400
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Part II. Detail of 1941-42 Estimates.
N.B.-The following notes are intended to invite attention to the more important differences between the Estimates for 1941-42 and those for 1940-41 and to supplement the footnotes which must necessarily be very brief.
HEAD 1. H.E. THE GOVERNOR.
Personal Emoluments.
One temporary Stenographer and one temporary Lady Cypher Officer have been added to the staff at Government House on account of the increased work arising out of the war.
Since the present Custodian at Government House has been on the maximum of the present approved salary scale of that post (£260 to £420 by 5 of £10, 2 of £20 and 7 of £10) for ten years, it is considered that, taking into account the responsibilities of the Custodian, an improvement of the salary scale is called for. It is proposed that the new scale be £300 to £480 by £10 annually and also that the present holder be allowed to draw the maximum of this scale (£480) as from 1st April, 1941.
HEAD 2.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND LEGISLATURE.
"
Officers on leave, Probationers in training, etc., whose salaries were formerly provided for under this Head as Attached have been transferred to Head 29, Treasury, etc. This change will make for more convenient administration and avoid unnecessary correspondence.
HEAD 4.
BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT.
This Head is for the first time split up into two parts, namely, A.—BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY and B.--AGRICULTURE.
A. BOTANICAL AND FORESTRY.
SUB-HEADS 7 AND 19.-Curtailment of normal firewood imports due in the first place to the Sino-Japanese hostilities and later aggravated by lack of shipping facilities arising out of the European War has resulted in high prices for firewood and serious illicit tree-cutting. To meet the latter, it has been necessary to increase largely the forest protection services and a supplementary vote of $20,475 was taken in Finance Message No. 7 of 1940-41 under Sub-head 7, Forestry, to meet the cost of the additional labour and transport. For 1941-42 provision for these forest protection services is made separately under Special Expenditure since it is hoped that they will not be necessary when conditions return to normal.
Personal Emoluments.
One new post of Motor Driver is required for an additional lorry for use with the forest protection services; as the lorry will be maintained by the Public Works Department provision for the lorry is made under Head 23A, Sub-head 16.
Two new posts of Senior Foremen are required to improve the supervision over the labour employed in very scattered areas on public gardens. It is proposed that one Senior Foreman shall function in Hong Kong and the other in Kowloon. The salary scale is similar to that of the Third Forester in the Forestry Section of the Department.
One additional Leading Gardener is required for the specific purpose of produc- ing flowering pot plants in the Botanic Gardens. One additional Grade II Gardener and three additional Grade III Gardeners are required to cope with increasing maintenance work; two of the latter replace the Incinerator Attendant and the Sweeper whose posts are abolished. As explained in the footnotes there are some alterations of titles in the Gardens Section. The salary scale of the three Park- Keepers is brought into conformity with that of Grade III Gardeners.