CO129-511-17 Proposals for increase of rates of pay of senior clerical and accounting staff 15-8-1928 - 15-8-1928 — Page 6

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to which I should also like to invite your attention. As explained in paragraph 8 of Sir Cecil Clementi's confidential despatch of 8th July 1926, the present

grading of the classes is arranged on a personal

basis, and not according to posts. In practice this

has proved itself open to two main objections: first, that when any officer is on leave and his duties are being performed by a junior in the Service there is no acting pay or extra remuneration granted to the acting officer, salaries being personal and not attached to posts; and the realisation that efficient performance of more important duties may lead some day to increased

emoluments is not a sufficient reward.

Secondly the present system in practice does not lend itself readily to transfers between different departments, since Heads of Departments are naturally reluctant to part with efficient assistants, and thus

obstacles are placed in the way of the transfer of any officer to a post of greater importance if he performs well the duties of his present post. But when the filling of posts temporarily or permanently vacant means an increase in the emoluments of the officers

chosen, the obstacles prove less formidable and not

only do the officers who are transferred gain by a wider experience but the efficiency of the whole

Service is also increased.

6. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion

that it is desirable to combine the principles of

classification by posts and by individuals, and I

enclose tables showing the Service regrouped accordingly. An officer appointed to a post in any

class would be liable to be transferred to any other

post