CO129-558-8 Revision of salaries 19-8-1936 - 11-2-1937 — Page 102

The Colonial Administrative Service

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Memorandum prepared in the Colonial Office regarding the effect of recent economic developments upon the proposals for a unified time-scale.

It will be recollected that the scheme for the unification of the Colonial Administrative Service circulated early in 1932 included provision for a basic time-scale as follows:-

Class III £400 x £20 £480 x £30 £600;

Class II Class I

£660 x £30 £880 x £40

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G

£840; £1,000;

with efficiency bars at £600 and £840.

This scale, which covers a period of 20 years, was evolved, as explained in the unification scheme, with the idea of fitting in as easily as possible all the existing scales with their divergencies. The matter was, of course, considered with reference to the scales existing and to conditions prevailing before the general economic de- pression became a serious factor in dealing with matters of this kind, and before, as a result of that depression, the question of salaries had been examined by special Commissioners, or by local Retrenchment Committees, in various Colonies with a view to the effecting of any possible economy. Nevertheless, the proposal has met with fairly general acceptance so far as concerns those Colonies which employ large numbers of officers on the "time-scale"; though various suggestions have been made on points of detail, which will have to be considered in due course.

In any reconsideration of the question which may be necessary in the light of changed circumstances, it is evident that a clear dis- tinction ought to be made between special and temporary measures designed to assist a Colony in dealing with its immediate financial emergencies, and permanent revisions of salary scales which will cover a long period of years, and which require the most careful thought in relation to their possible repercussions upon the efficiency of the Service and the maintenance of an adequate standard of recruitment. The immediate necessities of the situation have been met in most Colo- nies by the imposition of a temporary levy which does not involve any alteration of the basic scale of salary. The question to be considered in connection with any permanent revision is whether there have been such general changes affecting the whole assumptions upon which the existing scales and the synthetic scale proposed in the unification scheme are based, as will justify the conclusion that, for the next 10, 20 or 30 years, some different standard of remuneration should properly be adopted with due regard, on the one hand, to the financial position of the territories concerned and, on the other hand, to the necessity for attracting to the Service and maintaining in reasonable contentment officers of the type required.

On general grounds it is evidently very desirable that any revisions of a permanent character should not take place until the world economic position has stabilised to such an extent as enables a clear answer to be given to the question whether or not the salary scale proposed in the unification scheme is on a suitable basis for such conditions as are likely to be normal for some considerable period.

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