CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 234

:

230

The

@ 9. This has nothing to do with salaries. matter can be dealt with by framing rules as to the occupancy of Government bungalows as we did in Ceylon. $10. I don't understand this. A man is now allowed to commute his half pay to the amount of full pay leave. So that after 4 years service he can get seven months on full pay or 5 on full and 4 on half pay or 6 full and 2 half or any other combination reason for altering this,

I see no

It is impossible to concede a right to take leave when a man wants to do so, It is proper that a man should take leave every fifth year and Government should endeavour to enable him to do so but to grant a men a right to take leave without regard to the convenience of Government is to make administration impossible.

As to acting pay, if my proposal above is accepted the point will not arise with regard to the Civil Service, the members of which will draw the same pay whatever they are doing, but of course it arises in regard to other branches. I do not support the suggestion in 8 7 of Mr. Severn's despatch that an officer should draw the minimum of the post in which he is acting I would adhere to the half and half rule but I strongly recommend a modification so as to give the acting man the two half-pays from the day he begins to act. It has always struck me as unreasonable that he should have to act on his own pay for 3 months and I have known a case where a man acted for 7 months in one year in superior posts on his own pay, because he had to take on the duties of three different senior officers,

1 recommend that this concession be granted and that it apply also to the case of the Colonial Secretary acting as Governor.

i can speak on this

point

}

we shall Two bably

have

to make some arrangement for harging passage In Hà F-MS.

avice when the

la

Gy

17.6-18

point from experience having twice acted as Governor for 3 months on my own pay and the entertainment allowance of £1,500 a year. I calculate that I lost about £100 a month. If this was so in Ceylon, the position must be far worse in Hong Kong, where (though i believe less entertaining is done) living is more expensive, the entertainment allowance is smaller and the Colonial

Secretary's pay is lower. I don't see how any man can act as Governor on £1,600+1,200, if he is going even to attempt to do things properly.

The last sentence of 8 10 of the report is already provided for in Colonial Regulations,

I do not for several reasons, support Mr. Severn's proposal that the period of voyages should not

be counted as leave,

§ 11. Passages, I agree to some extent but

not fully. A bachelor can easily pay for his own passage. What I would do is to give a free passage to and fro not oftener than once in 5 years to anybody drawing not more than £600 and his wife and daughters and

minor sons,

I would then stop so far as bachelors are concerned but would continue the privilege to married men

up to £1,000 a year. Passages on retirement to follow

the same rule.

$$ 12

-

15.

39 16

-

17.

I agree with the Commission,

I agree with the Commission's

remarks but not wholly with the application of them in

the schedule.

§ 18.

I differ entirely. Government accounts

are very simple. In Ceylon we are finding suitable

accountants in the Clerical Service.

-

21.

@ 19

I disagree and agree with Mr.

Severn. As to the Schedules, I have already expressed

my opinion as to the Cadet Service, Salaries. I agree

with Mr. Severn as to keeping a separate classification

for