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of sterling salaries for Inspectors better than that suggested last year by the Com- mittee of the Legislative Council, I was rather surprised to receive this petition, and to hear the views expressed by the Acting Inspector-General of Police, especially as this request comes so soon after the grant of double compensation. The explanation of the Acting Inspector-General is that double compensation did not give all the relief necessary, and that the salaries he proposes are not more than sufficient to secure reliable and intelligent Inspectors.
5. I referred the question to a Committee consisting of the Treasurer, two unofficial Members of Council, and the Acting Inspector-General of Police, and I now enclose a copy of their report. I hesitate very much to approach you again so soon on this subject, but, at the same time, if we are to have sterling salaries, they should be permanent, and they should also be sufficient to secure useful and trust- worthy Government servants. In the scheme already submitted to you I recom-
mended:-
Third Class Inspectors Second Class Inspectors...
First Class Inspectors
The Committee recommends:-
Third Class Inspectors
Second Class Inspectors
First Class Inspectors
£170 £180
£220 to £240.
£180 £200
£220 to £240.
I am willing to support this recommendation, and trust it will meet with your approval, as there is no doubt that the value of the force as a whole must depend mainly on the Inspectors.
6. You will observe that the Committee expects that Inspectors already in the force on dollar salaries with compensation, would decline even the terms which the Committee recommends as sufficient for new comers. They therefore suggest that a special local dollar allowance, non-pensionable, and bearing no compensation, should be granted to those Inspectors already in the force, I do not feel able to make any recommendation on this subject for two reasons, first, because I must assume that the sterling salaries recommended are, in the opinion of the Committee, sufficient, and if those now in the force are unwilling to take them, it must be because they consider they are better off already. Secondly, to increase the existing dollar salaries, even by local allowances, must be to increase dollar salaries, which are already better than the sterling salaries which it is suggested should be offered in future. It appears to me, therefore, that to add to these dollar salaries now, is simply to raise a certain cause of complaint in the future, when present holders are succeeded by men on sterling salaries, who will complain that they are not so well paid as their predecessors. 7. Everything which has occurred since I first proposed to you a scheme of sterling salaries supports me in my conviction that the Government of this Colony and the Native States should have adopted sterling rates at least ten or probably fifteen years ago.
The fact that the value of the dollar has fallen in much less than 12 months from over 2s. to under 1s. 8d. is sufficient in itself to show how impossible it is to give satisfaction to men who have nothing to rely upon except their salaries, when they are paid in coins which are liable to such extraordinary depreciation.
To His Excellency
I have, &c.,
F. A. SWETTENHAM.
Enclosure 1 in No. 73.
151
their position in this Colony as regards the duties they have to perform, the number of hours they are on duty, the effect of such length of such time as affects their nealth and efficiency and the salary paid to them for the work.
2. Your Petitioners are all European-born British subjects, some having been engaged at home, and others locally, and have served for a considerable number of years.
3. The present scale of pay was fixed some years ago, when the cost of living and necessaries of a European in a tropical climate cost very considerably less than at the present time.
4. The duties your Petitioners are now required to perform have also been greatly increased by the coming into operation of the Criminal Procedure Code, no extra officers having been appointed to assist in the carrying out of the requirements of the Code, the amount of clerical work being enormously increased.
5. The Island is divided into four divisions, the head station of each being from one to two miles distant from the Police Courts and Central Station, where the officers in charge of stations have to attend daily, at the same time being responsible for the prevention and detection of crime in their respective divisions. Speaking individually and collectively, we beg to state without fear of contradiction that sixteen hours out of every twenty-four are occupied in the carrying out of the various duties now imposed on an officer in charge of a division or station.
6. Some of Your Excellency's Petitioners hold the appointment of “Acting" Inspector, and only draw the pay of a sergeant while performing the extra duties of the higher appointment, while vacancies in the Inspector grade are not filled up.
7. Your Excellency's Petitioners beg most respectfully to submit to Government that at the Central Station three Inspectors at least are necessary to perform the various duties, and at the other divisional head stations at least two such officers, so as to allow a reasonable time for rest.
8. Your Petitioners would also beg that they be relieved of the extra clerical work thrown on them by the new Code by the appointment of a "Krani,"* for the routine clerical work, and that it should not be necessary to keep two diaries, as at present. Also that two report books for "scizable" and "non-scizable" offences, now required to be kept, greatly increases the clerical work above referred to, and it is humbly submitted that one book would be quite sufficient.
9. In connection with the large amount of clerical work, Your Excellency's l'etitioners submit that the amount of correspondence an Inspector has to attend to in the way of memoranda and minutes from the Superintendent, and also from the Inspector-General, requiring answers in writing, should in some manner be consider- ably reduced.
10. Another matter Your Excellency's Petitioners would also beg to be taken into consideration is the amount of transport allowance now paid for the upkeep of a horse and trap. The amount now paid was fixed many years ago, when fodder and upkeep were fifty per cent. cheaper than at present, also the extra travelling an Inspector has to undertake to make personal enquiries as regards offences renders a second horse allowance absolutely necessary.
11. As regards an officer of the rank of sergeant, he is allowed $5 a month when stationed at an out-station, but such a sum is not a fair and reasonable allowance to a European who must keep a servant to cook his meals and attend to other duties which he cannot personally attend to in this country. And the Petitioners submit that this may also be taken into consideration.
Your Excellency's Petitioners pray that Your Excellency be pleased to take their case into consideration and would respectfully ask Your Excellency to enquire into the matters submitted herein in such manner as may be considered proper, so that justice may be done to the Petitioners, and the efficiency and credit of the Straits l'olice Force be maintained, as befits the high position held by this part of His Most Gracious Majesty's Dominions.
And Your Excellency's Petitioners will ever pray.
Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, K.C.M.G.,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements and Dependencies.
Singapore, April 12, 1902.
The humble Petition of the European Police of the Straits Settlements. Humbly sheweth:-
Your Excellency's Petitioners beg most respectfully to submit for consideration
• Clerk.
(Thirty-two signatories.)
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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