PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TEC.O. 882
Public Works Depart- ment,
partment.
08
Forest Work. I have raised the salary of the Superintendent of Telegraphs, Penang, who is in charge of the new Telephone Service. This appointment is at present under-paid. I have also raised the salaries of the Government Veterinary Surgeons at Singapore and Penang because these officers are, in my opinion, not sufficiently remunerated, and I am even prepared to recommend an increase in the dollar salaries now drawn by them. They are not allowed private practice and they have no pro- motion to look forward to, while their duties are very responsible.
23. I have put the Colonial Engineer on a level with the other Members of the Executive Council, and I have provided an increased salary (£780-£900 a year) for the Deputy Colonial Engineer, who must act as Head of the Department and a Member of the Executive Council during the absence of the Colonial Engineer.
The Deputy Colonial Engineer, who is stationed at Penang, is in a very responsible position, and I do not think we can obtain a thoroughly qualified Engineer and Surveyor for less than the amount I have suggested.
Marine Des 24. I have entered the salary of the Master Attendant at £780-£900 (which is £60 a year higher than I had put it) in consequence of the representations of the Members of the Legislative Council who consider that the importance of the post in a Port with such a trade as Singapore requires it. I was not prepared to make the salary of the Deputy higher than I have placed it (£480-£540), because at that figure it is a considerable improvement in the rate now paid, and, when the Deputy has to act during the absence of the Master Attendant on leave, he will draw a better salary. Moreover, I see no reason to make the salary of the Deputy Master Attendant higher than that of the Harbour Master, Penang, and for that post £480-£540 is sufficient. As regards the Marine Surveyors I agree with the suggestion made in your confidential despatch of December 6th last, just received, and I suggest the following appointments and rates of salary instead of those which appear on the List A:-
Chief Marine Surveyor, S. S.
£600-£720
with four increments of £30 each or two of £60.
Marine Surveyor, Singapore
£480-£600 £420-£540
99
As every-
nothing to be found out elsewhere. Every emolument and privilege is shown on the List A, and if it does not compare favourably with all the advantages officers already in the Service now possess, it has been framed to give a fair remuneration for services to be rendered, fair prospects of promotion, and fair terms of retirement. one will be paid in sterling the variations in rates of exchange may be viewed with equanimity, and, even should the unexpected happen, and the price of silver rise, there can be no reasonable cause for complaint if the rates now fixed are on a fair scale. Since I began to frame this scheme the value of silver in relation to gold has fallen considerably and it has now reached almost the lowest figure yet recorded.
I have, &c.,
FRANK SWETTENHAM.
P.S.-I enclose six copies of a list of Straits Settlements Cadets, giving certain particulars which I trust you will find useful.-F. A. S.
Enclosure 1 in No. 48.
A.
Appointment.
Present Salary.
At 3. per Dollar.
Proposed Salary,
Triennial increments.
Remarks.
Free furnished house.*
ป.
Free furnished house.*
Entertainment lowance, $1,200), Free furnished house."
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
STAFF (1).
£
Colonial Secretary
10,800
1,620
1,600
CLASS I. (4).
Resident Councillor, Penang...
9,800
1,440
1,400
Resident Councillor, Malacca...
7,800
1,170
1,200
Treasurer
7,800
1,170
1,200
Auditor-General
7,800
1,170
1,200
CLASS II. (10).
Assistant Colonial Secretary .....
Protector of Chinese, 8.
Postmaster-General
6,000
900
900 rising to 1,020
Two of £60
་་་
6,000
900
900
1.030
#
4,800
720
DOU
D
1,020
Director of Public Instruction
Inspector of Prisons...
First Magistrate, 8.
4,800
720
900
1,020
"
HI
5,400
810
900
"
1,020
6,000
900
900
"
1,020
11
P.
Commissioner, Court of Re-
questa, 8.4
+4
6,000
900
900
"
1,020
Is also Director of Re-
formatory.
Free quarters.t
Is also Superintendent
of Prisons,
5,400
810
780
900
"
Deputy to the Public Prose-
cutor, H.
5,400
810
760
900
17
Senior District Officer. P. W....
4,800
720
780
900
1)
Free furnished quar.
Care.t
CLASS III. (9.)
Official Assignee
4,800
720
6.60
+
780
"
Assistant Protector of Chi-
neme, P.
4,800
720
€60
=
780
10
Collector of Land Revenue and
Officer in charge of Trea
4,800
720
KG0
190
Bury, M.
Collector of Land Revenue, S.
3,600
540
860
780
H
Is also Registrar of
Deeds.
3,600
840
660
780
#
H
P....
***
3,500
840
660
41
780 Two of £30
外申國
3,800
540,
660
0$!
11
1+
Free furnished quar
Lont
3,600
5540
660
720
Collector of Land Revenue, P.
3,600
640
660
720
1
• Pays rent for furniture.
12169
↑ Non-pensionable,
↑ New appointments.
X 2
- Police.
Prisona and Edu- cation.
Marine Surveyor, Penang
with four increments of £30 in each case.
I have been obliged to enter increased rates of salary for the officers of the Government Steamer "Sea Belle," as a general rise has just been given to all Masters, Mates, and Engineers, serving in locally owned steamers.
25. I feel sure you will concur with the opinion generally held here that the salaries of our Police Officers and the European Constables must be raised. I have gone into the case of this Department very carefully and I recommend the scheme now submitted to you. It is, in almost every case, an improvement on the existing terms of service, and I sincerely trust that, if it meets with your sanction, it may enable this Colony to secure intelligent and experienced Officers for the force which is in so large a measure responsible for the peace and good order of the Colony and the protection of the lives and property of the community.
26. I have already obtained your sanction to the rates of salary entered for Gaolers and Warders and I trust you will approve the somewhat improved terms which I propose should in future be offered to European Masters in the Education Department.
27. The seven pages of print, which contain the proposals I have now the honour to submit for placing all the European Officers in the Service of this Colony on Sterling Salaries, are no criterion of the immense amount of trouble and correspondence the preparation of such a scheme involves. The proposal for which I now ask your sanction is the result of many months' labour and consideration and I only regret that I was not able to submit it sooner. The Straits Scheme might perhaps have gone to you
a little earlier, but I was unwilling to forward it without the proposals for the Federated Malay States, which are how also ready.
I trust you will bear in mind that the comparison between my sterling proposals and the emoluments of those who now hold the various posts suffers by the fact that you have recently granted exchange compensation on the whole salary instead of half, as was the rule early in the year. This generous concession adds 20 per cent. to the salaries previously drawn in the East, while it deprives no one of any single privilege to which he was already entitled. I have prepared a scheme which leaves
• Not printed.
15
Second Magistrate, 8. ...
District Ofoer, Dindings
Second Assistant Oolonial
Secretary.
100