CO882-6 — Page 327

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TPELLI C.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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9. As regards the question raised in paragraph 7 of your despatch of the 28th of August, I am prepared to leave it to your discretion to consider on its own merits the case of each office which is at present underpaid and which will not be raised to the proper level by the grant of additional compensation; and I shall be glad to consider any increases which you may consequently recommend. I consider that you should not be deterred from making such recommendations in these exceptional cases by the tear of adding to leave-pay and pension charges.

10. I concur in the view that officers who are at present serving under agreements should be required to accept sterling terms on re-engagement. As regards the grant of exchange compensation to officers who are appointed on agreement for a term of years, I am of opinion that it should be given on the whole salary in cases where it is intended to retain permanently the officer's services if he gives satisfaction during the term of the agreement.

11. This ruling will, of course, apply to European police officers, surgeons, when serving on probation, and nurses. In the case of the latter it appears to me only fair that the ration allowance àt present drawn should be merged in the salary.

12. The option of coming under the sterling scheme should also be extended to all officers serving on agreements or on probation.

13. I see no objection to your proposal to give the name of "Local Pay" to the non-pensionable addition of 25 per cent. to their salaries, which is to be given to officers in the higher ranks of the Government services who have not hitherto received exchange compensation.

14. In your despatch No. 370 of the 28th August,† you raised the question of the rates of pay for cadets in the Federated Malay States. I have, as you are now aware, decided that the sterling pay of cadets appointed to Hong Kong, the Straits Settle- ments and the Federated Malay States must be the same; and this should apply to the salary given to passed cadets, and the increment to be granted to passed cadets who remain three years without a substantive appointment. You suggest that the pay of the lowest class in the Federated Malay States service should be £324, rising by triennial increments of £30 to £384. As passed cadets who remain three years without a substantive appointment are to be given £350 a year, it obvious that

the minimum salary of the lowest class in the service cannot be fixed below that amount; and it seems to me that the terms which you suggest are, perhaps, hardly a sufficient advance on the present salary of $2,400, which, with exchange com- pensation, may be taken as equivalent to £300 a year. I should be glad to know whether you do not think on re-consideration, that it would be better to fix the minimum at £350, and the maximum at a figure not less than £380.

39158

SIR,

No. 38.

I have, &c.,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

FEDERATED MALAY STATES.

HICH COMMISSIONER SIR F. A. SWETTENHAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(No. 341.)

(Received November 7, 1901.) [Answered by No. 40.]

Government House, Singapore, October 11, 1901.

I HAVE the honour to enquire whether the grant of double compensation will, in any way, affect the right of those Native States officers who now enjoy it to count the value of their quarters for pension purposes.

2. I assume that the grant of double compensation will not alter the sterling rates at which officers are now entitled to calculate their pensions.

I have, &c..

F. A. SWETTENILAM.

• No. 33.

† No. 34.

40901

SIR,

77

No. 39.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

GOVERNOR SIR F. A. SWETTENHAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(No. 454.)

(Received November 21, 1901.)

[Answered by No. 43.]

Government House, Singapore, October 23, 1901.

I HAVE the honour to bring to your notice two special cases of Eurasian officers, who claim to be dealt with under paragraph 10 of your despatch, No. 243, of the 26th August last, and to receive the local increase of 25 per cent.

2. These officers are Mr. R. B. Leicester, Assistant Treasurer, Penang, and Mr. J. E. Cooper, Financial Assistant, Police, Penang. Their position as regards salary, &c., is as follows:-

Mr. Leicester...

Mr. Cooper

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Prosnt Salary-

Salary as recom. mended by Select Committee- Appendix B.B.

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3,300

3,600

2,316

2,400

As to these cases, the Colonial Treasurer writes as follows:-

The question suggested to me is whether these appointments would come under paragraph. 10, and be dealt with next year under Section 8 of the despatch. I see no reason for dealing with them at present under these sections, as the holders of both belonged to the regular clerical grade, and at least one of the posts is noted to be reserved for deserving clerks (see Civil Service List, page 134).

"Both these salaries were evidently calculated on $3,000 and $2,100 per annum respectively, plus the ten per cent. addition given to the clerical establishment some years ago.

3. The Treasurer went on to recommend that the salaries recommended by the Select Committee, though not included in the appendices approved by you, should be, under the circumstances, adopted, both for calculating the bonus which these officers are to receive for the current year and determining the pay they are to draw in future, and in this view I concurred. The officers in question petitioned for a recon- sideration of the question, and, after perusal of their memorials (copies of which arc forwarded herewith), and careful re-examination of your despatch, I have arrived at the conclusion that the case is a debateable one, which requires a ruling from you as to the proper interpretation of your instructions as applied to this case.

4. While admitting that there is something to be said in favour of granting the local 25 per cent, allowance in their case, I must point out that these officers were of the clerical class to start with, and that the mere fact of their having won prizo appointments open to that class can scarcely be said to raise them above it in the sense of entitling them to a new compensation. Their case is not on a level witn those of Messrs. Sarwar and Sproule, who were appointed as cadets, and who have a prospect of rising to the highest appointments in the Service, and who are, beyond all doubt, entitled to the 25 per cent. increase.

5. I may add, in regard to Mr. Cooper, that he was given this post over the heads of several of his seniors (also Eurasians) in the clerical class, not because those senior clerks were less fitted than he for the appointment, but because it was found highly inconvenient to remove them from the posts they occupied. Their being thus passed over has been since made up to them in some degree by increases to the pay of their appointments, but if the 25 per cent. increase is now granted to Mr. Cooper,

• No. 24.