316
27407
SIR,
11
No. 18.
SIR A. WOOD RENTON to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 8th June, 1922.)
The Athenæum, Pall Mall, S.W.1, 7th June, 1922.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1st June,* transmitting to me, together with the memorandum and schedule mentioned therein, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Ceylon on the report of the recent Salaries Commission.
2. I note with pleasure the fact that Sir William Manning regards the report generally as a fair and reasonable one.
3. Most of the modifications of the Commission's recommendations proposed by him relate to matters of detail and application, and I have no observations to offer upon them.
4. I would venture, however, to suggest a reconsideration of the proposal to allow an appeal to the Governor on the part of an "aggrieved officer" on the first, instead of, as the Salaries Commissioners recommended, on the second, occasion that the Head of his Department decided that he was unfit to pass an Efficiency Bar. The recommendations of the Commission on this point were based on two grounds, which appear to me to possess weight :-
(a) The desirability of not interfering too lightly with the authority of the Heads of Departments in such matters.
(b) The avoidance of the great increase in the work of the already over- burdened Secretariat which will inevitably follow if every public officer, whose claims to promotion have not been recognized, has the right to have the question made the subject of an investigation by the Governor. I return herewith the original memorandum and schedule referred to in para- graph 1 of your
letter.
27407
I have, etc.,
A. WOOD RENTON
45
4. I take this opportunity of observing that you will no doubt think it desirable to make it clear that the passage concessions may be withdrawn in the future if circumstances should warrant.
5.
I fully support the proposal, in paragraph 93 of the Report, as to the claims of certain District Judges for elevation to Grade 1. of the 1st class of the Civil Service, and I should support any reasonable proposals for raising the salary of these judicial posts to the level of equivalent posts on the administrative side.
I have, &c.,
490 5
No. 20.
WINSTON S. CHURCHILL.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 8.47 p.m., 30th September, 1922.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered Nos. 22 and 24.]
30TH SEPTEMBER. Following sent at request of Peiris, Member Legislative Council :-
Begins: Government passed last night, against wishes of Ceylonese members, the Salaries Scheme, rejecting unexpectedly the report of Finance Committee. Government carried same by majority of one, using votes of officials whose interest were opposed to duty and against parliamentary practice, and also against the dictum of Secretary Lyttelton, who warned Governor Blake against the use of votes of officials to increase their salaries. Scheme involves unfair discrimination Europeans and Ceylonese. These features were pressed upon Government, but no opportunity was given of examining merits and details of Scheme. All elected members, save the three Europeans and one nominated member, were obliged to leave Council Chamber, because they felt that their proposals in Finance Committee, adopted by seventeen votes to eight, were unexpectedly rejected. Their proposals included housing and rent scheme, retained temporary increases, passage allowances, conceded taxation 2 millions. Government has, with official votes, raised this taxation to seven millions. Our protest follows. Beg no decision be made until all phases are considered, and people's wishes. Ends.
-MANNING.
(No. 395.) SIR,
No. 19.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street, 13th July, 1922. IN my despatch No. 313 of the 1st June, I conveyed to you my general approval of your proposals in connexion with the Ceylon Salaries Commission, subject to one reservation. I now enclose, for your consideration, a copy of a letter§ received from Sir Alexander Wood Renton, to whom I caused a copy of your despatch No. 203 of the 12th Aprilt to be referred. Renton's remarks as to the maintenance of efficiency bars in connexion with the I concur generally with Sir A. Wood proposed time scales. I consider that, if efficiency bars are to be useful, they must be made rather more than less difficult to overcome, and I would suggest that it is not desirable to depart from the Commissioners' proposals in this respect.
2. I take this opportunity of making some further general observations on the Commissioners' Report. As regards the passage provisions, I concur with your views as to the limitation of the concession to officers domiciled outside Ceylon, and I could not support a general introduction of the privilege to all officers irrespective of their actual needs. You may, however, think it desirabie to consider the grant of some similar concession to officers who, though domiciled in Ceylon, have been educated in this country and have competed here for appointment to the Civil Service.
3. I approve the proposal for the grant of free passages to Ceylonese for purposes of study in Europe or elsewhere. This concession will make it easier for the Government to insist on all candidates for appointment possessing adequate qualifications.
48983
No. 21.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 8.47 p.m., 30th September, 1922.) TELEGRAM.
(Paraphrase.)
FOLLOWING is correct statement of facts with reference to telegram from Peiris, 30th September.* Salaries scheme was passed by nineteen votes to eighteen. Former comprised fourteen official, three unofficial elected Europeans, two nominated Ceylonese. Ample opportunity given to study scheme. Territorially-elected
members and one Indian nominated member left Council. Remainder official fourteen and unofficial three European elected members, six nominated unofficial members then considered taxation proposals, which were passed by a considerable majority. No unfair discrimination between Europeans and Ceylonese was made. Reference to despatch of Secretary of State is incorrect as no such dictum was laid down.--MANNING.
* 28868: not printed.
+ No. 18.
↑ No. 16.
$ No. 18.
*No. 20.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
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