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training, will prove attractive to young men starting their careers. In view of the very extensive assistance given to Dr. W. K. Dunscombe in his training for the post of Assistant Bacteriologist (please see your despatch No. 138 of 24th May, 1927*), I do not propose to alter the initial salary, £700 per annum, agreed upon with him; but for the sake of uniformity I propose to grant him a special increment of £15 per annum at the end of eighteen months' service and thereafter annual increments of £30 in accordance with the new scale.
Similarly the scale £750-£25-£1,000 granted in the case of Dr. Fawcett, recently appointed Assistant Medical Officer of Health, will be retained for the period of his agreement. If he is subsequently promoted to the permanent staff he will advance from £800 to £1,040 by increments of £30 in accordance with the new scale instead of from £800 to £1,000 by increments of £25 as stipulated in his agreement.
8. For specialist appointments requiring less arduous training the same salary scale as for the Assistant Specialists is proposed. In this category would fall the Radiologist and possibly the Medical Officer-in-Charge of Native Hospitals if possessed of a really efficient knowledge of Chinese, the desirability of which for such a post hardly needs emphasis.
9. For the Analyst the initial salary is increased from £500 to £625 and the maximum from £750 to £900. Mr. Dovey, who has been on £750 since 1923, will be advanced to £775 on 1st January, 1928. The initial salary (£400) of the Assistant Analyst is left unchanged but the maximum is raised from £600 to £700 and Mr. Lubatti, who has been on £600 since 1922, will similarly be advanced to £625 on 1st January, 1928.
10. Schedules showing in tabular form the new proposals and their application to existing staff are annexed.
Owing to great pressure of other work it was not found possible to complete these proposals in time for inclusion in the Budget for 1928. I have, however, submitted them to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council and have obtained in advance its unanimous agreement to a supplementary vote for the excess ($6,340) involved, should such a vote become necessary. It is of course possible, if not probable, that owing to unfilled appointments and other causes part of the excess will be covered in 1928 by savings on other items of the Personal Emoluments of the Medical Department.
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor, &c.
* Personal File 26892 Eastern.