CO129-285 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [9-10] — Page 230

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The recommendations of the Retrenchment Commit-

tee, however they may be viewed by this Government, have been

accepted by the Colonial Office as a basis upon which we are

to act.

In comparing those recommendations with the

present salaries of the offices to which they apply, it will

be seen that, in the majority of cases, the present salaries

are more than 25% in advance of the salaries deemed suffi-

cient by the Retrenchment Committee. This meets to a large ex-

tent paragraphs 3,4, and 7 of the letter from the Portuguese

Civil Servants. As regards paragraph 5 of that letter, exchange

compensation, it is clear, can be granted only to persons having

a domicile in a gold standard country. As regards the 8th.

paragraph Jardine Matheson & Co.say that though the initial

salaries of most have been subject to an increase (which is

the case also in respect of Portuguese Government Servants),

the maximum has not been increased, thus showing a different

system from the Government system which does not deal with

maximum of salaries. The reply of the Hong-Kong Bank shows in-

creases and is the reply most favourable to the case of the

Portuguese Civil Servants, though I have pointed out above

that there are reasons in the case of the Bank which do not

C

exist in the case of Government Servants.

Messrs.Dodwell, Carlill & Co.plainly make capa-

city the reason of increase; this is not the Government method.

The Wharf and Godown Company's reply does not give any help.

The