Ivy Cottage,
Babbacombe.
2 September, 1908.
32156
286
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 30049/1908 of the 20th ult. with regard to my appointment to the post of Deputy Official Receiver in Hong Kong.
2. With reference to your statement that no addition to the salaries sanctioned on the introduction of the Sterling scheme can be approved it will be remembered that Class III of the scheme, as approved by the Secretary of State, contains three sub-divisions carrying salaries of £540-£630 (Assessor of Rates), £440-£500 (Assistant Land Officers, New Territories) and £420-£540 respectively. It would therefore involve no alteration of the approved rates of salary if the new post were to be placed in the first sub-division of Class III, and, as the duties of the Deputy Official Receiver and Registrar of Trade Marks will probably be no less arduous and responsible than the duties of the Assessor of Rates, I venture to request that, subject to the approval of His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, my appointment may be so graded.
3. It may be mentioned in this connection that Mr. Jacks, who as Assistant Land Officer is together with the Deputy Official Receiver directly subordinate to the Land Officer and Official Receiver, is in receipt of a salary of £460 per annum less Widows' and Orphans' Contribution. This Officer is considerably junior to me in the Service and was not selected by competitive examination.
The Under Secretary of State for the Colonies.