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the Hongkong Government had no intention to treat one branch
of the Service more favourably than another, observing that
the petition for a general increase of salaries was subscrib-
ed jointly by the two branches of the Service who had hither-
to been on an equal footing in regard to salaries and that
the enhanced cost of living in the Colony had affected them
equally.
g.
--
Perhaps Your Petitioners may be allowed to say that
there existe a feeling of dissatisfaction in consequence of
this more favourable treatment of Clerks, One of Your Peti-
tioners Wong Tak Kwong, the translator to the Courts of
Justice was not allowed to draw his increment from 1st Janu-
ary 1913 as the Clerks were, but from lat January 1915 not-
withstanding the fact that he is officially designated as
'Clerk and Translator".
#
10. One of Your Petitioners Wong Kwong Tin ventures
to avail himself of this opportunity to point out that he
being 2nd Interpreter to the Courts of Justice draws less
salary than the 3rd Interpreter. This is an anomaly which he
feels sure that you, Sir, will rectify, now that it is
brought to your notice. It may also be pointed out that the
3rd Interpreter to the Courts of Justice was also granted an
increase of salary at the same time as the general increase
to Clerks of the Higher, 1st and 2nd grades was granted. This
3rd interpreter has recently been again granted & house
allowance of $30 a month, which makes his salary $65 more
than that of the 2nd interpreter.
11.
Your Petitioners beg also to bring to notice the
fact that hitherto all the higher clerical posts have not
been open to interpreters and translators who are told to
wait for promotion only in the Interpretation Sub-Department;