190
191
166
NEP
minimamim
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO.882/12
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
The reasons which have prevailed for such increases in the salaries of the Civil Service may best be summarized by a few extracts from the official documents, published at different times by the Government :-
(1) Sir Hesketh Bell's Minute No. 10 of 1918.
"Owners of sugar factories find themselves in a good position and have increased their employees to figures unknown before.
"The increase that has taken place in the cost of necessaries is pressing upon them (the Civil Service). The purchasing power of the rupee does not represent much more than 0.60 cents. The Civil Service has therefore suffered a reduction of 40 per cent. The high costs of necessaries and foodstuffs will be maintained for a con- siderable period and those whose means are small will suffer hardships and privation. I ask that the public servants up to a certain grade should be granted a share of benefits accruing and that a fund be formed by an export tax on sugar for temporary increase of salaries of the Civil Service up to Rs.4,800 a year.'
(2) Sir Hesketh Bell's despatch to the Secretary of State, May, 1919-
..
The request of the Civil Service for higher wages, as presented to me by a deputation of Heads of Department was based on the following statement :--
(i) the great increase in the cost of all necessaries and the general rise of all expenses has brought down by at least 40 per cent. the purchasing power of the salaries;
(ii) the economic condition of the Colony during the past 10 years has improved greatly and the staple industries of the country are on a sound footing;
(iii) the public revenue of the Colony has for several years considerably exceeded the expenditure and a large surplus has been accumulated;
(iv) the high prices of the main products have rendered the agricultural and mercantile communities to be in affluent circumstances and the standard of living has risen considerably;
(v) whereas the wealth of the whole community has increased to a notable degree the position of the Civil Servants has depreciated to a serious extent;
(vi) the Civil Service, under the above circum- stances, find it impossible to maintain adequately the standard of life that is expected of them and many of them who have families are in distress."
Sir Hesketh Bell, in the said despatch, states amongst other things:
The rates now paid do not compare favourably with the salaries received by persons in private employment and the total amount now given to public servants under the head Personal Emoluments' does not represent a reason- able proportion of the revenue received from taxation and of the value of the Colony's trade.
If such views should meet with your concurrence the amount and nature of the increases to be given would remain to be considered.
"It would be very simple to meet the present claim for more by merely increasing all salaries. But it is open to question whether such a course would be a prudent one. It is quite possible that the present highly flourishing condition of Mauritius may in a few years bence be followed by less prosperous times, and that the Colony would then find it difficult to continue to pay rate of salaries that had been fixed in a period of abnormal prosperity. I submit that it would be more prudent to increase salaries definitely to a moderate degree only, and to improve the position of the Civil Servants further by granting them additional emoluments in the shape of bonuses, whenever the economic situation of the Colony would warrant such a step."
This proposal was not accepted by the Secretary of State.
(3) Herchenroder's Report :-
"It is beyond question that war conditions have increased the cost of living to such an extent that immediate action is imperative."'
(4) Correspondence between Sir Hesketh Bell and the Secretary of State, 21st March, 1922 (Sessional Papers 1922-23) :-
During 1921 representations were made to me by many members of the Civil Service concerning the unsatisfactory position of the salaries of the higher ranks and I was invited to take steps to remedy the situation.
On the 10th May, 1921, I appointed a Commnission to consider the whole position as regards the pay and prospects of the Civil Servants with special reference to local conditions.
By way of providing a definite basis for discussion Mr. Denham drew up a memorandum. In that paper the Colonial Secretary gave very cogent reasons for increasing the pay of all grades of Civil Servants; his chief arguments being :-
!Page 241
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190
The reasons which have prevailed for such increases in the salaries of the Civil Service may best be summarized by a few extracts from the official documents, published at different times by the Government :-
(1) Sir Hesketh Bell's Minute No. 10 of 1918.
··
Owners of sugar factories find themselves in a good position and have increased their employees to figures unknown before.
"The increase that has taken place in the cost of necessaries is pressing upon them (the Civil Service). The purchasing power of the rupee does not represent much more than 0.60 cents. The Civil Service has therefore suffered a reduction of 40 per cent. The high costs of necessaries and foodstuffs will be maintained for a con- siderable period and those whose means are small will suffer hardships and privation. I ask that the public servants up to a certain grade should be granted a share of benefits accruing and that a fund be formed by an export tax on sugar for temporary increase of salaries of the Civil Service up to Rs.4,800 a year."
(2) Sir Hesketh Bell's despatch to the Secretary of State, May, 1919 :-
The request of the Civil Service for higher wages, as presented to me by a deputation of Heads of Department was based on the following statement :-
(i) the great increase in the cost of all necessaries and the general rise of all expenses has brought down by at least 40 per cent. the purchasing power of the salaries;
(ii) the economic condition of the Colony during the past 10 years has improved greatly and the staple industries of the country are on a sound footing:
(iii) the public revenue of the Colony has for several years considerably exceeded the expenditure and a large surplus has been accumulated ;
(iv) the high prices of the main products have rendered the agricultural and mercantile communities to be in affluent circumstances and the standard of living has risen considerably;
(v) whereas the wealth of the whole community has increased to a notable degree the position of the Civil Servants has depreciated to a serious extent;
(vi) the Civil Service, under the above circum- stances, find it impossible to maintain adequately the standard of life that is expected of them and many of them who have families are in distress.''
191
Sir Hesketh Bell, in the said despatch, states amongst other things
The rates now paid do not compare favourably with the salaries received by persons in private employment and the total amount now given to public servants under the head Personal Emoluments' does not represent a reason- able proportion of the revenue received from taxation and of the value of the Colony's trade.
"If such views should meet with your concurrence the amount and nature of the increases to be given would remain to be considered.
"It would be very simple to meet the present claim for more by merely increasing all salaries. But it is open to question whether such a course would be a prudent one. It is quite possible that the present highly flourishing hence be condition of Mauritius may in a few years followed by less prosperous times, and that the Colony would then find it difficult to continue to pay rate of salaries that had been fixed in a period of abnormal prosperity. I submit that it would be more prudent to increase salaries definitely to a moderate degree only, and to improve the position of the Civil Servants further by granting them additional emoluments in the shape bonuses, whenever the economic situation of the Colony would warrant such a step."
/
This proposal was not accepted by the Secretary of State.
(3) Herchenroder's Report:
of
"It is beyond question that war conditions have increased the cost of living to such an extent that immediate action is imperative."
(4) Correspondence between Sir Hesketh Bell and the Secretary of State, 21st March, 1922 (Sessional Papers 1922-23) :-
41
During 1921 representations were made to me by many members of the Civil Service concerning the unsatisfactory position of the salaries of the higher ranks and I was invited to take steps to remedy the situation.
"On the 10th May, 1921, I appointed a Commission to consider the whole position as regards the pay and prospects of the Civil Servants with special reference to local conditions.
"By way of providing a definite basis for discussion Mr. Denham drew up a memorandum. In that paper the Colonial Secretary gave very cogent reasons for increasing the pay of all grades of Civil Servants; his chief arguments being :-
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