CO129-577-8 Junior Clerical Service- petition for improvements in salaries and conditions of service 6-7-1939 - 19-12-1939 — Page 51

9.

Considering that the

may, at VITAB

77.

been transformed into an additional class through

which the whole body of Class VIB officers must

first pass before they can arrive at Class V.

Thus imperceptibly a stepping stone has developed

into an additional rung on the ladder of advance-

ment.

That, fourthly, the present minimum salary of $40

a month (i.e. 12/6d a week) is not a living wage, taking into

consideration the class of civil servants to whom this salary is

paid and the fact that both the cost of living generally and

the standard of living of your petitioners in particular, have

risen considerably during the past nine years. (Vide Comparative

Table in Appendix I).

8. That, fifthly, the health and efficiency of your

petitioners are seriously jeopardised by the absence of a travel-

ling allowance which circumstance tends to force them to crowd

into the densely populated city quarters in order to "save" on

travelling expenses. At present some of your petitioners,

especially those earning between $40 and $60 a month are reluctant

to set apart a portion of their salary (season tickets cost from

about $6 to $11 a month) to enable them to live in the healthier

suburban areas of Kowloon and North Point.

9. That the cumulative effect of the fore-going five

disabilities makes for discontent and inefficiency.

Conversely

the cumulative effect of the recommendations stated below will

make for greater contentment and (consequently) better and more

productive work.

Recommendations.

10.

That as a result of much thought and discussion

on the above observations during the nine years since the issue

of the Report of the Salaries Commission, 1929, your petitioners