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necessary to make representations in this connection to the Commission. There now remain only two vacancies to be filled: one for Assistant Librarian Class I and one for Assistant Librarian Class II. A candidate is under consideration for the Class I post.
The answer to the second part of the question is that the attention of the Salaries Commission was not drawn to the difference between the salary scale of the Library Adviser and the librarians of local universities. Under its terms of reference, the Commission is required to consider and submit recommendations on the general level of salaries of the main groups of employees in the public service, excluding the salaries of individual grades and posts.
DR. WOO:--May I deal with the first part of your answer. Can you tell us how many of the senior staff are on a permanent basis or on contract basis.
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I do not have the details available. My impression is that few of the senior staff are on a contract basis but with your indulgence, Sir, I would like to check the point and let you have the details later.
DR. WOO:--But are you aware, Sir, that quite a number of resignations have taken place in the last few months. One will in fact resign at the end of this year.
CHAIRMAN:--Sir, I have not been aware that there has been any alarming incidence of resignations recently.
DR. WOO:--Are you satisfied with the present scale of salary that these people remain on under contract, and are you satisfied that there is no difficulty in their replacement in future?
CHAIRMAN:--Sir, I can only say that this is a hypothetical question and I must take refuge in Standing Orders. (Laughter) It certainly was not the intention that these salaries should be so low as to cause resignations and if it proves that these salaries are insufficient for their purpose, then Government will have to think again.
DR. Woo:--Sir, I'm only making reference to your answer--you say that it is not considered necessary to make representations in this connexion to the Commission. You still haven't given a reply.
CHAIRMAN:--Sir, the reason for that is also explained in the reply and that is that the Commission did not entertain matters of this sort. and posts.
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This is a matter concerning the salaries of individual grades
DR. Woo:--No, Sir. I'm dealing with the first part of your answer, not the second part of your answer.
CHAIRMAN:--The point regarding salaries, Sir, is effectively covered in the second part. This is a representation which in fact would not have been entertained by the Salaries Commission because it was dealing with the general level of salaries of the main groups of employees in the public service.
MR. BERNACCHI:--As a revenge for your going over to the side of my learned appointed friend, Mr. SALES, I would ask you, Mr. Chairman, which Standing Order were you seeking to take refuge in? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:--Well, Sir, Standing Order 8(11). "A question must not be asked for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion, the solution of an abstract legal case or the answer to a hypothetical proposition".
DR. Woo: Mr. Chairman, I am not asking your opinion, I am asking you to tell me or this Council whether you are satisfied with the present arrangement.
MR. SALES: --Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, before you answer that supplementary question I would like to say with my sincere apologies that I am not able to intervene either in your support or in support of Mr. BERNACCHI because I was most distracted. (Laughter)
DR. Woo:--Mr. Chairman, may I come back to the second part of your answer. You may recollect that you and Mr. HARLEY discussed the second part of this question with the Establishment Branch. May I know whether you are satisfied with the explanation given to you by them at that time.
CHAIRMAN:--Sir, I appeared in front of the Establishment Sub-Committee of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in, I think, about August 1964, to make representations regarding the salaries for the library staff. I made certain representations as strongly as I could at the time and eventually decisions were conveyed to the department regarding the salaries which were to be attached to the various grades of librarians. These salaries, Sir, have apparently succeeded in attracting recruits to the Service, both expatriate and local, and it is not for me to say, Sir, at this stage, certainly, that these salaries are not adequate.
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