SALARIES' REPORT
APPROVED.
Continued from Page 2.) population at only 800,000 Hong- kong pays yearly $20.7 a head. If you take total Revenue, which includes receipts from Land sales, widows and orphans Pension con tributions and all other Items; many of which are not derived from taxation at all, the proportionate revenue per head works out as follows:
Hongkong phys $28.4. the Straits Settlements S.S.$63, the Federated Malay States S.S.$72 and Ceylon Rs.31.5. I firmly believe, Sir, that Hongkong is one of the most lightly taxed civilized coun- tries in the world, and if it expects an efficient modern Government it should be prepared to pay for it.
Now. Sir, if my view of Hong- kong Taxation is correct, my Un- official friends are estopped from cannot saying that the Colony afford to meet the bill for the Salaries scheme, for there is a large reserve of taxable material at present untouched. The Go- vernment is satisfied that the Colony can well afford to meet the additional cost of the scheme, even though it should involve some alight additional taxation.
..
Feeling the Pinch.
THE CONCL
TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1930.
which ought to be adorted when year produce $1,500,000 from was received, appointed a special it does become payable, are which Military contribution of sub-committee under the Chair matters which the Government is 20%, or $300,000, falls to be de- manship of the Hon. Mr. Shenton leaving for further consideration. ducted leaving a nett additional to consider the Report and obtain Suffice it to say that for the revenue of $1,200,000, Admitted the views of the principal em present the Government ia ly, this increase of revenue will ployers of this Colony, the others satisfied that it need not be paid
forming this sub-committee being and the resultant saving to the
Mr. M. T. Johnson, then in charge exchequer is estimated at $665,820.
of Messrs. Mackinnon Mackenzie The allowance will not be intro-
and Co., and Mr. A. Ritchie of duced without further reference
Messrs. Lowe, Bingham and Mat- to this Council.
thews, with Mr. M. F. Key as Secretary.
to express an duthoritative opinion on the emoluments, which should be received by every form of service in Hongkong, is a knowledge which I personally do not possess, and I very much doubt whether there is any one man qualified. Neverthe less I think it is possible to get a body of men together consisting of Government representatives, em- ployers, and employees, who could at least do justice to those whose salaries are under · consideration, and at the same time effectually quite impossible to merely put the guard the other interests and con- Report as it stood before the am-siderations which require protec- ployers so they, as far as they were tion. able to, took the Report to pieces, and recast it into schedules, shew- ing in separate columns the pre- sent position, the recommendations of the Commissioners and the per- centages of increase.
not be fully available to meet additional expenditure for the current year, but our revenue has been coming in well during the árst half of the year and we are Already more than $750,000 above our estimates for the proportion- ate period. Expenditure is being. It was realised that it would be carefully watched and if all goes well we may yet find ourselves able to keep within our revenue-and should this prove impossible we are in a strong "position as regards our liquid reserves and should be able without difficulty to meet any anticipated deficit on the year's working.
At the same time the Govern- ment is prepared to ask for some sacrifice from the dollar-salaried officers, Hitherto dollar-salaried officers of less than ten years" ser vice have not been entitled to reat allowance, The Commissioners recommended the grant of this concession regardless of length of service. The Government con siders that the old rulé might for the present remain unchanged It is, however, important that in without undue hardship and the a normal year recurrent expendi- saving obtained by this modificature should be met from recurrent tion of the acheme is estimated at revenue, and it is for this reason $248,281.
}
The Government 1s that I have ventured- to sound sing their views:- satisfied that with these modifica-note of warning as to the possible tions the scheme is not an undue necessity for raising further re- burden on the Colony even ander venue by means of the Assessment present conditions, and sees no Rates next year. justification for a further post- ponement of the scheme.
Cost of the Scheme,
justified.
No-one.
I come now, Sir, to the cost of the scheme, and this, of course, varies with the rate of the dollar On the advice of my Hon. friend the Colonial Treasurer we have I turn now to the argument that taken 1/6d. as the average rate the Colony cannot afford the for the year 1939 and we can only scheme at the present time. No. hope that we shall not be proved thing would have pleased me bet-over-sanguine.
can ter, Sir, than to introduce the guarantee the future course of the scheme when the Colony was in dollar and even since our calcula- the full flow of prosperity, when tions were made the dollar has Should it trade was booming and when dropped still further. everyone was happy. Admittedly, remain below 1/6d., there will times are difficult and it has yet necessarily be an increase in the to be seen whether, as one school cost of the scheme as calculated of local thought has predicted, the in dollara but the increase will be fall of the dollar will bring renew fully
Taking ed prosperity to the Colony. For average rate of 1/6d. over the the moment, the fall of the dollar whole year and taking the scheme has brought hardship to many in-
as modified by the two alterations dividuals who see their sterling already referred to and by the costs going up and the value of recommendations embodied in Sir their dollar savings dwindling. Cecil Clementi's despatch of 22nd if the scheme was necessary January, 1930, and its enclosure, when the dollar was at 2/- and the additional cost over and above the currency crisis had not the amount voted in the estimates for 1930 is estimated after care- developed, it is no less necessary
the details as now, for on the present system of ful revision of exchange for sterling salaries $1,028,917. some officers are receiving less than the actual dollar equivalent of their sterling salaries, while dollar-salaried officers, whose basic salaries were regarded as too low by the Commission with the dollar at 2/-, are now feeling the pinch more than ever with the dollar at between 1/3d and 1/4d. Even if the whole salary scheme were not accepted by this Council, some steps would be necessary to relieve the situation, and I notice on the agenda paper a motion by my Hon. friend, Mr. Kotewall, who
i
The additional cost of the full scheme with the dollar at 1/6d.
estimated is
at $2,542,995. Deducting from this the sums of $665.800 and $218,000 referred to above, we arrive at the nett in- crease of $1,628,917. This
the amount includes $377,400 which is the estimated cost of continuing the exchange compensation scheme. 1/6d. It will be remembered that
sum
of
of Vital Importance.
I regret, Sir, that my remarks should have been extended to this inordinate length, but the subject is one of vital importance to the good government of this Colony and one which has aroused great public interest. This must be my excuse for delaying the Council so long.
I now move:-
(1)
(2)
(3)
The Report, the schedules in question and a covering letter were then placed before the following concerns, for the purpose of obtain- Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd. The Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. The Hongkong & Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co, Ltd. The Hongkong Tramway Co. Ltd. (5) The Asiatic Petroleum Co.
· Ltd. (6. The Hongkong & Whampna
Dock Co. Ltd.
(4)
(7)
Messrs. Mackinnon
kenzie & Co. Ltd.
(8)
Tribute to Commissioners.
I have no hesitation in saying that to arrive at an equitable and fair decision, not only must the views of the Government service-be heard, but the representations of any other interests in the Colony, likely to be effected, and gards pensions, the general candi- tions existing, and likely to exist, in those countries where the re- cipient concerned is likely to retire to.
25. re-
One must not be blind to the fact that any increase has to be paid for, that any advantages given must reflect on outside employment, and that the general conditions of trade, past, present and future, call for the most careful investigation.
Before proceeding further, I should like to pay a tribute to the Mac-great work of the Commissioners
who have given so much of their
The P. &. O. Steamship Co. time to the study of this difficult matter they have devoted many weeks to this important subject.
Ltd.
(9) The E. & A. Lines
(10) The Hongkong Electric Co. The public as a whole, and the Government in particular, must be (and without doubt are) deeply indebted to the members of the
Ltd. (11) Messrs.
Butterfield
&
Swire. (12) The Taikoo Dockyard and (13) The Taikoo Sugar Refinery
Co. Ltd.
Commission for their great ser vice, and for the range of their de liberations, which has given us'a It might here be stated that the comprehensive frame upon which Sub-Committee were considerably to work, and will assist us very surprised to find that none of the important problems we are called materially in understanding the executives of the above concerns had been consulted by the Com-upon to solve.
Report Rejected.
"That this Council approves the recommendations of the Salaries Commission published in Sessional Paper No. 7. of 1929 as modified by the Gover nor's Despatch No. 37, of the 22nd January, 1930, and ap- proved by the Secretary of State for the Colonies in his telegram of the 25th March, 1930, pub- lished in Sessional Paper No. 3. of 1930, and further modified by the exclusion of the High Cost of Living allowance referred to
In reviewing this matter, we owe in paragraph 12 of the Commis-missioners. sinners' report and the rent
a duty to the Colony as a whole, allowance for dollar salaried
that and we should be failing, in officers of less than ten years' Written statements were
re-duty if we attempted to represent service referred to in paragraph ceived from all, and were found to any individual interest, or in any 180 of the report which allow be unanimous in rejecting the Com-way allowed one section of the ances shall not be provided with missioners' Report, the general con-community to influence -out further specific sanction of sensus of opinion being that the than another. Whilst we wish to this Council, and accordingly present terms of Government em-do justice to the Government ser- resolves that a sum of $1,628,917 ployment are more advantageous vice, we must be careful that our be charged upon the Revenue than similar employment outside. recommendations do not cause un- and other funds of the Colony in It. must not be assumed by this due injury to the public, or cast too addition to the sums already general statement that there are great a strain on the revenues of provided in the Estimates for not considered to be cases where this Colony. 1930 for the purpose of carrying revision is necessary-there are, into effect as from the 1st of and probably many, but they must January, 1930, the recommenda, be dealt with as individual cases. tions so modified,"
The views expressed were collat ed in a Report which was passed to the Committee of the Chamber, who after consideration adopted it as the considered view of the Cham- ber, and the same was in January last sent to the Government.
and I trust that Hon. Members down to will feel that the motion is one to which they can give their support.
It should also be stated that the
Commission's Report had previ, ously been submitted to a Board appointed to consider labour condi- tions, who by a majority arrived at the same conclusion as the Hong- VIEWS.kong General Chamber of Com-
-
in voting this sum the Finance The Government will regard it as Committee stipulated that the matter of sincere regret should increased compensation should not it not receive the unanimous sup is evidently prepared to offer a be paid beyond June 30th with-port of the Council in what it re- compromise with a view to reduc-out further reference to the Com-gards as an essential act of Justice ing the cost to the Colony. But, mittee and it may therefore be to its employees. Sir, Mr. Kotewall's scheme is, in the held to have voted only $188.701. Hon. Mr. E. R. Hallifax seconded opinion of the Government, fair it has been thought better to the resolution. neither to the sterling-salaried nor include the sum already voted to the dollar-salaried officers. in the total vote for the new
but Hon. The former it leaves in the posi-scheme
members tion I have described above of will, of course, understand that saving on the receiving less than the dollar there will be a equivalent of their salaries; to the latter, it offers only half of what the Commissioners thought they deserved as long ago as last August. Now, Sir, the Govern- ment has a high opinion of the value of its subordinate staff, ani
double vote of the amount already voted for the increased exchange compensation allowance.
Addi'ional Taxation,
To meet this additional recur rent charge and to meet the in-
at the time when their needs are ments owing to the drop of the greatest one half of the incite dollar the Government considers it to which the Commissioners con- sidered them to be entitled last
year,
Reducing the Cost,
the
THE UNOFFICIAL
An Intolerable Hardship On
necessary to increase the revenue of the Colony. The financial posi-kong General Chamber of tion is very fully set out in Sir merce, and large employers Cecil Clementi's despeten puolish labour in this
to
motions
Shenton
merce.
have
us more
No Mention of Pensions. The Commissioners were pointed on the 19th October, 1928,
ap-
and the report in question was de-
livered some time in the autumn
of last year; I cannot give the
exact dated.
as the report is not The terms of reference were four only:
(1) The adequacy of the present
Government Salary Scales. (2) The method of conversion of such salaries, when in the Colony, and on leave.
time.
2
$1
In
(1) The recommendationa
rospect of the sterling officers, and
(4) That as
dollar regarda
dollar officers who have not" salarled officers, they in-j hnd 10 years”... service, and tended to give them an all are referred to in paragraph round increase of 20% and
180 of the Report.p this is so stated in para- Generally, an officer gets hous graph 14 of the Report. ing accommodation on the basis Position at Present.
of 6% of his salary and -1% for Before dealing with the recom- furniture, or an allowance, which mendations of the Commissioners. In the case of sterling officers we should consider. the position of works out from $100 to $200 per Government Salaries at the present month. The Report of the Comy time.
missioners must now, bo vlawed (1) Sterling officers are paid on from two aspects.
the basis, authorised after the 1919 Salaries Commis- sion had delivered its Re- port, converted at the $12 (2) The recommendations in to the £, plus an allowance respect of the dollar officers, of 2% per penny.
The Sterling Officers... the Sterling Exchange drops from 2/6 down to 1/9 in As regards (1) the sterling respect of married officers, officers. The exchango has not and 1% for unmarried remained at 2/ "but something officers, that is to say, with which was not foreseen by any one a maximum of 18% and 9% has happened-exchange has respectively, which means an dropped to the neighbourhood of increase over the nominal 1/6, a fall of no less than 25%. salaries of 34.4% on recon- The Commission visualised an ex- version in respect of married change of about 2/-, and did not officers, and 27.2% for un- intend to give to an officer more married officers, on a 2/- dollars than he is already drawing, basis.
but on the basis of conversion It should here be recommended, he gets the full noted that since the Com-benefit of the drop, which was not mission delivered its Report, contemplated. the Finance Committee were Now, do not think anyone will approached by the Govern- argue that the cost of living has ment, and asked to extend risen to anything like the extent the exchange compensation the dollar has fallen, in other scale down to 1/6, so as to words an officer will receive under assist them over a period of the Report, dollars substantially in uncertaintly, to which the excess of any rise in the cost of Finance Committee, agreed, living, so that the officer will but as a temporary, measure benefit to an extent the Commis- only, and subject, to any de- sion did not intend. cision that might be come to,
Let us now take a concrete case in reference to the Report of an officer, who is entitled to a It was not the intention of salary of £1,000 per annum the Finance Committee to At the present time". on the make this permanent, and basis of a 2/- dollar he will they were not prepared to receive $1,120 per month-and treat it even as a High Cost with his maximum exchange com- of Living Allowance. They pensation in, $1,180 per month- bad not then considered the his exchange compensation Ta Report, and this decision worth $60 per month to him. was a temporary one only. Under the Report, on the basis of and was not intended to 2/-, he will get $1,102 per month- bind them permanently in in fact. he loses $18 per month, any way, but merely to assist whilst if exchange is 1/6 he will the Government out of a get $1,469 per month, or an temporary difficult situation, increase of $289 per month. that had then arisen. 4
It might be fairly argued that (2) Dollar officers are paid on the. Commissioners intended to the basis authorised after give him $18 per month less than the 1919 Salaries Commis- he is at present drawing, but the sion had delivered its Report, drop in exchange will give him a and were settled from time rise of $289 per month, to time during the years
If the Report is adopted, less the 1920 and 1921.
second 16%, he would get $1,277 It is not possible to give per month, or an increase of any satisfactory idea of $175 per month. what the increases, either sterling or dollar, amounted to, as the information has never been in my hands.
Halcyon Years.
commended.
consider broadly,
The Dollar Officers.
If I am correct in my submis- sion, that the question of pensions was not within the terms of reference, and should be dealt with in a different manner, then. farrive at the conclusion that for It is, I think, fair to assume they practical purposes, the basis of the were on a generous scale. The Report, as regards sterling officers, years 1919, 1920 and 1921, were has gone, and some very sub- halcyon years I think without stantially amended formula ought doubt the most prosperous pericd to be adopted... in the Colony's history; many of us will remember those days of pros-
As regards (2)the dollar perity, the fat balance sheets, and the overflowing banking accounts. officers. In the first place we (3) The principles of acting pay, The average rate of exchange for do not know what was the actual charge allowances, and over the year 1919 was 3/9.7/16, for result of the 1919 Commission, but That, Sir, is a brief history of the progress of the Commissioners I want you to note here, that al- erosity was the order of the day,
(4) Housing, and rent allowance. 1920 4/3.11/16, and for 1921 2/7.- we are inclined to think it was
7/16. It was a period when gen- possibly generous...
On the face of the Report under Trade.
Report. through the bands of the though the terms of reference and it was not until 1923 that this review, the Commissionera recom- sub-committee, the large employers specifically refer to leave pay, no artificial situation subsided, rather mend an all round increase of HON MR. J. OWEN HUGHES.
of labour and members of the mention is made of pensions, and Hon. Mr. J. Owen Hughes. Hongkong General Chamber of I venture to suggest that pensions be followed by the debacle of 1925. Salaries Commission.
more quickly than was pleasant, to 20% on the results of the 1919 Sir. Being the sador European Commerce,
are a matter which require separate Second only to the labour under: consideration, and are not neces that the high rates of exchange range of employment, and it is in It is a fair. argument, I think. The dollar officers cover a great it is not prepared to deny to them creased cost of sterling commit-it falls to me to present to Your taken by members of the Salaries sarily bound up with the amount which we have enjoyed in past these classes that the maja re-
Unofficial member present to-day;} Excellency and this Council. the Commission themselves, in the considered views of ourselves, and laking of evidence, in the considera-of salary granted when on active years have created an unduly and percussion will most probably be service, but are more concerned unwarranted high standard of liv- felt on outside employment. It is also of the merabers of the long- tion, and the final presentation of with the general
Com-the Report itself, is
circumstances ing, and must now be reduced. We difficult for me to speak, with any the vast and conditions. in the country of amount of work undertaken by Mr.which the
10 must cut our coat according to our degree of knowledge, as to what recipient is likely cloth.
is, under, all the circumstances, Colony, the Shenton and those associated with ultimately to retire.
011
him in preparing and presenting
In 1926 certain rent allowances fair and equitable pay for these ed in Sessional Paper No. 3. of Salaries Commission Report.
The question of pensions was not were granted after 10 years' ser various classes of employment. But, Sir, the Government is not 1930 and I need not deta. this Will you kindly allow me, Sir. the Report, with the various in fact referred to the Commission, vice.
When considering Government unmindful of the cost of the Council by repeating the details first of all to refer to a letter sent schedules I have referred to be although the effect of the repart
salaries, one must bear in mind whole scheme and of the new which can be more conveniently to the Hon. Colonid Secretary by fore, the Committee of the Chamber broadly speaking is, that if ex- Commission's Recommendations, :
certain advantages they receive factors introduced by the drop in studied in the Sessional ruper, the Hon. Mr. Shenton on the 14th and employers, but it has earned change is in the neighbourhood of
such as pensions, passage for the dollar, and it has, after mature Ine Government has given much May expressing the unanimous re- for them the gratitude of all, and 2/- to confer benefits on sterling what the Commissioners have re" themselves, and family, housing consideration, conie to the con-earnest consideration the quest of Unofficial members that he especially of those who will be ad- employees, in respect of pensions
inversely affected should the recom- and leave pay, only,
or rent allowance, preferential clusion that it can reduce the coat sources from which this additional should propose two
(1) To. sterling officers, the rate for medical service. con- of the scheme without undue revenue should be obtained and connexion with the question now mendations of the Commission he I am not suggesting that the hardship to
nominal salaries fixed after tinuity of employment, safety of meetings before us.. Mr.
wrote adopted. Many by has taken due notice of the recup
present adequacy of pensions is eliminating for the present the tion accorded to the proposals set again on the 2nd of this month to been held by Unofficial members, not ripe for enquiry, but that they
the 1919 Commission, plus employment and protection against 15%, plus a further 15% na arbitrary dismissal. two charges referred to in my out in Sir Cecil Clementi's des- ask Your Excellency to accent that including one meeting with repre- were, according to my reading, not to say letter as a formal notice of mesentatives of the Government, mem-within the terms of reference, or if
a High Cost of Living Allow. motion, viz., the High Cost 1 paten, am authorized
ance in respect of married Living allowances of 15% and that it has been decided to leave tion, and that Unofficial members bers of the Salaries Commission, they were, that the field covered by 74% for Sterling Salaried officers in abeyance the proposal to
desired that they be treated
officers, and 7% for un- as and with the Committee of the the Commissioners was not suf-| and the rent allowance for dollar the Assessment Tax, though I must substantive motions, af the
same Chamber of Commerce, culminating ficiently wide.
married officers, convertable at the rate of the day, which salaried officers of less than 10 warn Hon. Members that it may time. informing Government that in a speech by the IIon. Mr. Shenton years' service.' As regards
if granted in toto would· the still be necessary to impose some owing to his impending departure which, but for his departure on a
Three Important Aspects.. mean an increase over the former, the salaries scheme took increase later on in order to fur home these motions would be well-earned holiday, would be de- livered by him to Your Excellency
nominal salaries of 82%, as its basis for calculation a dollar balance the Budget for '99 unless proposed by me.
Subsequently representatives of in
of at 2/- and in order to give an the
married the 'employers, who had been con- Retrenchment
respect Government and this Council today. Committee,
the As, however, officer roughly the same salary in which my Hon. friend, Mr. Owen have exercised, its prerogative and
officers and sar 16% for sulted by the Hongkong General unmarried officers on 2/- Chamber of Commerce, were dollars as he was then receiving Hughes will ask for later in the have adopted the present course of
basis.
afforded an opportunity of meet- it increased his substantive salary day and which the Government action. it necessitates the first of by 15% and added a discretionary vil readily grant, is able to effect the two motions referred to being fall the Unofficial members, a copy
It should here be noted that ing the Members of the Commis High Cost of Living Allowance o' such reforms that further taxation put as an amendment, and I trust of the speech and schedules was
the second 15% and. 72% sion, but little result was poo- ie., the High Cost of Bible, because in the first place, not more than 15% for married or can be avoided. The Government Your Excellency will accept it in sent to the Hon. Colonial Secretary 7% for unmarried officers. It as Ilon. Members are already this form. The amendment there, and being thus submitted, it would
Living Allowance is dis- the Report had already been com appears to the Government that as aware has increased the tax on fore is:-
in my opinion be unfair that such
cretionary in the Govern- pleted and published, and second- 'the cost of living in Hongkong tobacco and hopes to derive there- "That in view of the for an important document; the result
ment that is to say It can ly, the Commissioners could only rises proportionately more slowly from $700,000 in a full year and reaching effect of the Commis of many weeks' labour and careful
be given in toto, in part; deal with matters within the terms than the dollar drops there cómo 3300,000 during the rest of 1930: sioners Report on, employment, thought, should be left unrecorded.
or not at all, if the Govern of the reference, but, three import point at which the High Cost of The postal rates, at present far be generally, and the community as I therefore crave Your Excellency's
ment so desires. The Com-ant aspects of the problem be- Living allowance may scarcely below those current elsewhere will. a whole, and the large expendi- permission and the indulgence of
mission recommended that came apparent, Justified and the netual dollar be raised from 1st July, whereby
(1) That the Commissioners did ture of money involved, Hia Hon. members to quote freely from
the first 15% should · he equivalent of the sterling salary the Government hopes to obtain Excellency the President of this that speech, particularly as I am in
taken into account for becomes a reasonable emolument $700,000 during 1930 and $228,009
Council be invited to appoint a full agreement with it. I will without the addition of any High in a full year,
Committee consisting of Govern- afterwards submit my own views, Cost of Living allowance. But
The first reading of an Ordi- ment nominees, representatives leaving the seconder of this amend- this cannot be regarded as a per-nance to introduca & Petrol Tax of employers and employees and ment, the Hon. Mr. Mackle, and manent situation, The Commia-will be taken this afternoon, from
others having a broad know other Unofficial colleagues to make sioners realized that with an un- which the Government hopes to ⚫ledge of the conditions of employ- their own observations in support. atable exchange there must be a derive a nett revenue of $275,009 ment in the Colony, to investi- I have before me a difficult and variable factor in the system in a full year and $135,000 during sioners and make a report there- no one will approach without a gate the Report of the Commis- arduous task-ope. which I think adopted for the conversion of the rest of 1930. sterling salaries into dollars and An Ordinance to introduce an
on for further consideration."feeling of diffidence having regard while fxing
substantive Amusement Tax will be brought new
Interest of Employers.
to the magnitude of the subject, salaries it left a variable factor in forward later in the year from the High Cost of Living allow-which the Government, hopes to aware, the Committee of the Hong- has only to scan the pages of the The point at which this derive $300,000 per annum. kong General Chamber of. Com- Salarico Report, to realise that it allowance should again baćome
merce, very shortly after the Re- covers almost every class of em payable, and the sliding scale- These taxes should in a full port of the Salaries Commission ployment in the Colony. To be able
:ance.
service
Revenue Coming in Well.
USC
An Important Document. With the knowledge and consent
As Your Excellency is doubtless and the interests involved. One
Four Broad Principles. In considering the Report, there are four broad principles we should not lose sight of, and which the Commissioners appear to have kept sions they did: in mind when arriving at the doci-
(1) That exchange was likely to remain in the neighbourhood of 2/-, because in paragraph 7 of the Report, they say. "the dollar is now a little under 2/- and there is some. probability that it will re main in the region of 2/ (2) The recommendation of the second 15% for married officers and 71⁄2% for up- married officers, being High Cost of Living allow- to be payable either wholly, partly, or not at all, at the discretion of the Government, see graph 12 of the Report.. (3) In fixing sterling salaries they did not intend to give to an officer more dollara than he was then getting, because in paragraph 13 of the Report they say, "we have endeavoured to retain to an officer the number of dollars he is at present drawing.".
ance, was
paraTM
leave, and pensions, whereas at the present time leave and pensions_are calculated on the nominal salary only.
(2) To dollar officers, a 20% all round increase, on the basis authorised after the 1919; Salaries Commission had delivered its Report. (8) The housing provision or rent allowances as at pre- sent existing are generally approved; there are, how- ever, certain recommenda-j tions in respect of the
I will now give some com parisons between the Commis sioners' recommendations, present Government salaries, and outside employment.
not consider it necessary to consult outside employers, and had confined their in- vestigations to Government employees. (2) That they did not take into their. consideration the effect of their report on outside employment, or at- tempt to decide · on en economical wage, and
(3) They were not by the terry
of reference called upon consider how their reco mendations should be fu plemented.
(Continued on Page 6)
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