1936-04-23 — Page 11

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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1936.

CIVIL SERVICE SALARY

'VARSITY MEN IN THE

CIVIL SERVICE

Answers To Mr. Lo's

Questions

Figures showing the number of Hong Kong University graduates employed by the Government were given at the Legislative Council meeting yesterday in answer to questions by Mr. M. K. Lo,

(Mr.

The Colonial Secretary North stated that detalls of the employment and salaries were:--

Public Works Department:-One assistant engineer ($3,800-$5,800) and two apprentice engineers ($1,- 800)...

Medical Department:-One health officer ($5,700-$8,400), 18 medical officers ($4,500-$7,500), xix house surgeons etc. ($2,400).

Education, Department: - One headmaster. 1 £500-£950), 52 Uni- versity trained masters ($1,800- $6,000), four University trained mistresses ($1,320-$3,000).

Railway Department:-One as- stant engineer ($4,000-$6,000).

Mr. North stated that no repre- sentations had been made to Gov- ernment by the University author- itles or other bodies as to the salaries which graduates of the University expected to receive from the Government.

STATEMENT WITHDRAWN

In answer to Mr. Lo's question "What are the facts and materials on which the statement that 'Unl- versity trained Chinese expect salaries equal to those drawn by European officers' is based?" Mr. North replied:-

The statement has since been reviewed and found to be an undue generalisation. His Excellency therefore authorises me very glad- ly in view of his motion at the last session to announce its with- drawal.

DONATIONS

T

S.J.A.A. And B.

The Director of Ambulance has the honour to acknowledge with grateful appreciation and thanks the following donations:--

Mrs K. Oram ...

Mr. Tang Laan (Ha Tauen) Mr. Tang Slu (Ha Tsuen)... Mr. Tang Poon Yu (Ha

Tsuen)

Miss Wong Yee Kwu (Ha

Tsuer)

$5.00 5.00

2:00

NEW PROPOSALS RECEIVED

FROM ENGLAND

Governor's Announcement

Council Meeting

At

VICTORIA HOSPITAL MAY CLOSE

Hong Kong Government Service had been re- A definite salary scheme for t

he Colonies, announced the Governor (Sir An. ceived from the Secretary of State for drew Caldecott) in the Legislative Council debate on the Civil Service Levy Bill yester- day.

Already in operation in the African colonies, this scheme was receiving close study by the Government, he said.

For this reason, he said, he felt that the appointment of a Commission, as sug- encroachment on the gested by Sir Henry Pollockand Mr. M. K. Log would be an functions of Executive Council.

la a detailed answer to the criticisms and suggestions by unofficial members. the Governor stated that the closing of the Victoria Hospital was being considered

with, the opening of the Queen Mary Hospital. simultaneously

The second reading of the, Bill was passed unanimously.

NEW SCALE BEING CONSIDERED

get, and so to balance the Budzet for 1936.

VAGARIES OF EXCHANGE

(2) By reducing the, rent- After the Attorney General had moved the second reading of the allowance privileges of Govern- Bill, Sir Henry Pollock sald:- ment Servants and also by in-

In times of violent fluctuations Your Excellency-I concur increasing the percentage of salary

in the cost of living" caused by the chargeable in respect of housing the terms of this Bill which has

accommodation, in cases where vagaries of Exchange or other owing become necessary

to an such accommodation is provided. factors, periodic adjustments of unfortunate series of events which

(3) By a thorough investiga-salaries in relation to such dis- have culminated in an unbalanced tion into acting, leave-pay, con-

turbing factors may be reasonable Budget for 1938

veyance and

Ellowances other

and necessary. For instance, I be- Heve I am right in saying that in made to Government Servants."

MEDICAL

England the basic pre-war salary ATTENTION (4) By Inaugurating a system rates are adjusted every six months of medical attendance on Govern- if the price index moves as much ment Servants by private practi- as five points up or down. basis. tioners, apon

contract a

Doc- instead of by Government

number tors; thus reducing the of Government Doctors required and effecting a saving on their

It should be borne in mind that, In many commercial firms, heavy cuts in salaries, and in

many

cases termination of employment altogether, have been the order of during the past five the day financially difficult years,

tion

tha:

further

In addition to the measures of economy which were suggested at the last. Meeting of this Council, the Unofficial Members suggest salaries, for Your Excellency's considera- substantial economies might be effected:-

(1) By reducing the salaries of some Posts in the Service upon new appointments to those Posts being made, and by reducing the number of Officers and of sterl-

HOW NEW DUTIES

em-

ailowances. leave-pay, passages and pensions, In this connection, our contention is that much of the work DOW done by Government Doctors could equally well be performed by private prac- citioners attending at the Govern- ment Hospitale and by their also attending on

PLAN

"PUBLIC FRIEND"

Governor's Praise Of Sir William

Shenton,

AT COUNCIL MEETING

A sterling tribute to the public work performed in. Hong Kong by Sir William Shenton, a former member of the Legislative Council, was paid by His Excellency the Governor, Sir Andrew Caldecott, at yesterday's meeting of the Council Shortly after Council met His Excellency said:—

Since our last session the Colony has lost one of its most familiar and important public figures and this Council one of its ablest and. most indefatigable members. "There is no need for me to re- hearse to-day a full statement of Sir William Shenton's service to Hong Kong; it would indeed take too long, and the many reported speeches of those who entertained him prior to his departure have

a "verbal provided

monument, which I could not hope to excel, of his public service and of the un- versal esteem and wide affection in which he was held.

I do, however, desire to pay hers la this Chamber, where we miss bim so greatly this afternoon, a Just tribute of official gratitude for all that he has done for the Ad- ministration as a member of both Councils.

I personally have enjoyed his advice and co-operation for la- mentably too short a time, but not

short that I cannot appreciate and deplore the full magnitude of the loss which we have sustained in his departure.

He was a man of whom to ask was to receive, if your demand was for public service: indeed, if he felt that his help was needed, he did not wait to be asked. We have inst in fact that great and rare thing, a public friend.

I ask your permission, gentle- men, to direct the Clerk of Council to send to Sir William Shenton a copy of these proceedings and an expression of our earnest wishes for the health and happiness or himself and his family in their deeply regretted retirement from this Colony.

CHINESE, TRIBUTE

11

Veuve

Clicquot

Clicquot

HONG KONG BENEVOLENT SOCIETY

All donations gratefully received by the Hon. Treasurer Mrs. M. J. De Ville, 265, The Peak.

Old Clothes at

11

The Daily Press Building

Mondays & Thursdays.

"Sir William has done a great deal in bringing about the associa tion of the Chinese and European Community in Hong Kong and I have much pleasure in endorsing every word that has been sald about him to-day.”

NEW LAWS

Bills Read At The Council Meeting

The following bills were read at yesterday's meeting of the Legisla tive Council:-

:

FIRST READING

But I consider that it would be dangerous disturbance of the fundamental principle of security on which the Civil Service is based to subject Civil servants' salaries

Those present at the meeting to variations depending on the in-

were:-His Excellency the Governor (Sir Andrew Caldecott), the G.O.C. come and expenditure of the Co-

(Major-General A. W. Bartho- lonial Exchequer, unaccompanied

the lomew),

Colonial Secretary by circumstances affecting the fin-

(Mr. R. A. C. North), the Attorney ancial stability of the Colony. I doubt that, confronted

General (Mr. C. G. Alabaster), the A Bill to amend the Building have, no

circumstances, and

Secretary for Chinese Affairs (Mr. | Ordinance, 1935. with such

A Bill to enable effect to be taken into the confidence of the

W. J. Carrie), the Colonial Trea- Sir Andrew's, remarks were en- Government Ser- Government, the Civil servants dorsed by, the senior nofciai- surer (Mr. E. Taylor), the Harbour given to an international conven- would readily and voluntarily res-member, Bir Henry Pollock, who Master (Cmdr. Hole), the Director tion for the suppression of coun pond to any reasonable appeal to said am quite sure that all ut Medical and Sanitary Services terfelting currency. make sacrifices in the interests of my unofficial colleagues on the Dr. A. R. Wellington), the Inspec- tor General of Police (Mr. King), ine Director of Public Works (Mr. A Bill to consolidate and amend A, W. Tickle), and Sir Henry Pol- the law relating to the establish- luck, Mr. J. J. Paterson, Mr. J. P.ment of asylums for the detention, Braga, Mr. T. N. Chau, Mr. W. H. custody and care of persons at Bell, Mr. B. W. Tso, Mr. M. K. Lo unsound mind and others. and Mr. B. H. Dodwell.

SECOND READING

ing-paid Clerks in some Depart- vants in their own homes. Thus 2.00 ments, and by substituting dollara sreat saving in public expendi- ture could be effected. We regard employees for sterling-paid

being of this suggestion (4) as 1.00 ployees.

pressing importance, having re gard to the necessity, next year, of providing for the starring of the new Queen Mary Hospital,

Accordingly we suggest that the Government do now appoint a sinall Commission or Committee. upon which there should be Un- official representation, to enquire matters into and report on the Included in the above paragraphs (1) to (4).

WILL AID REVENUE

카

In conclusion we, desire to add that we regard the present de- pression as being of a temporary nature. In Great Britain und elsewhere there are signs of reviv

An estimate that the recently imposed new liquor duties would bring in about $100,000 extra revenue and that the new tobacco duties would yield an additional $7,000, was given by the Colonial Treasurer (Mr. Taylor) in the Legislative Council yesterday.

of $1.20 per pound, Mr. Taylor said the new duties | figure came into force on April 1. A for if a factory imports raw learing trade and prosperity, which must ensure to the benefit of this the and pays the duty of $1.10 per lb. communique was issued to press the same day and it was not it cannot produce prepared tobacco Colony

In the past Hong Kong has now necessary for him to repeat it, at a price which enables it to com- except to say that the "conven- pete with similar prepared tobacco weathered many serious economic tional dollar" of la sd, as the basis imported from China at $1.20 per storms, and she will win through now as she has won through so for computation of duty had been' lb. abolished and it was hoped that The reason for this is that the often in times gone by. trade interests would welcome the preparation process of certain types elimination of a variable factor in involves a sight loss in weight of tobacco. It is, therefore, necessary its assessment.

to raise the figure for Chinese pre- pared tobacco to $1.40 per lb.

"This much is certain," said Mr. Taylor, "that in the computation of drawbacks not only, the "public but the revenue department con- cerned will appreciate the reversion to a straight dollar tarif,

"swered as consumption is such a variable factor. Assuming as a

HON, MR M. K. LO

Councti

ני

for its proposals embodied in the

the Colony.

'i

Civil servants cannot, in my view, be regarded in the same light as employees of a commercial firm. The Civil Service is not a concern

Messrs. W. J. Carrie and B. H Dodwelt took the oath of allegiancé during the meeting,

A Bill to amend the Midwives Ordinance, 1910.

L

Council will desire to be associated with the remarks made by you re- garding Sir William Shenton."

Mr. S. W. Tso said:-"As, senior Chinese member of the Council I making a proft measurable in have much pleasure in associating money, or dependent upon the samyself with the expressions of ap- tisfaction of consumers in a com-

preciation of the services rendered.

A BU to amend the Summary petitive market. It is not doing by Sir William Shenton to the

Offences Ordinance, 1932 work which can be measured ex- Colony.

A Bill to amend the Stonecutters actly in terms of any similar work

Island. Ordinance, 1889, outside. It can offer none of the

A Bill to amend further the "gittering prizes" which at least were formerly obtainable in the too large and that in many in- some eleven and a half million Companies Ordinance, 1933. industrial or commercial world. Its stances the salaries were too high, dollars. I gather that if the averageAll to regulate the deporta- enter attraction lies in its being a and I see no reason to recede from rate of the dollar for 1938 works tion of undesirable British sub "sheltered service," with a guar- this position. And I cannot re- out at 1/3d, there will be an in- jects.

A Bill to make provision for sist the conclusion that the time crease in the cast of the Colony's nas come when the whole question Sterling commitments (including levy on the salaries of public off- manence in employment unaffect-

cers in the Hong Kong Government: need income, an assured per- ed by the varying ups-and-downs of Civil Service Salaries, with its Sterling salaries), of three million or commercial prosperity and de-complicated and sometimes indi- dollars. I do not know how much service. pression. Its history, its prestige,vidual concessions and privileges, of this increase is attributable to and, indeed, its very existence such as the provision of free quar-salaries alone. But for the pur- rest on the sure foundation of seters, medical attendance, fuel al- pose of my argument I assume curity. This foundation should not lowance, etc., should be reviewed that the increase attributable to the law reisting to telecommuni

therefore be lightly shaken.⠀ ⠀

SACRIFICES FOR COMMON

WEAL

THIRD READING '

A Bill to amend and consolidate

cation

$1,000,000. bus adiz a credit pa- lance of nearly $140,000. (the ex-

In this salaries comes to one and and a by another Commission. way, it may be possible that the half million dollars. The total prevailing Governmental salaries figure for salaries expressed in! I am aware that England conta may be brought into a closer ap-dollars, and based at Exchange of happy ended, not with a deficit of proximation to prevailing wages 1/3d, therefore, comes to about Your Excellency:-I beg leave to

De cited as a precedent for calling paid by the better private emplo- thirteen million dollars. Five per make a few observations on the upon the Civil Service to make

act gure being $188.31327), the Owing to particularly heavy.

absence of any contribution from ONLY OBJECTION

salary cuts would not upset the withdrawals during February and Bill which is now before this sacrifices for the common weal, but yers for comparable work. Judged cent on this sum comes to $650,000.

the circumstances which existed by the above standard, and having

The only objection to this scheinancial status “quo", as envisaged March the first quarter this year

I would like to commence by in England at the time were dir. regard to the Colony's. prosperity, has at least the certain character- cannot be taken as any criterion, ""The question of extra revenue and tobacco duties in the near recording my personal sense of sa terent to those obtaining in weistics that large proceeds from un- me is the obvious injustice to those by the author of the levy proposals. My proposal has at least the to be expreted from the new liquor future are bound to show large tisfaction that Government has Colony. England had no surplus developed, land sales can no lan- | whose seluries are not excessive, duties is one that cannot be an diminution in the actual weight of decided to seek legislative sanction balance; on the contrary, she had ger he relied upon, and that the But such infusisce, which is of merit of being an attempt, how. a colossal National Debt: the whole hitherto fabulous income from sale course intensified in the proposed ever feeble, to den seriously with tobacco on which duty is paid.

Taking, however, the Arst quarter Bill, as mis procedure a credit of England, and therefore of opium must surely and inevit temporary levy, is unavoidable on this problem, and from point basic figure the amount of duty of 1935 the total amount of duties convenient opportunity or expr of the British Empire, was at stake, ably reach a yanjahing point, I til the salaries have been revised of view of the public it as this pon a total gallonage of 299,392 the factor been 1.25 would have loves important questions of to save the situation were justified the present salaries are in many levy is designed to aid our strallen- the temporary period of the Goy paid during the first quarter, that which would have been paid had ng our views on a matter which and whatever steps had to be taken have no doubt, and I repeat, that It may be urged that the proposed attraction; namely, that during by the paramount consideration of

Instances excessive, And, on the ed finances to the extent of someernment's proposed levy; whatever the increase per quarter would been $902,817 Had the factor principle.

It is not, I know, sought to preserving the existence of the assumption that this view is sound, $1.140,000.00 odd this year, and it may be one, two or even thren 1.29" (which

would st amount to $24,781 or, say, $100,000 beeri

I submit that a temporary levy in that therefore a mild proposal years the surplus could be be now had not the conven-Justify the levy on the ground that for a full year.

abolished) the salaries of the whole, staff are my submission, therefore, the not a solution to the salary ques- for benediting revenue to the ex-ed to equally as a tem dollar been

tent of only about six and a half measure, for the purpose "There have been, however, very! tional heavy withdrawals of European $924.108 would have been paid, tog high, to the extent of the per-

porary measure to balance our 1 suggest that pending a revision lakhs must be impracticable by ing up the difference between Had it is not, probable that such-R $1,142.913 would accrue. It is not have them reduced: it this were Budget is under existing circum and irrespective of whether a reason of its very mildness Bus amount which the Governm liquors during the first quarter, whereas at the present rates centages by which it is sought to proposed levy, merely as a tem- HOD.

Proposed 50, the general reduction should considered that the figure will be realized this year."

Referring to the tobacco duties, araendment to which I have al- hot, be a merely temporary ar stores had dusting of the revision takes place or not there I feature to point gut that, 25 1 levy would have prod thereafter the annual Ave ready referred will make much rangement; it should be made other hand 1 do consider that should be a permanent reduction understand it the isyy proposals that saved, under my be

some permanent reduction in the of a small percentage say ave were enunciated on the basis that difference Possibly an extra-$7,000 rmanent. According to dary bill which the Colony is now per centon all salaries above the 1938 would commence with a de reduction could be earmar suggested miminum under the levy fcit. of one million dollars, and repaymns, and building up, At a rough estimate after pay statement of the Hon. the Attor made it has been found necessary

• STILL TOO LARGE

scheme. Based on Exchange at that the surpluses at the end of to make a small amendment to the ment of drawbacks, It is possible ney General in introducing the Bull called upon to bear is sential..

Only recently I had, occasion to 1/Bd, the total salaries as set out 1036 would he reduced to dust over. tobacco duties as at present fixed that $2,500,000 may be expected before this Council, the levy is

Service was in the 1936 Estimates amount to e'ght million dollars, Since 1836 The rate for Chinese prepared from 10 tobacco patween April 1 being invoked in order to reduce

the expenditure side of the Bud urge that pur bacco is too low at the present and Piperaber: 31:

Mr. Taylor said:

Since His Excellency's order was

·State." .

pluses.

Continued on Page 12)