Inspectors
17
Inspectors, and the statement in the Royal Empire Society leaflet, are correct it can only be concluded that these men are underpaid. A Commission has, however, recently carried out a thorough investigation into salaries and a committee has also made equally thorough investigations into cost of living allowances and it is difficult to question salary scales etc. which are now paid to these Inspectors as a result of the findings of these enquiries. I am, however, far from happy about their position and I have had a talk with Mr. Nicholls and he tells me that he has had several letters recently from Sub-Inspectors who have been appointed within recent months in which they state that they cannot manage on their pay.
SOME.
In Malaya the minimum of the scale for comparable posts, i.e. the lowest police grade for which Europeans are or rather were recruited from this country, is £385 per annum, i.e. £85 per annum more than the minimum in Hong Kọng. It seems to me, therefore, that there is at of evidence in favour of making some increase in the basic scales of this grade and I suggest that there is a case for raising the minimum of the scale from $400 per month to $500 per month (£375 per annum). They would then be more in line with the scales in force in Malaya for similar posts. It is not entirely irrelevant to mention that the class of candidate which has been obtained recently for these posts is quite a good type and in most cases of matriculation standard.
There is another point and one which might be held to justify the action which I have proposed. It is important in times like the present to have an efficient and contented police force especially among those in authority, i.e. above the general level of the rank and file. This is not easy to attain if such officers are not adequately paid.
If the increase proposed above is accepted it will, of course, have to be applied to the Chinese and Russian Sub-Inspectors although I am doubtful whether they are of the same calibre as the candidates who are now being recruited from this country. The increase in the maximum of Sub- Inspectors, Grade II would, of course, follow.
Says,
There 13
JE.King
31/3/49
I think, substance in what Dicking Ibelieve that we should try to get a
pay for these men. Might
modest increase in
we not put
our views to the Governor,
letsgram in continuation
I a
saying that
of Wing, saying
29.
we sh' be glad if he will consider this further
question & report to ind, before the petition goes to this big Mainty. KWB
7/4/49.