75
SOUTH CHINA MORNING
SANITARY ENGINEERING
carried out by high- ly trained workmen.
Suggestions are submitted for moder- nising existing installations.
Bathrooms Co- pletely remodelled on the most attrac- tive and up-to-tate lines.
POST.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930.
own mind there has never at any time been any thought of with- holding just remuneration to Government servants, and we are certain there was no such thought in the minds of the Un- officials, but, although it has been said that comparisons are odious, there is no question that the passing of the Government's resolution at current rates of ex- change places the servants of the Government in a privileged posi- tion which earns the resent- ment of non-Government work- ers who are being called upon to pay extra taxation. We do not think the question is one of whether the Colony can afford to pay; if necessary, for any vitally urgent reason, this Colony could doubtless find a few more million dollars. But it is a matter of "share and share alike," and of “taking the rough with the smooth," and we contend that the Government is putting its servants into the calmest of waters while the tax- paying public struggle in
C. E. WARREN rougher seas. The Govern-
& Co., Ltd.
China Building,
Tel. 20269.
ment's idea of the "bonuses and commissions" earned by the employees of commercial firms is a little amusing, for the bulk of such employees do not enjoy such, and are just salary and
wage earners
- often with nothing more at all added. The Government
The Dorning post has still, in spite of all that was
29TH YER
HONGKONG.
No. 1,259
For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. Isa. 38:
17.
said on Thursday, to answer satisfactorily the charge that] the enormous drop in exchange has completely falsified the basis of the Commission's Report 30 far as sterling-paid officers are concerned. As we pointed out on Thursday, one of the subor- BAKER. May 24, to Mr. and Mrs. A.dinate staff who hitherto has
E. Baker, Hongkong and Shang- hai Banking Corporation, Lyons, daughter.
BIRTH.
received $425 per month and free quarters and a conveyance allowance will, with his increase DEATHS.
and exchange at 1/3d., receive GUNN. On June 15, at the General over $570 per month, free quar-
Hospital, Shanghai, David Gunn,
ters and conveyance allowance age 27, Member of Engineer--an increase of 34 per cent. ing Staff of the Distribution Department, Shanghai Power Co. MARTIN, On the 15th June, 1930,
William John Martin of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, Pakhoi, aged 53. (Shang- hai papers please copy.)
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930.
After the Deluge.
This case le typicar of the sterling-paid staff, and the pub- lic rightly contends that the in- crease is too great. It was ob- viously misleading for the Government to work out the cost of the scheme at an exchange rate of 1/6d., because exchange has dropped far below that figure and is likely to remain there. When the Budget was introduc- ed in September the exchange stood at 1/11d., but the Govern- The Government has once ment budgetted at 1/10d. Why again used the weight of its then does it work out the cost official majority to act contrary of a scheme at 1/6d. at a time to clearly expressed public when exchange stands at 1/3d.? opinion. That is the essence Such a procedure shows a lack of the outcome of the three-and both of consistency and pru- a-quarter hours' debate which dence. The Colony does not yet took place in the Legislative know the full cost of the scheme Council on Thursday on the this year-all that it knows for subject of the salaries of Civil certain is that its postage Servants, and it raises a very stamps, its petrol, its tobacco, real constitutional issue. Apart and its amusements are going from the two Unofficial members, to cost more, and that when the who were members of the Sala- 1931 Budget is framed the Iries Commission, the Unofficials Assessment Rate will most like- at Thursday's meeting votedly be increased. Almost airily solidly against the Government, the Government accepted the and they had at the back of resolution for the appointment them the Chamber of Commerce, of a "Retrenchment Committee” large employers of labour, the it could scarcely do less. If Colony's largest Residents' the Morning Post editorials and Association, the unanimous "Emolumania" have done noth- opinion of the Press, and prac-ing more than to show the enor- tically the whole of the non-mous increase in recent years Government community. The in the number of personnel and speakers on Thursday expressed to pave the way for the Govern- the community's honest convic-ment's acceptance of a retrench- tion that it is not fair to impose ment move then they have borne on one section of the community, good fruit, provided that Com- already seriously hit financially,mittee is well chosen and given extra burdens to pay handsome every facility. It is a pity that increases of emoluments to an- the salaries of Government ser- other section which is not more vants could not have been fixed seriously hit. But the Govern- without all this rather distaste- ment had set its course and pro- | ful pother, but the initial error ceeded to sail over all the many was made by the Commissioners real objections, strengthened in who framed recommendations its determination, no doubt, by without the slightest consulta- the fact that the Secretary of tion with others or in considera- State for the Colonies did not tion of the rates of pay ob- consider the criticisms of the taining in the Colony generally. Chamber of Commerce of suffi- We hope the Retrenchment Com- cient weight to require the re-mittee will not be so restricted versal of his previous instruc-by the terms of reference govern- tions. The vital difference being its appointment. tween opinion in London and opinion here is that the money has to be provided here, and local opinion, especially when so solidly expressed as in the pre- sent case, should be paramount] on local matters. The Govern- ment's position to-day is an un- enviable one because it is hur dened with the knowledge that it has acted contrary to the wishes of the governed, who are helpless to secure redress. Ουτ sympathy is with the Official members of the Council who found themselves in the invi dious position of voting in favour of a resolution which increased their own personal emoluments in the presence of public repre- sentatives who thought the in- creases too great. We should not have liked to have been in such a position ourselves. In our
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