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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TRELEC.O.882/11
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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and strengthened by the tenor of the report of the Salaries Committee on Civil List salaries, that it would not be expedient or right simply to leave the matter as it now stands. It is clear that in the higher grades at any rate of the Public Service (inclusive of the Civil Service) apprehensions have been aroused which it would be unwise to ignore if we desire to retaîn any large number of our senior officers after the proposed opportunity for premature retirement under the new Constitution has become open to them. In the light of recent events it would now be as impossible for me to convince such officers that their apprehensions were baseless, as it would be impossible to expect the unofficial members of the Legislative Council, at this stage of its existence on the eve of a General Election, to make themselves responsible for the necessary remedial action.
10. Conceivably the future State Council, after some experience of administra- tion, might adopt a different attitude, but this is too uncertain a prospect to justify me in advising Your Lordship to let the constitutional changes take place without some further inquiry into Civil List salaries and without some action to secure the adoption of such changes, if any, as the contemplated investigation might show to be proper.
Circumstances beyond my control have eliminated the hope which I cherished when I wrote my despatch of the 2nd June last, that a satisfactory local settlement of the salaries question and the question of the passage allowance might be attainable at a reasonably early date, and I regret therefore to find myself constrained to recur to the alternative envisaged in that despatch by asking Your Lordship to appoint a Salaries Commission without further delay, and to cause provision to be made in the Order in Council for the carrying out, with effect from 1st October, 1931, of the decisions of Your Lordship upon the recommendations of that Commission.
11. I do not think it probable that such a Commission would find it necessary to make sweeping proposals which would throw a large additional burden upon the finances of the Colony. My personal belief is that the Public Services of Ceylon are in the main adequately remunerated. But I have indicated above that certain improve- ments are desirable, and there may be others which a Salaries Commission would find it necessary to recommend in order to readjust inequalities and to maintain content- ment and a high standard of efficiency under the new Constitution. The requirements of the lower grades of the Service have been sufficiently met for the time being by the adoption of the relevant recommendations of the Salaries Committee, and I am quite ready to accept, and to recommend for your approval, the Committee's recommenda- tions in respect of the officers of the Department of Medical and Sanitary Services and, subject to one small amendment, the recommendations in respect of the judicial staff of certain District Courts, Courts of Requests and Police Courts, as set forth under Heads 20 and 30 on page 96 of the report. The small amendment which I desire to make is the substitution of £700 for £600 as the salary of the District Judge, Trincomalie. I shall be glad to receive your authority to invite the Legislative Council to make provision for these recommendations with effect from the 1st October, 1930. The Executive Council concurs in this proposal, but has not been consulted by me in regard to my decision to ask for the appointment of a Salaries Commission, as I have felt this to be a decision for which I ought to take the whole undivided responsibility personally. If you accept the recommendations submitted above, the Commission would be concerned in the main with the other posts in the Civil List, inclusive of the Civil Service, and particularly with the emoluments of some of the heads of the Tech- nical and Scientific Departments and Sub-Departments, as well, of course, as with the question of the passage allowances.
12. In the extract from my despatch of the 2nd June cited in paragraph 8 of this despatch, I gave my opinion that the change to a system of overseas allowances should not be imposed from without. But once the principle of such a system has been accepted locally, I see no objection to the details of the system being worked out by a Salaries Commission appointed from Great Britain. I do not, in fact, con- sider that in our present circumstances this task could be entrusted to a local com- It has been shown mittee with any prospect of a generally acceptable settlement.
that a very large majority of the unofficial members of the Legislative Council is in favour of the principle of overseas allowances, and outside the Council there has heen since the debate took place no serious indication of dissent from that attitude. I propose therefore that the salaries, allowances, and conditions of service of public servants graded in the Ceylon Civil List should be revised by the Salaries Com- mission on a rupee basis to meet local requirements with the addition of a pensionable overseas allowance in the case of officers domiciled elsewhere than in Ceylon or India. I would not, however, apply this differentiation to the Judges of the Supreme Court, and I would stipulate that no officer now in the Service should suffer any loss of
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his existing and accruing salary rights. I suggest further that this Commission might suitably be entrusted with the task of framing the rules governing the award of pro- portionate pensions to those officers who elect to retire in consequence of the introduc- tion of the new Constitution.
13. In spite of the magnitride and complexity of such a task I should not anticipate, in view of the amount of material which has already been collected, that the Salaries Commission would require more than a few months for the conduct of its investigations and the completion of its report. It is however clearly desirable that it should commence work at as early a date as possible, and I venture to express the hope that Your Lordship will be able to give this despatch urgent consideration, and will be good enough to inform me by telegraph of your decision. My proposal will, I fear, be much disliked by local politicians, and your acceptance of it might be expected to evoke emphatic protests here. My despatch of the 2nd June, however, gave ample and explicit warning of the recommendation which I should feel bound to make to you
"if a satisfactory revision of salaries and a satisfactory settlement of the question of the passage allowance should not be effected locally at a reasonably early date." Nevertheless I should see little prospect of persuading the Legislative Council to provide for the expenses of a Salaries Commission at this stage, and I trust that His Majesty's Government would be prepared to treat these expenses as conse- quential upon the cost of Lord Donoughmore's Commission and chargeable therefore to Imperial funds.
I would propose to publish this despatch and your reply as soon as possible.
14
C. 73230/9/30 [No. 2].
No. 14.
I have, &c.,
H. J. STANLEY,
Governor.
THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 11.15 a.m., 26th April, 1930.) TELEGRAM.
No 18. 26TH APRIL. Confidential. Stanley's despatch of 7th April, No. 292.* Stanley and I both consider Sir Robert Johnson would be admirably suited for appoint- ment as President of Salaries Commission. I have ascertained that he would accept appointment and the fact that he is already on the spot would mean considerable saving of expense. One other member borrowed from Government of India would I
hink be enough.
C. 73230/9/30 [No. 5].
No. 15.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to
THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT. (Sent 8 p.m., 2nd June, 1930.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by Nos. 16 and 18.]
No. 43. YOUR despatch of the 7th April, No. 292.* Salaries Commission. After full consideration and discussion with Stanley I regret that I cannot see my way
to accept proposals. In the circumstances I do not consider that there would be any advantage in publication of correspondence, but you may inform Civil Service Asso- ciation of my decision.-PASSFIeld.
* No. 13.
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