Extract from Confidential Saving telogran No.1366 from Civil Affairs, Hong Kong to ar Office for Civil Affairs and Colonial Office dated
8th January, 1946.
157
The question of re-organisation of the Police was, as you are aware, under consideration while Planning Unit was still in London revised scale for the
A European Inspectorate of $260 2535 with a 3-year wait at £430 vas approved for new entrants only, although it was recognised that it must ultimately be applied to serving members of the Force and that it would react on posta on similar salary levels in other departments. Further salary revisions were therefore indicated. The pre-war practice of recruiting European Sergeants at £190 is one of the principal factors which has made a re-organisation of the Police Force an urgent necessity. The evils of recruiting Europeans on very low rates of pay where it is their duty to enforce the low are perhaps more apparent than they were and in any case the time has come to employ Chinese Jub-Inspectors in Hong Kong in accordance with the approved policy of only utilising imported personnel where suitable local candidates are not forthcoming If Chinese are being given greater respʊnaibility it is important that a more intelligent type should be recruited. This involves a revision of rates for the Chinese rank and file as at present a Police recruit draws the same as an unskilled coolie. It is realised that normally salary rates should not be adjusted under a Military
Administration and that this should await the resumption of Civil Government. If however a really good Police Force is to be built up, it must be done now. If it is delayed for a few months more the old evils will again creep in.
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