9.
Considering that the
may, at VITAB
77.
been transformed into an additional class through
which the whole body of Class VIB officers must
first pass before they can arrive at Class V.
Thus imperceptibly a stepping stone has developed
into an additional rung on the ladder of advance-
ment.
That, fourthly, the present minimum salary of $40
a month (i.e. 12/6d a week) is not a living wage, taking into
consideration the class of civil servants to whom this salary is
paid and the fact that both the cost of living generally and
the standard of living of your petitioners in particular, have
risen considerably during the past nine years. (Vide Comparative
Table in Appendix I).
8. That, fifthly, the health and efficiency of your
petitioners are seriously jeopardised by the absence of a travel-
ling allowance which circumstance tends to force them to crowd
into the densely populated city quarters in order to "save" on
travelling expenses. At present some of your petitioners,
especially those earning between $40 and $60 a month are reluctant
to set apart a portion of their salary (season tickets cost from
about $6 to $11 a month) to enable them to live in the healthier
suburban areas of Kowloon and North Point.
9. That the cumulative effect of the fore-going five
disabilities makes for discontent and inefficiency.
Conversely
the cumulative effect of the recommendations stated below will
make for greater contentment and (consequently) better and more
productive work.
Recommendations.
10.
That as a result of much thought and discussion
on the above observations during the nine years since the issue
of the Report of the Salaries Commission, 1929, your petitioners