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should be sufficient in the majority of cases to eliminate the present privilege enjoyed by certain officers of adding one sixth of their salary to their pensionable emoluments. It should in addition form a reasonable contribution towards the rent of premises at controlled rates.
REDUCTION OF DIVERSITY OF SCALES
32. Paragraph (iii) of our terms of reference instructs us to keep in view in framing the recommendations the desirability of reducing the present diversity of salary scales and conditions of service amongst the various grades of the public service. We have already recommended uniformity in connexion with rent for quarters and we have attempted by suggesting model scales for the main categories of Government servants to reduce the present extraordinary diversity of salary scales which are no doubt the result of piecemeal decisions taken over many years. We have accordingly divided the Government service into the following six main groups:-
(a) Minor Staff, Artisans and Foremen,
(b) Storekeepers,
(c) Clerical,
(d) Executive or semi-administrative,
(e) Technical,
(f) Professional and administrative.
We have endeavoured to provide within each group for a reasonable career, but have also had in mind the possibility of an officer advancing from one group to another. In addition to the six groups mentioned above, there are two further groups which provide possible avenues of promotion:-
(g) Specialist,
(h) Superscale.
Our recommendations are based in the main on this system of grouping, but to allow for variations in duties, responsibilities and qualifications within each group we have suggested varying entry points on to the model scales, varying maximum salaries, varying points for promotion bars or efficiency bars, and occasionally an increased incremental rate at certain points. Using the model scales with modifications of this kind we have effected a considerable reduction in the number of salary scales which exist at present. The main model scales are to be found in Appendix III. These scales are expressed in Hong Kong dollars per month, but for purposes of comparison annual salaries in dollars and in sterling and the annual rates of expatriation pay where applicable in dollars and sterling are also shown. These are followed in Appendix IV by detailed schedules for each department, showing the salaries recommended for all posts in the 1947-48 Estimates with explanatory notes where necessary, and in Appendix V by tables showing the application of these new basic scales to the various departments.
REMUNERATION OF WOMEN
33. We have given careful consideration to the remuneration of women who do work comparable with that done by male officers. In particular we have considered the case of women doctors, schoolmistresses and women clerks. We have studied the report of the Royal Commission on Equal Pay 1944–1946 and we are of the opinion that the remuneration of a woman officer should be approximately 80% of that of a male officer doing comparable work. We have been influenced in making this recommendation by our decision referred to in paragraph 65 below not to support the introduction of family allowances. We have, therefore, assumed that the salary of a male officer should be sufficient under normal circumstances to enable him to support a wife and children and that a female officer will not normally have similar commitments. We also understand that it is possible that existing restrictions on married women continuing to serve on the permanent pensionable establishment may be modified where this will not unduly interfere with the prospects of employment for single self-dependent women.
APPLICATION OF EFFICIENCY BARS, ETC.
34. The new scales we are proposing will in many cases bring substantial increases in basic salary to serving officers and in the application of these scales, we recommend the strict enforcement of efficiency bars and promotion bars where these are indicated. The new salary scales together with a temporary cost of living allowance should provide adequately for a reasonable standard of living throughout the public service but in the interests of the taxpayer we urge that every endeavour should be made by Heads of Departments to satisfy them- selves that officers in their departments have by their work and conduct fully