CO129-558-3 Levy on Salaries- petition from Chinese Civil Servants 3-1-1936 - 19-12-1936 — Page 245

Extract from Stansand of 16/1/36.

HON. MR. M. K. LO asked:

1.-(1) What was the total number of European Civil

Servants employed by Government at

(a) end of 1923,

(b) end of 1931,

(c) end of 1935;

(2) What was the number of persons constituting the European Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff at the aforesaid periods?

2. What was the total amount of salaries paid to the Public Works Department Staff, European and non-European, in

(a) 1923,

(b) 1931,

(c) 1935.

3. Since the date of the Report of the Retrenchment Commission (May 1931)

(a) what additions, if any,

(b) what reductions, if any, have been made in the European

Staff on the Civil List?

4. (a) In view of the imperative

necessity for

retrenchment, what is the policy of Government in regard to European officers who, having done 10 years of service in the Colony, but not having reached pensionable age, are nevertheless willing to retire?

(b) If under existing regulations there is no power to permit such retirements, will Government consider the question of amending such regulations with the view to conferring such power, in order to save the heavy expense of paying the return passage for such officers and families who have only a further short period to serve in order to qualify for pension?

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied :-

1.—(1) (a) 647.

(b) 923.

(c) 975.

(2) (a) 24.

(b) 63.

(c) 63.

There was no Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff in 1923, but figures have been given in respect of officers who now fall within that category.

243

2.-(a) 1923 European

$ 579,963

Non-European

(b) 1931 European

225,859 Total $ 805,823

$1,605,054