PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
سلسلتيسيا
C.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
86
remarks on the proposals contained in the scheme, basing them on the views of the Committee.
As regards the proposed salaries of Chief Justice, Colonial Secretary, Puisne Judge and Attorney-General, I am of opinion that these salaries ought to be equal to those paid in the Straits Settlements, remembering in the case of the Colonial Secretary here that he has not a house supplied as at Singapore.
Class I. The Principal Civil Medical Officer has been included in this class, as his duties are now of a very onerous and responsible nature. The privilege of free quarters has been withdrawn.
Class II. House allowances for the Assistant Surgeons and the Medical Officer of Health have been incorporated with their salaries.
Class IV. The Assistant Postmaster-General has been placed in this class, as the appointment will probably in future fall to one of the Cadet class.
Class V. The Assistant Superintendents of Police have been placed in this class, as these posts will usually be filled by Cadets. The privilege of free quarters makes these offices equivalent to a Class IV. office. The Marine Surveyors have been put on an incremental salary, as also the Sanitary Surveyor and the Postmaster at Shanghai.
15. With reference to some of the departmental salaries, I may say that the Post Office salaries have recently been revised, owing to the recommendations of the Unofficial Salaries Committee, and the Sterling salaries are based upon those recom- mendations. The Lighthouse Keepers in the Harbour, Department have been given triennial increments, and similar salaries have been fixed in the case of cach Light- house. The salaries of the Medical Department are based to a large extent on the salaries proposed by the Straits Settlements. Ration, light, and fuel allowances are to be merged in salaries. The salaries of the Chief Inspectors of Police have been increased, so as to put them on a fairer footing as compared with similar Officers in the Singapore Police. The Constables have been put on an initial salary of £100, as it is thought that an impetus will thereby be given to the recruiting of a good clas3 of Englishmen. The present system of dollar salaries and Exchange Compensation causes confusion among likely applicants. The Inspectors of the Sanitary Depart- ment have been reclassed, three classes having been merged into two. The Senior Inspectors now take the place of the first class.
16. Having gone through the details of the scheme which has been drawn up under your instructions, I have now the honour to invite your reconsideration of the conclusion arrived at in paragraph 4 of your despatch under reference. In that paragraph you stated that as then advised you did not consider that the Civil Servants of Hong Kong should receive the same increase as that given to Officers in the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States. In my confidential despatch of the 25th October, I have given what I consider to be strong reasons for my belief that the present and prospective financial position of Hong Kong is decidedly stronger than that of either of the sister Dependencies. It is true that on account of the frequent visitations of plague, the heavy outlay on sanitary and other works, and the taking over of the New Territory, Hong Kong has been debited with a very large expenditure, which the Straits Settlements and the Native States have not found necessary But in my opinion nothing more clearly demonstrates the security of the financial position of this Colony than the case with which all demands for extraordinary expenditure have been met without any increase in taxation, and without the necessity of incurring a new public debt. In
your despatch to the Straits Settlements, No. 77, of 1st March (paragraph 2) you stated your opinion that the financial position of that Colony and the Federated Malay States justified the grant of a general increase of salaries. The facts set forth in my confidential despatch already referred to will, I believe, serve to show that Hong Kong is in a position to spend quite as much money on its adminis- trative machinery as either of the Dependencies I have mentioned; and for the reasONS I adduced in that despatch I consider it undesirable that the Public Service of Hong Kong should be made less attractive from a pecuniary point of view than Singapore or the Native States. It must be remembered that even an equalisation of salaries does not by any means equalise the conditions in which the Civil Servants of Hong Kong and Singapore respectively are living, as the cost of house rent and food is greater in Hong Kong, and the additional distance from England makes the journey more expensive in the event of being obliged to take leave. The Commission, which was appointed last year by Sir William Gascoigne to enquire into the reasons for the high price of food was not able to accomplish any amelioration of a state of affairs
• No. 32.
↑ No. 41.
‡ No. 12.
87
which, after all, was, and is, chiefly due to the working of perfectly natural economic
forces.
pre-
17. Perhaps, in continuation of the comparison between the conditions vailing at Hong Kong and Singapore so far as they concern Government servants, I may mention the fact that in the Straits Settlements (as in the Indian Empire) Civil Servants have a right to free Medical attendance. This right is not possessed by the Civil Servants of Hong Kong in general, and the difference which this makes can readily be understood to weigh very seriously with those who contemplate the prospects of a lifetime spent in a tropical climate.
18. In view of these facts, I venture to express a hope that you will not withhold from the Officers of this Government an increase of salary similar to that which you have conferred or are about to confer upon the Officers of the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States.
I have, &c.,
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor, &c.
Enclosure in No. 46.
CLASSIFIED SALARIES.
Equiva- lent
Appointment.
Present Salary.
Inore- mante.
Remarks.
Salary for Sa. Dollar
Proposed Salary.
Offoer.
Tri- ennial Inore- ment
Remarks.
Equivalent Sterling Salary of present
Üfloor.
STAFF.
$
Chief Justice
19,500
1,770
2,000
2,025
Colonial Secretary
Attorney-General Puisne Judge
10,800
1,412
1,700
1,620
8,400
1,113
1,600
1,380
***
8,400
1,112
1,400
1,830
CLASS I,
Division I.
Director of Public Works 7,300-7,800 600 in 3
years.
Division II.
Colonial Treasurer
1
933-1,085 1,000-1,200 Two of
1,080-1,170
$100.
6,00-7,200 | 600 Triển-
nially. Registrar-General
6,000-7,200 First Magistrate ...
6,000-7,200 Captain Superintendent 6,000-7,200
of l'olice.
Principal Civil Medical 4,800-8,000
Officer.
TI
11
Free Quarters.
795-955 800-1,000 H 793-955
800-1,000
795-955 800-1,000 11
795-965 800-1,000
plus Quarters.
825-990
825-1990
850-1,080
1
Free Quarters.
635-795 800-1,000
plas
Free Quarters.
No Quarters.
880-1,080 plus Quarters. 890-1,000.
Quarters
-£190.
Division III.
Harbour Master
***
Registrar Court.
of
| 4,800-8,000 | 300 Then Supreme 4,800-5,400
nially.
635-795 780-900
635-715 780-900
Two of
840-1,050
£60.
(4/3 pension).
D
CLASS II.
Division 1.
Inspector of Schools Land Oficer
Postmaster-General
...
...
| 4,800-5,400
5,400
4,800-8,400 Head Master of Queen's 4,800-5,400
College.
"
638-715 660-720
718 660-790
635-715 660-720
635-715 680-720
Two of £30.
+
88
Appointment.
Present Incre- Salary, menta.
Remarks.
Equiva lent Salary for 3. Dollar
. Officer.
Tri-
ennial Proposed
Salary, Incre- mante.
Remarks,
Equivalent Sterling
Balary of
present
Officer.