CO129-599-2 Salaries Commission- 1947 Report 1-1-1947 - 31-12-1949 — Page 46

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87.

Another proposal which we have considered was that thero should be a separate Clerical and a separate Account- ing Service. It was argued that the present system could produce good bookkeepers but not good accountants and that increased spociclisation was necessary. It was also contcnded that a trained accountant should receive a higher salary than his opposite number on the clerical sido. We do not find our- solvos able to accept those a gumonts. We have rondy recomm- ended that an clomontary movlodge of the Government clerical and accounting systems should be required before probationer clerical officers are confirmed in their appointments and wo consider that while a clerical officer is in grade III ho should not be allowed to specialise but should have an oppor- tunity of Coing both clurical and accounting dutics. Aftor promotion to clerical grade II officers might be allowed to specialise in either direction.

88.

Another possibility which has been discussed is the croation of a separate grade of shroffs i.c. assistant cashiers. We understand that in the past shroffs whose educational qualifications have been lower than those normally required for the Junior Clerical Service, have been engaged on the Junior Olorical Service scale at points varying with the amount of socurity they wore required to provide. We are not in favour of the establishmont of a separate grade of shroffs or assistant cashiers, but consider that the duties of an assistant cashier should be performed by members of the General Clerical Service as part of their normal carcer. We do not favour any relaxation of the standard of entry or of the point of entry on the scale on the grounds that a career as a shroff is a blind-alloy occupation. On the other hand if every member of the clerical grado is liable to be instructed to perform the duties of an assistant cashier, an immediate difficulty will arise in connexion with the provision of security. It may not be possible for the officer selected to find the necessary mo...cy or guarantees. We understand that difficulties of this kind have already arison. It has boon suggested cs an alternative that Government might take up a fidelity insurance policy or that a Public Officers' Guarantee Fund might be instituted. Wo understand that fidelity insurance schomos do not operate satisfactorily and a Public Officers Guarantee Fund would moon that all clerical officers would have to contribute rogerdless of whether or not they were actually handling public funds. We do not consider either of these schomes satisfactory nor do we consider that the provision of security is in itself offcctivo. The security system naturally operatoes to make it certain that any deliberate Cofalcations which do occur will be of amounts greater than the security. If remuneration ordinarily is adequate, tho greatest deterrent against defalcation is the loss of pension rights. A further deterrent will be the knowledge that Government is determined to take all measures open to it, including extradition proceedings, to bring to court any officer who misappropriated public funds, even though there is little prospect of recovering the money misappropriated. With those considerations in view we recommend that except in the case of purely temporary officers such as the shroffs employed for a short period each year by the District Officer, New Territories, to collect rates, the provision of security should be discontinuca.

Police Ductment.

89.

A well organised, adequately paid and contented Police Force is a pre-requisite to law and order and to good administration and we are of the opinion that a radical rovision of terms of service for the whole Force is required.