SAVINGRAM
Secretariat Ref. No.2/4068/46.
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date
25th
June, 1948.
No. 261. Staff.
RE
6 - JUL 1948
C.C
1207.
Re
Your telegram No.610 paragraph six. Administrative Officers.
106
I agree that in the ory the grading of posts should be related to the duty to be performed, but in practice this has considerable disadvantages. In the first place the relative importance of posts varies from time to time and it would be absurd to have a not infrequent alteration in the grading of posts, with the least important Class I posts being relegated to Class II and the most important Class II posts being elevated to Class I. Secondly, by designating specific posts, cases will inevitably arise of having to promote an officer from a post for which he is suited to a post to which he is not suited; the alternative being to promote a less able officer merely because he happens to fit the vacancy better than his otherwise abler colleague.
It is my considered opinion that the Hong Kong administrative service will function best if the superscale posts are not designated. It will give greater flexibility and will enable officers to be posted where they can best be used. I therefore press for an increase in the number of Class I posts to ten; none being designated.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.