CO129-411 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [5-7] — Page 314

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efficient officers are tempted to seek more lucrative employment

in legal and other firms to the detriment of the Public Service.

Several schemes have been put forward to

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remedy this defect but as they involved considerable expenditure either in increased remuneration or in a reclassification of posts beyond the needs of the Public Service, I decided on a radical roorganisation of the Sub-department, and I appointed a Committee to survey the whole situation, composed of the Colonial Secretary, Treasurer, Secretary for Chinese Affairs and tae Director of

Education. I enclose a copy of their final report.

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I agree in the main with the terms of the Report and I propose to reorganise the Sub-department in accordance with their recommendations which are briefly as follows:- (a) To make Interpreters eligible for promotion to all clerical posts, (b), to earmark certain posts as appointments to which Interpret- -ers should have a preferential claim, (c) to arrange a system of bonuses for a better knowledge of English and for qualifications in Chinese dialects, examinations to be held for this purpose periodically, (d) to grant the Higher Grade Interpreters the same rates of salary as the corresponding grades of the clerical service. I am quite alive to the objection that interpreters may lose in efficiency through lack of practice if transferred to clerical work, though I do not anticipate that such will be the case to any great extent. Transfers will probably be effected only from Grade V, and in many cases these officers, whose interpreta- -tion is not of a very high standard, will improve their knowledge of English, which is generally their weak point. In any case all transfers will be under the aegis of the Board of Examiners who will be required to exercise a judicious control in the matter.

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I enclose a copy of General Order No. 47 as

amended in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee. The amendment of appendix E is at present under consideration.

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