Continued. 3
than an engineer and £200 less than a Medical Officer newly appointed and, it may be, fresh from College.
4.
We have been informed that no comparison with India is possible, but we venture again to refer to the fact that members of the senior Indian Civil Service are
paid better, age for age, seniority for seniority, than members of any other department in India, the medical
included, and that we who pass the same entrance
examination as these Indian Officers and who in some
cases chose Hong Kong in preference to India, find
ourselves paid less during our early years than officers
of all other departments.
24
account.
5. It has further been objected with reference to
our comparison of our salaries with the salaries in other
Colonies that question of climate, exchange compensation,
loneliness of station etc. have to be taken into
comimukin reply we would refer to the fact that all such
considerations appear to have been ignored in the case of transferred officers whose sterling salary in this Colony
has been raised so that they should not suffer even
nominal loss in comparison with their sterling salary in
the previous Colony.
Further we would point out that Hong Kong alone of
the grouped Colanies suffers in respect of salary during
leave, as we lose the privilege rate, Also the distance
from England is greater.
We understand that the Cadets in Malaya who learn
Chinese with us found that, owing to the system of acting
appointments which obtains in Malaya, by accepting salary
at Hong Kong rates during their two years in China, which
commence after they have served 6 months in Malaya, they
suffered to such an extent in comparison with other cadet
officers that special concessions have been made whereby
on their return to Malaya they automatically start a grade
higher than the normal, and receive salary of 8550 Straits
Currency a month instead of $400 Hong Kong currency in the