CO129-511-6 Salaries and conditions of service of government staff 27-4-1928 - 2-11-1928 — Page 58

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ries and longer hours of service. For instance, such

a clerk, after gaining the necessary experience, can leave his employer and start business on his own in partnership with others who generally do the financing. Again, Chinese firms pay a bonus to their staff, such bonus depending on

the profit made during the year. And further, Chinese

firms provide free board and lodging for their staff in their shop premises.

Against the above advantages, however, the rates of

pay of clerical assistants, book-keepers, cashiers, shroffs

etc. in Chinese firms are far below what the Government

pays its Chinese Clerical Staff, and as a matter of fact,

the former really depend more upon their bonus, which may

sometimes be as high as four to five times their salaries,

than upon their pay; though at times if business is bad

there may be no bonus at all.

During the past seven years the rates of pay of

clerical assistants in Chinese firms have on the whole

increased by one third as compared with the rates prevail-

ing during the previous seven years, and in some cases

the increase has been as high as 50%. This has been due

to the higher cost of living. But against this increase in salary, the bonus paid by firms has during recent years decreased con siderably owing to the stagnation of trade. On the whole we consider that the rates of pay of the Government's Chinese Civil servants as specified in your

letter are better than those at present paid by Chinese

firms to their clerical assistants.

I have &C.,

(Signed) I.P.Lanchuen

Secretary.