum of £480 a year, in view of the desirability of retaining in the appointment an experienced postal official. Similarly I am doubtful whether the maximum salary provided for the Accountant and the Superintendent of the Money Order Office is quite enough: and I incline to think that a further increment of £25 should be given. The Examining Supervisors have, as you are aware, been appointed on salaries of £200 per annum rising to £245, but I do not object to their being placed on the scale now proposed, viz., £230 per annum rising to £280 by triennial increments of £25.
17. In agreeing to the salaries of the various postal appointments referred to in paragraph 7 of the despatch being fixed in sterling, I must not be understood to express any opinion as to whether or not these positions should hereafter be filled by officers selected from this country. No definite proposal to that effect has as yet been submitted.
18. As regards the Police appointments, I propose to adopt for Hongkong rates similar mutatis mutandis to those which I have approved for the Straits Set- tlements, viz. :—
One Chief Inspector, £300 per annum rising to £360 by triennial incre-
ments of £30.
One Chief Inspector, £240 per annum rising to £300 by similar incre-
ments.
First Class Inspectors, £220 per annum rising to £240 after three years
service in that grade.
Second Class Inspectors, £180 a year.
Third Class Inspectors, £170 a year.
Sergeants, £140 per annum rising by triennial increments of £10 to
£160.
Lance Sergeants. £120 per annum rising after three years' service in that
grade to £130.
Constables, £100 per annum rising to £120 by triennial increments of
£10.
These rates have been promised to candidates for the post of Constable, who are being selected by the Crown Agents in accordance with the Colonial Secretary's letter of the 6th February last.
You are aware that the Armourer Sergeant has been engaged on a salary of £225 a year.
19. I accept the salary proposed for the Assistant Superintendent of the Gaol. In order to assimilate the remaining salaries to those in the Straits Settlements the Chief Warder should be given £240 a year, rising to £300 by triennial increments of £30; the Principal Warders £168 rising to £204 by triennial increments of £6; the Warders £96, rising to £144 by four annual increments of £12.