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15. Police. The number of Commissioned Officers in the Police Force is so small, especially in view of the fact that the Captain Superintendent of Police has hitherto been and no doubt will as often as not in the future be a cadet officer, that I think this is eminently a case where it is desirable to avoid stagnation and inequalities of promotion. If the Captain Superintendent of Police is not a cadet officer, I would pay him at the rate suggested for Class I. (if retained) of the Cadet Service, i.e., $12,000-$500-$15,000. For the Assistants I strongly recommend a system of continuous increments such as I have suggested for the Cadet Service. As Police Probationers are some years younger than cadets I would start on a lower scale. A Probationer should, I think, receive $8,000, and on passing his examinations he should draw $3,500, rising by $250 annually to $8,000, and thence by $500 annually to $11,000.
If the proposal for continuous increments is not accepted I would propose that the Deputy Superintendent of Police should be paid the salary of Class II. of the Cadet Service, and the Assistant Superintendents salaries rising from the minimum of Class IV. to the maximum of Class III., i.e., $5,000-$250-$8,000. The slow- ness of promotion which must be anticipated is the justification for the high minimum suggested.
I concur in Mr. Severn's suggestion as to the Station Engineer (ie., a salary of $3,500, rising by $100 annually to $4,500).
3
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16. In the case of the lower ranks of the European Police Force I find myself unable to agree with the recommendations in the report, as I do not think that the Commissioners have appreciated the extent to which the emoluments of the men would be affected by the abolition of the allowances, to which they refer. agree that those allowances should be abolished, but if that is done it will be necessary to increase considerably the salaries which are suggested. The allow ance for theatre duty alone amounts in some cases to as much as $30 in some months. There is a further consideration which appears not to have been present to the minds of the Commissioners. That is that such posts as those of Sanitary Inspec- tors and Revenue Officers have commonly been filled by transfers from the Police Force, and, having regard to the fact that the men so transferred are as a rule obviously not those who have shown most aptitude for Police duties, it is inevitable that such a disproportion between the salaries of these posts and those of the Police as is proposed by the Commission must tend to foster discontent among the Police, who are already inclined to grumble at seeing former colleagues enjoying considerably larger salaries for the performance of less exacting and less con- tinuous duties.
I have given considerable time to the investigation of this matter. and have with the assistance of the Captain Superintendent of Police studied quantities of figures. I will not trouble you with details, but will ask you to accept my assurance that the scale of salaries which I now propose, though it may seem high, is not excessive, having regard to the considerations which I have indicated. The scale which I suggest is :-
Constables Lance-Sergeants Sergeants
Inspectors
Chief Inspectors
$1,600 by $100 annually to $1,800 $2,200 by $100 $3,200 by $100 $4,000 by $250 $5,000 by $250
11
12
$3,000
23
$9,600
13
13
$4,500
"
$0.000
(There are only two Chief Inspectors, and I think that it is only right that men holding these posts, which are very responsible and represent the prizes of the Police Force. should be well paid.) Special allowances should be abolished as proposed by the Commission, with the exceptions which they mention and with the further exception of the detective allowances, which vary from $5 to $30 monthly. and which are mainly intended to compensate for the fact that detectives do not receive uniform, but supply their own clothes, which it may be observed are frequently liable to receive damage during the performance of the officer's duties. I propose to review these allowances, if their retention is approved, in order that the pay- ments may approximate in each case to the actual additional expense incurred owing to the non-provision of uniform.
A sum approximating to $30,000 a year is received from theatre proprietors and shipowners in respect of special police duties in theatres and on board ships in the harbour and it has been the practice to pay the whole amount to the police concerned. This money, which woula in future be paid into the Treasury, will
form an appreciable set off to the considerable increase in pay; as will also the money saved in respect of the two principal allowances, good conduct badge and ration, which approximates to $27,500 a year.
I would add also that I think that in view of the increases of salary now pro posed the new scheme of pensions, which was approved in Mr. Walter Long's. Confidential Despatch of the 5th October, 1918, should not be proceeded with. Owing to various questions which have arisen regarding the pensions of Indians and Chinese, the scheme has not as yet been officially published. The proposal of the Commission that a Policeman should be allowed to retire at 45 if he has con- pleted 20 years' service is the arrangement at present in force.
17. As regards the Indian Police it has been represented to me that it woul be much more satisfactory if these men were supplied with free rations like the Indian troops; with the exception that, while these troops receive their whole ration free, it would not be practicable to supply the Indian Police with goat's flesh and milk and with chickens, which they must continue to procure for them- selves. At present the system is that, with the exception of the articles named the men pay for their own rations, but that the Government pays any excess of the daily cost over 20 cents (which under the present contract means 4 cents a day). It is believed that the men would greatly prefer a system by which they were sup- plied with free rations and also that this arrangement would tend to increase their efficiency, since as your Lordship is doubtless aware, men of this class are inclined to economise in their food to an extent which affects their health. free rations would be equivalent to an addition of pay of about $6 a month, but The grant of I do not suggest making a corresponding deduction from the rates of pay suggested by the Commission, as in this case also the men will lose a considerable amount of remuneration in respect of theatre duties and ration allowances, and I further, on the advice of the Captain Superintendent of Police, to abolish the exi**
propose ing good conduct badge allowances of 75 cents to $1.75 a month. (These allowances accrue automatically if the man's defaulter sheet is clear for six months, and such a system is open to considerable objection.) The scale which I propose is as follows:
Recruits
$132
(The Captain Superintendent of Police urges the introduction of this rate in order to induce men to qualify as Constables at an early date.)
Constables (2nd Class)...
Constables (1st Class)
Lance-Sergeants
Sergeants
Sergeant-Majors
$180 $216
$240-$12 annually-$252 $264 $12 annually-$324 $540-830 annually-$600
(There appears to be too great a difference between the rates suggested by the Conumission for Sergeant-Majors and those for Inspectors.)
$720-$60 annually-$960
Inspectors
18. In the case of the Chinese Police also I desire to suggest a somewhat higher rate than is proposed by the Commission. It is desired to abolish ration allow- ances and good conduct badge allowances, and it is not proposed to give these men free rations. It is also desirable to attract a better class of recruits than is obtainable at present. The scale which I suggest is :---
Recruits
2nd Class Constables 1st Class Constables 2nd Class Sergeants 1st Class Sergeants Sergeant-Majors Inspectors
$144
$204
$264
$324
$408
$600
$720
19. The salaries of the Water Police also require some alteration as it is desirable to abolish the system under which various allowances are given for special
duty on ships or on cruising launches. I propose the following scale :-
1st Class Coxswain 2nd Class Coxswain 1st Class Seaman
2nd Class Seaman
1st Class Stoker
* 42692: not printed.
$480 $300
$204-$12-$216
$180 $284
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