1936-03-20 — Page 11

HONG KONG - DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1936.

OVER FOURTEEN MILLION DOLLARS FOR SALARIES

(Continued from Page 10)

more

Government wishes to dispense 30 and 31 of the Staff List which with the services of an undesirable has recently been printed and sent employee, there should be required by the Government to the Unor- would have been much

the same proof of guilt as wouldficial Members) that no less than secure a conviction in a Court of 7 out of the 10 European Medical economies to have engaged a

Justice. All servants of the Gov- Officers, connected with the Hos- doctor graduated from the Val versity of Hong Kong, and toernment should know that theypital Division of the Medical De-pficial Members feel compelled,ponsibility for the

undergo have sent him to special course of training jo Anesthetics in Europe.

2

must be above suspicion of any | corrupt practice, and I cannot see why they should be retained the Governor in Council, after careful chquiry, should have reasonable ground for thinking that such practice has been committed.. even in the absence o, such proof as is necessary in a Court of Justice.

U

official Members of his Counci unanimously volunteering to take upon their own shoulders the res- Government fixing sterling. Exchange forward.

We regret being obliged to em- phasize this point of flying Ex- Our reason for change forward. doing so la that it has been sug- gested by persons outside of this Council (In ignorance of the true facts) that the Unofficial Mem- bars were to blame for omitting to

Government Some sort of scheme for advise the

to adopt the business-like precaution of fix- 'a contributory provident fund for such Officers would have to being sterling Exchange forward. created, in lieu of a pension.

And, lastly, the Unofficial Mem- desire me to express ters speech of the 13th September last, sympathy with Your Excellency in Acting Colonial Secretary having sp soon after your arrival here, to deal with an unbalanced said (see Hansard 1935, p.185):-

"No provision, apart from one! Budget, and also in being the sew amah, has been made for the chief sufferer from those cuts in extra staff that will be required | Civil Servants' salaries which you for the new Queen Mary Hospital, have, so promptly, brought into as the Hospital will not be ready | tørce. until 1937.

ernment.

the offer and acceptance of bribes, In the present instance the Gov- ernment were in the extraordin- and accordingly many of our Or- dinances and regulations are posarlly fortunate position of the Un- ential vehicles for bribery.

SUGGEST A RADICAL CHANGE In these circumstances the Un-

partment, with salaries rising from in the interests of the public; to £700 to £1180 per annum, have suggest a radical change, namely, that no subordinate Officials in been appointed since the 1st Jan uary, 1930. I conjecture that part the service, should, in future be THE PUBLISHED FIGURES

of that large Increase thathe Hos- taken on to the permanent Staff of The published Agures show that

pital Medical staff is owing to the the Colony, but that, Instead, they for the expenses of the Medical "De

Government having, about 5 years be taken on, on agreements partment rose from $502,000 odd

terms of years, which would be re- ago, given to all Civil Servants, in 1924, to $1,505,264 in 1934, and

right up to the Governor, the pri-newable, at the option of the Gov- to $1,051,378 in the Estimates for

vilege of free Government Medi- 1938, of which $1,160,694 represents

cal attendance in their own homes. personal emoluments. No one can

That privilege was formerly con- possibly have a higher admiration

Subordinate to

Officers, Anec than I have for the services ren-

whilst the Senior Officers had to dered by my Honourable friend the

resort to and pay for the services D.M.S.S., but apart from matters

of Doctors in private firms. In this like the Children's Clinic, Venereal

connection I have been informed Clinics, Medical Services in the

that the fees received by one pri- New Territories, are the medical

rate frm of Docters from Senior facilities and the general medical

To my mind the Civil Service is Civil Servants in the

year 1931 and public health standard in the

not only overstaffed, but in many amounted to $9141, but have, in Colony Improved to such an ex-individual cases grossly overpaid, the year 1935, fallen to $2107. tent us to merit an extra annual:

and I feel that until this funda- Whilst private practitioners are expenditure of ovez A million

mental defect in Administration being hard hit by the above new dollars when the figures for 1924 has been remedied, it is a matter policy of the Government, which und 1938 are compared? in any for regret that it should be neces-occasions increased expense to the case, can the Colony afford it?

sary to call upon all the civil ser- tax-payors of this Colony for sal- vants to bear a sacrifice which

ary, housing, leave-pay, and pen- no doubt, works great hardship in sions, and, therefore, ought as a individual cases. And this regres new policy to have been submitted to this Counell for its approval; those practitioners are rigidly, and,

I submit that the question as to what constitutes proof of guilt in a criminal prosecution, and the question as to what are the cir- cumstances under which an em- ployer should be entitled to ter minate a contract of service, are entirely different, and should not be confused. OVERSTAFFED

To what extent are the increased Hospital and other Medical faculties offered by Government made use of by those who can afford to pay reasonable charges for the same? And, to the extent indicated above.

rot such facilines merely competitive with those offered by private practition-the

2rs?

are

PENSION FIGURES Then, look at the Penston

AND OVERPAID

all the greater when we reflect that this necessity would not have arisen this year if Government had only acceded to the. unanimous and urgent businesslike request of

unofficial members-about which I understand my Honour- able friend, the Senior Unofficial Member, will speak-to fix Ex- change forward for all the 1936 Sterling commitments. Moreover,

for various necessary projects. For instance, malaria is still ram- pant in the Colony, and I would like to sec half a million, or even a million dollars devoted in one

to year eradicating this disease.

as wa

think, wrongly, excluded from every part of the Govern- mena Hospitals, except the M- ternity wards of the Victoria and Kowloon Hospitals, debarred, in the majority of cases, from attending upon those of their patients who go into Government Hospitais. We urge strongly that

and thus are

venture to suggest that question's such as those indicated above should engage the mediate attention of Government. Again, 1 yield to none in my ad- miration and respect for the Police until this defect is remedied Gov-

such exclusion should be abolish- Force, wut are all the numerous

ernment obviously is not in a post-ed. We have been informed that Assistant Superintendents of Pulicetion to find the necessary money

It is part of the policy of the really necessary? I should very

Honourable the Director of Medical much like to know how many

and Sanitary Services for the Gov- Assistant Supertritendents, we had.

ernment to take over (at the ex- say, Htteen years ago.

pense of the tax-payers) all the Medical Services of this Colony and to drive eventually the private practitioners out of business by the Government competing with them. We shall be glad to learn from Dr

Council, whether our above in- formation is substantially correct.

Surely it would be possible for the Government to arrange for contracts" with a firm of doctors, as is done by business people now, and to save public money by so doing; the choice of doctors to be left to patients to decide.

figures. The amount of Pensions paid in a year rose from $503,000 odd in 1934, to the sum of $1,810.- 000 in the Estimates for 1936. I do not know whether Govern- ment has ever obtained actuarial assistance computing

In

the potential liability of the Colony for Pensions in respect of the existing Civil Establishment, but

I shudder to think what this figure will be, say, in ten years' time, as the Pensions payable already amount to nearly $2,000- 000 a year!

But salaries having absorbed over fourteen million, where is the money to come from?

In the course of his Budget

the

In this conection it is suggested. firstly, that a good deal of the time of the present Government Medical Officers could be saved, if people, who now go to Government Hos- pitals for treatment or operations but can afford to pay a private for treatment or practitioner

were compelled to operations. consult private practitioners, and secondly, that, if any increase of the "Government Hospital Sta is found to be necessary to staff the Queen Mary Hospital.

could economy considerable

be effected by the Government engag- ng medical graudates of the Hong Kong University on dollar, salaries Instead of engaging Medical Of ficers from Britain on expensive sterling salaries.

DR. WELLINGTON REPLIES

OUT

Replying on the medical situation the Hon Ur. A.R. Wellington said:

I. When making comparisons be tween the present medical staff and that of any 1930 or 1959 it is only fair that certain facts should be borne in mind.

that the Medical Department (a) when I arrived in 1929 was admittedly inadequate for the work it had to per form, and the first task set me was thas of reorganisation of the Medical and Sanitary Services.

(b) that a twenty percent leave re- serve pust be allowed if officers are to get their proper quota of leave.

(c) that in a small service, although for charness of administration the staff is divided into branches, it is not. 20 leave

*

In conclusion I must deal with, economical toch but that the:

a point. which has been hriaty referred to by the mover of this motion, and which is a very sore point with the Unofficial Members of this Council. In my letter to the Colonial Secretary of the 18th September Inst I, as the mouth piece of every one of the Unofficial

reserve for each largest section should carry a sufficient reserve to allow of such replacements as the Malariologist, the Bacteriologist, the Radiologist and so on.

() (hat in 1929 there was no ade- qual leave reserve.

I apologise for the time I have Wellington, as a Member of this Members, urged the Government! not scem to be relevant. The date of

taken up this afternoon.

I beg to move the Motion stand- ing in my name, add respectfully commend it to the consideration of this Council.

SIR HENRY POLLOCK'S

SPEECH

In supporting the Hon. Mr. Lo's resolution the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock said:-

2. The fact that the individual fheurs were appointed since 1930 does appointment does not necessary imply to fix Exchange forward for all the creation of a new post but the sterling commitments of the ordinarily implies only that an exist Government for 1933. Those stering vacancy was filled on that date.

The 1829 staff list shows that there ling commitments the Acting Co were then 8 Modical Officers all but one lonial Secretary, in his Budget of whom belonged to what is now the speech, stated to amount to £750,- Hospital Division, and that one exce- (see Hansard 1035 ption helped in hospital work when 000 sterling.

occasion demanded. The number quot ed by the Hon. Member is 10 an increase of only two.

11

al p.157). EXCHANGE SHOULD BE FIXED In a further letter to the Gov- Of course it is conceded that, owing to the increase, during re- ernment of the 25th September 1, on behalf of all the Unofficial Mem- cent years, of accommodation at the Kowloon Hospital, some in- bers, urged that at least sterling should be fixed for- crease in the Government Hospital Exchange Medical staff was necessary, but ward

all the Government's 10 1936, we contend that such increase sterling commitments certainly did not justify the en- other than for sterling salaries, gagement of so many as 7 addi- tional European Doctors in the Hospital, Division of the Medical Department.

PRIVATE TREATMENT

In the Course of his Budget speech of the 12th September last, the Acting Colonial Secretary said (see Hansard 1935, p.165):-

for

"as being in accordance with the best commercial practice.".

As sterling Exchange could have taen, or shortly afterwards, been fixed at the rate of about 2-to the dollar, the Colony has become involved, quite unnecessarily, in a large extra expenditure to meet its commitments for 1936, sterling

1

HOSETTAL DIVISION

The work of the hospital division includes duties in connection with.

(R) Govt. Civil Hospital-both in- patients and outpatients.

(b) Govt. Mental Hospital. (c) Victoria Hospital-inpatienta and outpatients.

(d) Kowloon Hospital inpatients and outpatients.

(e) Infectious Diseases Hospital. (f) Victoria Gaol Hospital." (g) Lai Chi Kok Prison Hospital.

h) Kowloon Mortuary.

(1) Families of Govt. servants, Vic tória.

(1) Families of Govt. servants, Kowloon.

In my submission what Govern- ment should do is to attempt to Your Excellency.-I have much tackle the present financial posi-pleasure in seconding this motion tion by business methods: in other which has the unanimous support words, by taking stock of the whole of the Unofficial Members; financial position and adjusting My Honourable friend, Mr. M. : is expenditure in relation to ita Lo, is to be congratulated upon income, or probable income, for the trouble which he has taken in the present, and the years to come. Idoking up and presenting to this To introduce the wholesale reduc- Council the illuminating figures tion in the salaries of civil ser which he has just laid before us in vants avowedly as 1 temporary regard to the very large expendi- measure is at best a makeshift ture of this Colony upon the salar- arrangement which cannot afford | ies and pensions of Civil Servants. annal solution. It may well be i

This heavy burden demands the Ico sudden or too drastic u reduce serious attention of the Gavern- tion in personnel must necessarily

ment at the present time when a impair to some extent the existing marked trade depression synchron- high efficiency of the Administra-izes with an inbalanced Budget. extra staff that will be required comparatively satisfactory Anan-

just as it would be In my Budget speech, on the 3rd for the new Queen Mary Hospital | cial position sincidal for a business concern to October las.. speaking on behalf as the Hospital will not be ready strive to attain the ideal of el-] of all the Unofficial Members, "I

until 1937." ciency without taking due heed of said (see Hansard 1935, p. 180): In this connection It is suggest- bankruptcy, so I submit Govern- "Regarding retrenchment weed, firstly, that a good deal of the are glad to learn that the Govern- time of the present Government ministration within the limits of ment is carefully considering whe Medical Officers could be saved, ther it is necessary to fill up Posts if people, who now so to Govern

ment Hospitals (which are paid for

time Medical Officer. Our Stam or

tion. But

ment must restrict its cost of Ad-

ine Colony's capacity to pay.

"No provision, apart from one sew aman, has been made for the

Civ. Servants is a very large one, by the Public and should be open even after making the fullest al- to private practitioners) for treat lowance for the fact that the Gay-ment or operations but can afford ernment has also to perform the to pay a private practitioners) for duties of a Municipálity. Indeed treatment

or

with the result that our Budget for this year has become badly unba- lanced, instead of our being in a

(k) New Territories Dispensaries- six in number.

(1) Hospital at Jubilee Reservoir (Shing Mun).

4. Since 1929 there has been a con- siderable increase, in the various so tivities connected with the hospital

..

Insist on

Gordon's

IDRY GINE

DISTILLING LONDON

THE

GIN

THAT MADE

THE COCKTAIL FAMOUS

The heart of a good cocktail.

FRIDAY 20 MARCH

WELCOMING

FRIDAY 20

MARCH

WORLD TOURISTS

FROM S. S.

'EMPRESS OF BRITAIN" A

SPECIAL DINNER TANC

IN THE

PENINSULA HOTEL

ROSE ROOM" RESERVATIONS 1 HONE 58081 DINNER $8'00

Also

Special Dinner Dances SATURDAY 21st MARCH TUESDAY 24th MARCH

11

THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD. w

spent over domiciliary visits is far less than the Bon. Meiber seems to think. This is obvious from the large amount of other work the Medical Officers for Familjes have to do.

9. There is no restriction on any officer's choice of doctor but Govern- ment servants are not compelled to ignore the qualifications of Govern ment Medical Officers and seek the attention of Private Practitioners,

10. The Hon. Member has been misinformed-It is not the policy of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services for the Government to take of the taxpayer) over (at the expense and to drive eventually the private all the Medical Services of the Colony practitioners out of business.

There are already adequate nursing homes where the private practitioners can attend their own patients,

NO DIFFERENCE 11. The castom of restricting treat- mont in Government hospitals to mem bors of the Hospital Staff does not differ materially from that in vogue elsewhere:

,

The Breatheable Tablets

PEPS

FOR COUGHS COLDS&CHILLS

able Member on both the manner and the matter of his maiden speech in this Council. It was said, I think by Disraeli, that no Government can last without a strong opposition, and this Gov- ernment welcomes criticism or a

constructive nature, such as has been advanced in the speech to which we have just listened.

This is most regrettable, and. up-division. to the present moment no reason (a) At the three general hospitals has been given to us, which we re-only the inpatients have increased gard as adequate, for that deplor from 6,848 in 1920 to 8,614 in 1035, the able omission on the part of the outpatients from 70,400 to 150,620.

(b) Work at the gaol and prison Government to adopt the obviously hospitala has so increased that the business-like course of fixing suf- Supt. of Frisons has asked for a whole I submit therefore, that Govern- as vacancies occur.

ficient sterling exchange forward

(c) The number of bodies dealt mem should not engage any more

to cover its sterling commitments

would have materially with at the Kowloon Mortuary was persons on Sterling basis without

which

3,107 in 1025. consulting, this Council; that no

helped the Government to balance 2,628 in 1926 and 77373 rats were

addition vacancy should be filled without

its 1936 Budget.

examined. similar consultation; that facilitlès

operations be Such omission on the part of the (d) In the New Territories work

12. In the so called voluntary be given to all officers recently re- it is considered by some that we allowed to be attended there by Government la all the more in has greatly increased there being six hospitals in London, if a patient choo

ses to resort there for treatment he cruited and not absolutely indis- have too many Regulations in this private practitioners, and second-explicable, inasmuch as the Acting dispensaries instead of two, also a pensable to leave the Service with- Colony and too large a staff of ly, that, if any tncrease of the Colonia! Becretary, in his Budget travelling dispensary,

(e) At Jubilee Beservoir (Shing must put up with treatment by one of out subjecting the Colony to any Subordinate, Officers fussing about Government Hospital Staf is speech of the 12th September, 1935.

the same applies to the the staff, Municipal Hospitals of London or is in his own words, is "that the liability to pensionis, and that a and worrying people regarding the found to be necessary in order to clearly foresaw the possiblity of fun) there is a small hospital and an

outpatient clinic for 9000 labourers.

Glasgow: the same applies in France Colony cannot afford to maintain real effort be made to utilise local meticulous observance of the Resta the Queen Mary Hospital, an unbalanced Budget. (See Han-

DOMICILIARY TREATMENT ·

in America is Gerapy, in talent, such As qualified doctors guiations. Also the prevalent no- considerable economy could be sard 1935, at page 158).

6. With regard to the domiciliary and Italy: the same applies to Malaya, the existing Civil Service" and that from the University of Hong Kong.

13. With regard to the staffing of it must "cut its coat according to tion that Police Officers and Sanit-effected by the Government en We hope that the Government i

the Queen Mary Hospital, it is intend etc. But in this connection Iary Inspectors acquire merit by gaging medical graduates of the not going to shelter itself behind treatment of Government servants there has been no outstanding increase would like to make one suggestion. prosecuting people is apt to ren-Hong Kong University on dollar the plea that it could not fix.ster- and there is now for this duty the ed that the same system as prevails at BRIBERY MUST BE STAMPED der the Government unpopular salaries instead of engaging Meng exchange forward because it same number of Medical Officers as the Government Civil Hospital shall be inclined to concur, if the mover circumstances." One li apt-tó be and to make the man in the street dical Officers from Britain on ex- had some foreknowledge of the there was in 1929 viz, one for Victoria prevail there viz-that the work would add the proviso in present

possibility of measures being taken who also does the Goal and In- shall be divided between the Govern consider that we could do with pensive sterling salaries.

we by it, to establish a managed cur- fectious Diseases Hospital and acts as ment Medical Staff and the Govarn- misled by metaphors and the Hon of the Government Service bribery fewer of such Officers

the Mor in the University. The Government or other irregular practice must be In the same debate my Honour-world urge is that economics rency. In considering such a plea, Police Surgeon and ono for Kowloonment Consultants who are Professors curable Member seems to contem- stamped out, and I venture to able friend, Sir William Shenton might possibly be effected if an it is necessary to remember that is the New Territory and in Staff then as now will consist of both plate a static Colony, which fias European Medical Officers and Chinese reached the end of it's growth. It Unofficial Member of this Council the Government are trustees for addition is Railway Medical Officer.

1: doubtful if Mr. Lo consciously think that all new men employed recommended (Hansard P.188) "

8. It will be seen that the small Medical Officers.

14. The number of Chinese Medical intends to put forward this view, should be engaged on the clear careful survey of every branch of were appointed in an advisory th taxpayers of this Colony, whose

OUT

For the sake of the reputation

Yet another point which

who

Mr. Lo's case, expressed succinct-

a lot. The Government would

the Government service with a capacity, a Member of the Ap-interests it is the Government's increase of staff of the Hospital Divi9- Officers in the service slready repre- but the view is implicit in his argu- the Senior duty to protect by every means I fon from eight to ten is in no way due sents 43 per cent, of the total number ments. With tila implicatón the

pointments Board view to effecting substantial econo-

to

Its power.

SHOULD DEAL WITH A BANK

to the change of the Government Orders which allowed of senior of qualified medical officers and this

** | Government cannot agree. officers being attended in their houses proportion will be increased.

16. I hope that the replies 1 bave when such was necessary.

given will convince the Hon. Senior Unofficial Member that, the small 10 is justified.

7. It is not therefore correct to say

that, &

a good deal of the time of the people who now go to Govt. Hospitals were

and distinct basis that their ser- vice is liable to be terminated if

Clericial and Accounting Service. the Governor in Council, after-en-mics".

In the course of his speech Mr. UNOFFICIALS IN AGREEMENT quiry, should be of the opinion

It is also necessary to remem- that their continuance in office is In the course of his speech,, in Lo has referred to the difficulty of detrimental to the interests of the support of, the, motion now, before getting rid of Civil Servante for ber that the other party to any Colony. Indeed, I consider that the Council, the, mover indicated bribery or other irregular practices such Exchange transaction by the this rule should apply to the whole certain directions in which he sug- and there can be no doubt that Government would be a Bank. Service. I say this because, to my gests that economics might be this difficulty in mind, and having regard to local effected in various Departments, Bubordinate officers for bribery against loss by entering into

B. With regard to the" Hom: Mem- conditions, it is quite futile to ex- and 1 would like to add some reconstitutes a serious blot upon the covering contract

When

the Unoficials ask for ber's suggestion that Government pect that, generally speaking, such marks with, which my Unofficial wholesome administration of the evidence of bribery or corruption colleagues are in general agree-laws and regulations of this Co-protection for the tax-payers should, arrange for contracts with

Sr.--I should like in the first - will be forthcoming, as, wil secure ment

tony. In Hong Kong, unfortunate-money, their wishes should be met Private firmos of doctors for medical attendance, the Government does not a verdict of guilt in a Court of Firstly, in regard to the Medically, conditions are far more con- and the onus for the action laid consider that the arrangement would place to congratulate the Honour-

be economical. The amount of time (at pages ducive than in other Colonies.to Law. I do not see why, when the Department, I notice

getting rid of which would at once protect itself at medical officers could be increase of Medical Officers from 8 to

on them.

a privite practitioned to consult

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S

REPLY

The Honourable Member takes... the figure of the estimated revenue for 1936, namely $28,071,845, which

was calculated with the rate" of exchange taken at 1/8d to the dollar, which revenue will, if the dollay remains at about 1/3), be increased by a sum" estimated af $1,170,000 representing the in- creased yield of the taxes based or Continued on Page 12)