10.
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is concerned the question of salaries paid to Cadets appears
to have an important bearing on the difficulty of obtaining
suitable candidates and I stated that I hoped soon to put
proposals before you on this matter.
As you are aware only two Cadets were selected
from the candidates at the 1926 examination, although three
posts were offered, and only two on the results of the 1927
examination, although provision for four new cadets was
considered to be the minimum necessary; and I have been
reluctantly forced to the conclusion that some immediate
improvement in the salaries and prospects of the Cadet Service
is essential, if suitable officers are to be obtained for this
important service on which the efficient administration of
this Colony largely depends.
When the dearth of candidates for appointment
to astern Cadetships was considered at the Colonial Office
Conference, it appeared that of the Colonies concerned Ceylon
alone had so far experienced no difficulty in obtaining
recruits and was satisfied with existing arrangements. My
attention has also been drawn to the fact that since the
post-war resumption of recruitment by examination, whereas
up to and including the year 1924 candidates high up on the
list chose Hong Kong in preference to Ceylon or Malaya, in
1926 nine of the ten successful candidates expressed a first
preference for Ceylon and the remaining candidate elected for
Malaya as his first choice and Ceylon as his second. I have
not received similar particulars of the results of the 1927
examination. Hong Kong, however, has only been able to
secure two out of the four cadets asked for, and one of these
I understand was given no choice in the matter, although he
had stated his preference for an existing vacancy in Malaya.
As