CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 477

COPY.

MEMORANDUM OF CHANGES AND INCREASES

IN THE ESTIMATES FOR 1920.

38307

473

1. GENERAL.

During the War little attempt or none has

been made to adjust the expenditure on Education

to meet the growing needs of the Colony, This

is well recognised, and I need only point to the

fact that the Expenditure on Education for the

year 1917 was only 2,29 of the Expenditure of the

Colony, the lowest ratio since 1904. Not only

was the provision inadequate but, owing to the

War, it was also impossible to acquire or maintain

the Staff of English Teachers which the Estimates

provided for.

II.

INCREASES OF SALARY.

The Salaries Commission will shortly make

its recommendations as to the adequacy or otherwise

of the salaries paid to the school teachers both

English and Chinese. I do not, therefore, pro-

pose to make any recommendations for increases

of salary. There is however one point to which

I drew the attention of the Commission and which

I should like to repeat here. The Government

can acquire the services of teachers by paying

any price that it chooses above that commanded

by