CO129-422 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [5-6] — Page 29

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the Hongkong Government had no intention to treat one branch

of the Service more favourably than another, observing that

the petition for a general increase of salaries was subscrib-

ed jointly by the two branches of the Service who had hither-

to been on an equal footing in regard to salaries and that

the enhanced cost of living in the Colony had affected them

equally.

g.

--

Perhaps Your Petitioners may be allowed to say that

there existe a feeling of dissatisfaction in consequence of

this more favourable treatment of Clerks, One of Your Peti-

tioners Wong Tak Kwong, the translator to the Courts of

Justice was not allowed to draw his increment from 1st Janu-

ary 1913 as the Clerks were, but from lat January 1915 not-

withstanding the fact that he is officially designated as

'Clerk and Translator".

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10. One of Your Petitioners Wong Kwong Tin ventures

to avail himself of this opportunity to point out that he

being 2nd Interpreter to the Courts of Justice draws less

salary than the 3rd Interpreter. This is an anomaly which he

feels sure that you, Sir, will rectify, now that it is

brought to your notice. It may also be pointed out that the

3rd Interpreter to the Courts of Justice was also granted an

increase of salary at the same time as the general increase

to Clerks of the Higher, 1st and 2nd grades was granted. This

3rd interpreter has recently been again granted & house

allowance of $30 a month, which makes his salary $65 more

than that of the 2nd interpreter.

11.

Your Petitioners beg also to bring to notice the

fact that hitherto all the higher clerical posts have not

been open to interpreters and translators who are told to

wait for promotion only in the Interpretation Sub-Department;