CO129-493 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1926 [6-8] — Page 131

Copy.

Enclosure 1.

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary.

130

Royal Observatory,

Hong Kong, October 24, 1924.

sir,

I have the honour to submit for your consideration| some particulars of my service in the Observatory and a plea

based on them.

On May 17, 1912 I was appointed First Assistant

at a salary of £270 to £360 by £30 triannually. In the

regrading of the Service which took effect from January 1, 1920, the salary of my post was made £360 to £450 by £20

annually, and from that date I have drawn the maximum pay

of the position. In 1923 my maximum salary was raised by

£50, when that of the Director and Chief Assistant was

advanced £100. These increments were due to the high cost

of living engendered by the war.

The work of the Observatory has been increased in

late years by the addition of seismological and upper-air

investigations to the normal routine. Owing to my length

of service I am enabled to perform a full share of the

labours of these new branches of work, and also to assist

with the evening forecasting duties. The forecasting work is only possible to one who has carefully studied local meteorological conditions for some years; it has not been considered as within the scope of my predecessor in the

office of First Assistant.

In my present situation I have the prospect of completing ten years service on the maximum salary of my grade, precluded from receiving any acting pay, since the maximum salary of my grade is the minimum pay of the Chief

Assistant