2.
-
It is unduly hard on the female officials as may be noted by the
following points :-
(a)
-
It is not logical that the female officer should receive only 80% of the male officers' salary as both male and female officers of the same rank and qualifications have spent equal time and money on their training and have discharged their duties with equal efficiency. In the nursing profession especially starting at the 6th year female nurses get even less than 80% e.g.
8
(b)
Nurses
Year
Male
10th
Basic Salary
$400.-
Female
10th
$295.-
Remarks
73% of the male basic salary.
The following table shows the difference of basic salaries of certified male of female teachers which also require re-adjustment :-
@
(၁ )
Certified teachers Year
Basic Salary
Male
1st
$300.-
Female
1st
$240.-
Remarks
$60.- less than male basic.
It looks embarassing for the female A.M.0. to start with $160.- less than the male A.M.O. while their qualifications are just the same
A.M.O.
Year
Basic Salary
Male Female
1st 1st
$720.-
$560..
Remarks
$160.- less than
a male officer.
It must be observed that there is no justification for
the vast difference in salaries between the male officers and
female officers as the cost of living for both, irrespective of
sex, is the same.
We trust that the above matter will receive your
favourable reconsideration and we must take this opportunity
to thank the Government for generosity shown us in the past.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servants,
Sd. Florence Wong
Sd. N.T. Sung
Sd. S.C. Cheng
3.
Pag
Pag
-
3 -
3. On the 22nd day of November, 1948, in reply to the said
application the Honourable the Colonial Secretary stated that
the Hong Kong Government was not then prepared to alter the
existing relationship between salary scales for men and women
officers which was recommended by the Salaries Commission.
4. On the 26th January, 1949, Your Petitioners again in another
application to the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, urged the
Hong Kong Government to reconsider the existing salaries of Women
The said application reads as follows :-
Officers.
q
Hong Kong Civil Service Chinese Association, China Building, 7th floor, Hong Kong 26th January, 1949.
ge 9
The Honourable,
The Colonial Secretary,
Hong Kong.
sir,
We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
13th December, 1948, but regret that our petition has not been
able to meet with the sympathetic consideration of the Government.
The existing discrimination between female and male officers
in Government service is, however, very discouraging and a real
cause of much discontent. We fail to see why a spinster should
receive less than a bachelor when both of them have the same
standard of education, qualification, experience, ability and
even social obligation. It is a great pity that the Salaries
Commission did not invite female officers to put forward their
opinions and suggestions and so this intolerable unequal treatment
was allowed to continue. We humbly request that Government will
kindly re-consider our petition and if possible, recommend it to
the Secretary of State for the Colonies for his kind consideration.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servants,
Representatives.
Sd. etc.
5.
ge 9
Pa
Pa
5. On the 5th February, 1949, the Honourable the Colonial
Secretary replied as follows :-
5th February, 1949.
Madames,
I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter
of 26th January, 1949, on the subject of your petition for
revised salary scales for female officers and in reply to inform
you that Government has carefully considered this matter and it
is regretted that it is not possible to recommend any alteration
in the relationship between salary scales for men and women
officers. No useful purpose therefore would be served in
forwarding your petition to the Secretary of State for the
Colonies.
If however you desire to appeal to the Secretary of
State against this decision I am to request you to forward
your petition to this office in proper form in accordance with
Colonial Regulation 184.
I am, Madames, Your obedient servant,
Sd. K.M.A. Barnett
Deputy Colonial Secretary
6. Taking into consideration the figures quoted in the first
application above referred to and the vast difference in salaries
between the men and women officers when the high cost of living
apply to men and women equally Your Petitioners humbly pray that
the salaries of women Civil Servants in the Colony of Hong Kong
may be reconsidered and raised to the level or near level as that
of the salaries drawn by men.
AND Your Petitioners will ever be grateful and pray &c.
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