CO129-339 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1907 [1-3] — Page 515

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there is nothing in the remotest degree recoubling a free

contract in the cnce of an officer in the Colonial Service who

is offered promotion. The true relation between an officer in

the Colonial Civil Lervice and the Lecretary of late as

representing the Crow ceenn to us with respect to be rather

this:- the officer gives hic viole time and energiec to the

Cervice. The Lecretary of State ic justified in incicting on thic

to the utmoct, and when the officer it no longer cupable, through

nge or 111 health, of rendering theco corvicus, he must go. On

the other hand the officer relies on the -ecretary of State to

see that the calery ic cufficient for the needs of the office:

and as circunttances arice over which the officer has no control

which crecte violent fluctuations in the calary, he is justified

in looking to the Dogretmy of Elate to re-uijust it, and put it

upon a more stabla footing. It may be said that there is no cuch

condition in the contruct: the numerous cases in rhich edjet-

we submit mentc have been made, komever fully warpunt ite being considered

ns incorporated therein. Looking at the matter fros n different

point of vior, it cannot be for the good of the public service

that its servants chould be subjected to the inconvenience, and

in many cuted, the grievous hardchip of having their monthly

stipend considerably reduced.

12.

In conclusion re aubuit with recneet and confidence

that the time hur turrived when the whole question of the

calaries in Hongkong should again be raviced es in 1890. Inch a

revision is we mubait inevitable owing to the rapid and viclent

fluctuations of exclaire which were not foreseen when the

prosent scale of salaries was fixed and owing to many other

circumstances, all tending to an increase in the cost of living:

and further bocauce the scale is based on a rate of exchange

which has never since been approabbdd, and which is now out of

proportion to the ante by which all expences in the Colony aro

Soverned.

We believe that a new scale hich would be acceptable