177
by the Secretary of State only a few years ago, be cruse to
the best of my knowledge-and I speak with seven weers
experience in the Department-nothing has occurred in the
meanwhile to rlter their relative qualifications and respons-
ibilities.
8. My sense of injustice in Fccontur ted by the fact that there
are several officers in the service, some of whom hold
qualifications similar to mine, who are not cadets, but are
nevertheless receiving the advantage of this Duty Pay Scheme
simply because they neppen to hold cedet appointments, which
in all lilihood they will continue to hold to the exclusion
of crdets for many years, whilst I who hold an appointment
which, les becn decided on bigi authority shall be as well
paid as the corresponding cedet appointments of the Assist-
ant Land Officers for the New Territories on excluded.
9. After more then seven years service I am still drawing less
than my predecessor drew on first appointment 12 years ago
and I shall have to serve 9 years before I she 11 draw what
he then got.
10. I would also beg to remind you that the qualifications and
experience which were required of me before I entered the
service were very expensive and took many years to obtain
and that my prospects at present are limited to the possibil-
ity of becoming Land Officer sone years hence then the time
co es for the present holder of that post to retire whilst
most of the best appointments in the service are open to the
other Assistant Land Officers.
11. In conclusion Sir I beg that you will uphold the strong
ruling of your predecessor in 1903, end grant that the pay
of the post which I occupy shall continue to be the same as
the other two Assistant Land Officers, and that although I
am not a cadet, and my appointment is not a cadet appoint-
ment, still under the circumstances I may be allowed to--
participate