cretariat File No.4227/48
(T/C 12/13)
SAVINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date
25th
June, 1949.....
Ansii (9)
No.
280
STAFF
CONFIDENTIAL
12
7
Salary of the post of Chief Interpreter, Supreme Court.
·
1.
The duties of this post are performed by Mr. Ng Chalo Wing, who is substantively an officer of the Special Class of the General Clerical Service on the maximum of the scale $530 - 680 per month. r. Ng joined this Government service as a Student Interpreter in 1907. During the gericas 1920 - 1923 and 1929 - 1934, he acted as Chief Interpreter of the Supreme Court, a post. formerly held by an European officer, and in 1934 he was given the title of that post, although remaining on the salary scale of the former Senior Clerical & Accounting Staff (Local Section). As you are aware from the Salaries Commission Report, the Special Class of the Teneral Clerical Service was desimed for officers who have specialized in certain duties, including interpreting, but who are not suitable for the semi-administrative duties required of officers in the Executive Grade, members of which may be subject to frequent transfer among departments. Mr. Ng was considered unsuitable for entry into the Executive Grade, in view of his specialized duties. Accordingly he was offered salary revision in the Special Class of the General Clerical Service, together with other Interpreters in the Magistracies, and this he accepted.
2.
יי
It was represented to me that this salary revision did not afford adequate recognition of the importance of Mr. Ng's work as Chief Interpreter in the Supreme Court. The burden of his duties is greater than that of an Interpreter in the Magistracies and his standing, both in the eyes of the legal profession and the public, is much higher. I referred this matter of the Chief Interpreter's salary to the Conditions of Service Committee for its advice, with a suggestion that Government should consider creating a limited number of prize posts for highly skilled interpreters. The Committee has recommended that consideration should be given to creating a special cadre of Interpreters and Translators, separate from the General Clerical Service, on a salary scale of about $400 to $760 per month, which would attract local candidates of University standard, with an additional small number of posts for very highly skilled interpreters at $880 per month. The question of creating this grade of Interpreters and Translators is still under consideration and, think, could most conveniently be settled in connection with next year's Estimates. I have in mind that the introduction of this new grade should be offset by a corresponding reduction in the number of posts in the General Clerical Servicë.
I
3.
I do not consider, however, that it is necessary to delay further the question of upgrading the post of Chief Interpreter, Supreme Court, which would certainly fall within the general frame-work of the Committee's recommendations as one of the very small number of prize posts for Interpreters attracting a salary of $880 per month. The post calls for a very high degree of skill and responsibility.
4.
I wish to recommend, therefore, that a post of Interpreter, Supreme Court, should be created with effect from the 1st of April, 1949, on a non- incremental salary of $880 per month and that there should be a corres- ponding reduction of one post in the establishment of the Special Class of the General Clerical Service. I should be glad to have your approval - in this respect. The approval of Finance Committee has already been obtained.
H. K. & PACIFIC
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.