CO882-(8-9) — Page 436

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

LLICO. 882

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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IS. The case of officers who have retained their dollar salaries—there are several of

These gentle these in the service of the Straits Settlements requires special treatment. men refusal to necept the sterling scheme when it was introduced, thereby forgoing an increase in salary in consideration of the fact that they would benefit in the matter of pension and leave pay by retaining dollar salaries, and it would be hard to compel them to accept sterling salaries now and thus to lose the advantages on account of which they have for a number of years drawn lower salaries than their colleagues suggest therefore that these officers should be given the opportunity of accepting the new scale either now or on promotion, but that it should not be made compulsory. Their choire will, however, scarcely be firm f flo y are given only the dollar salaries provided in the old salary scheme, since without the reminerary 10 per cent, allowance the dollar salaries will be very much lower than the sterling. It will. I think, be reasonable in these few cases to allow the offer to petath perimanently as duty pay the local allowance of 10 per cent, on his dullar salary This amount will in every case be lower than the sterling duty pay, and thus the otheer will still reveive while in the Malay Peninsula lower emoluments than his colleagues who are paid in sterling, in consideration of the advantages which he cujoys in respect of leave pay and pension,

19. A question of even greater importance than that of the rates of salaries is that of the grading of the service, A classification can scarcely be regarded as satisfactory unless it makes it practically certain that every competent and well-conducted officer will obtain, before he retires in the normal course, what may be called a "senior appointment," and order that this may be possible the number of junior should not greatly exceed the number of senior posts. For this purpose, posts in and above Class III may be regarded

senior appointments."

20. So far as the Straits Settlements branch of the service is concerned, the grading quite satisfactory. The number of appointments in Classes I, II, and III, as shewn in the Civil List for 1910, is 24, while the number of those in Classes IV and V is 26 ; I do not therefore advise any readjustment of the grading of appointments in the Colony, except that I think that it is desirable to add to Class II the posts of Solicitor-General and Registrar of the Supreme Court, which are not at present included in the Scheme for the Cadet Service. There will be no lack in future of Cadet officers with legal qualifications who are competent to fill these posts.

21. The only grievance of the Straits Settlements officers in regard to classification is the result of the amalgamation of the service of the Colony with that of the Federated Malay States. The latter service is so badly graded that even in the combined service In November, 1910, the the junior appointments are still far in excess of the senior. senior appointments in the Federated Malay States, excluding the Resident-General but meluding the four Residents, numbered 35; the junior appointments numbered 63, of A which 35 were in Class V. Such a state of affairs cannot be regarded as satisfactory. considerable measure of regrading is clearly required and it is especially desirable to reduce the number of Class V posts.

22. The development of the resources of the country has increased the responsibilities and added to the work of a number of offices to an extent which justifies their being raised to higher classes, and it has also made necessary the creation of certain new posts. some of these have already received your I now submit the following alterations; approval or that of your predecessor; the others are put forward after consultation with the High Commissioner.

CLASS I.

Add:-

"Protector of Labour, Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States." *Commissioner of Trade and Customs."

The creation of the first appointment and the raising of the status of the second have already been approved.

CLASS II.

Add:-

Slates.

"District Officer, Upper Peruk " (c).

"Registrar of Titles, Perak " (a).

Registrar of Titles, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan " (4).

"Secretary to the High Commissioner " (d).

• Reckoning one of the two joint appointments to the Colony and one to the Federated Malay

Remort:-

"District Officer, Larut anal Krian, and Registrar of Titles, North Perak" (e).

* Commissioner of Trade and Customs" (transferred to Class I). Notes. —(4.) The work of registration of tities in Perak has hitherto been divided between the District Officer of Larut and Krian and the Chief Assistant District Officer, Kinta. The duties have, however, increased to such an extent that it is impossible for any officer to combine them with those of another post without neglecting either one or the other side of his work. It is proposed, therefore, to appoint one officer to be Registrar of Titles for the whole State of Perak.

(b.) In Selangor the work of registration has hitherto been done by the Collector of Land Revenue, Kuala Lumpur. This officer's time is, however, fully occupied by his other duties, and it is proposed therefore to create a new appointment, the holder of which will undertake the registration of titles both for Selangor and for the Negri Sembilan.

It is desirable that the two new Registrarships should, if possible, be filled by officers with legal qualifications.

(c.) The importance of the District Officership of Upper Perak has been greatly increased by the addition to the district of the large area, previously forming part of Rahman, which was transferred to the protection of Great Britain under the Bangkok Treaty of 1909.

(d.) The transfer to Class II of the post of Secretary to the High Commissioner

has already been approved.

(6.) The creation of the post of Registrar of Titles, Perak, would in any case have necessitated a reconsideration of the status of the District Officer, Larut and Krian, and Registrar of Titles, North Perak, and it is proposed to take the opportunity of separating the districts of Larut aud Krian. The success of the Krian irrigation scheme has resulted in a large increase of the population of the latter district, which is now so important as to require a separate District Officer. It is proposed therefore to abolish the present post of District Officer, Larut and Krian, and to appoint two District Officers, one for Larut and Matang, and one for Krian, placing them in Class III.

CLASS III.

Add:-

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Registrar of Supreme Court ” (a).

Magistrate, Kuala Lumpur" (b).

Magistrate, Ipoh " (c),

Deputy Public Prosecutors " (two) (d).

"District Officer, Krian" (e).

"District Officer, Larut and Matang " (ƒ).

"Chairman of Sanitary Board, Kinta North"

Remove :--

"Secretary to High Commissioner. "District Officer, Upper Perak.'

(g).

"Transferred to Class II.

The "Collector of Land Revenue, Kuala Lumpur, and Registrar of Titles, Selangor," will in future be only "Collector of Land Revenue, Kuala Lumpur," and the "Chief Assistant District Officer, Kinta, and Registrar of Titles, South Perak," will become" Assistant District Officer (Lands), Kinta." (See Notes (a) and (b) under Class II.)

Notes (a), (b), (c) and (d). These five appointments are at present in Class IV, the officer who is here referred to as " Magistrate, Ipoh," being called "Assistant District Officer, Kinta." The increase both in amount and in importance of legal work in the Federated Malay States, owing to the commercial development of the country, amply justifies an improvement in the status of these officers.

(e) and (ƒ), see Class II, Note (c).

(g) It is proposed to extend the jurisdiction of the Chairman of the Sanitary

Board, Kinta North.

B

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