16 SEP 1942
84
Government House, Hang động.
287
4th September, 1948.
(278)
Dear Sidebotham,
Thank you for your letter 53723/48 (Pt. II) of 7th August regarding Class I Administrative posts.
(245) 2.
In our telegram No. 377 we stated that the proposal to increase the mumber of Class I posts to 10 would give approximately the same percentage as in Singapore, which is the closest analogy to Hong Kong. But even apart from this I am satisfied, as was the Salaries Commission, that the percentage of Class I to Class II posts is inadequate.
3.
The Class II posts that should, in my opinion, now be elevated to Class I, are Director, Supplies, Trade and Industry, District Officer New Territories, and Establishment Officer. But for the reasons stated in my
(276) savingram No. 261, I don't want to designate these, or any
Class I posts; and I propose to un-designate the existing designated posts if my suggestions are approved.
4.
(245) 3 above.
We have at present 6 Class I posts; I have added This makes a total of 9. When our telegram No. 377 was sent, we also had a Secretary for Development who should be Class I. No steps are being taken for the time being to fill it. I am, therefore, prepared to drop my request from 10 to 9 posts.
5. As regards filling the posts of Postmaster General and Superintendent, Imports & Exports, with members of the unified technical services, the answer to the S.I.E. post is definitely 'No'. Customs and Excise work is the least difficult of the functions of this officer. As you know, we levy customs and excise duties on very few articles, and in this respect are different from the average run of colonies. A knowledge of the Chinese is essential, and this would be very difficult for a senior technical newcoMET to acquire. So far as the P.M.G. is concerned, it is not impossible that later on this could be filled by a member of the Colonial Postal service.
6.
I hope, therefore, that you will officially reply (276) to our savingram No. 261 saying that you approve my
proposals, but as to 9, and not 10, Class I undesignated posts.
Yours ever,
J.B. Sidebotham, Esq., C.M.G., Colonial Office.
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