647239-1893-Despatches-re-Retrenchment — Page 4

470

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3RD JUNE, 1893.

for the class, but less than that proposed by him for the next higher class; and in the sixth class I have placed all who draw less than $720, the average proposed by him for the fifth class.

The foregoing tables shew an expenditure of $101,176 on 85 clerks, or $1,190 a piece on the average; and according to classes an average of—

$3,276 for 1st class.

$2,348

$1,693

$1,208

2nd ""

3rd

#!

>1

4th

$ 808 5th 11

$ 475 6th

"1

>>

If we distribute the 85 clerks into 6 classes according to the numbers in each of the classes just mentioned, and assign to each class the salary contemplated by the Secretary of State, taking as the average pay in each class half the total of the minimum and maximum pay thereof, we arrive at the following result:-

1st class clerks 6 average $2,340

7

$14,040 $12,600

**

2nd

3rd

15

19

4th

9

""

15

$1,800 $1,380 $20,700 $1,020$ 9,180

5th

18

}}

י

$ 720 $12,960

6th

30

12

多多

$ 420

$12,600

$82,080

This gives an average yearly salary of about $965 for each clerk, and shews a saving of $19,010 on the present expenditure.

48 8

The Treasurer's scheme in C.S.O. 4, forwarded to the Secretary of State with despatch No. 88 of 15th March last, provides for 63 clerks. It is not quite clear what he intended the pay of the sixth class to be, but assuming it to be $48 a month, the scheme shews an average yearly salary of $1,239 for each of the 63 clerks.

It will be seen therefore that the average yearly salary as provided in the Estimates for 1892 for the clerks (85 in number) is $1,189; that according to the Secretary of State's scheme it would be $965; and that according to the Trea- surer's scheme (for 63 clerks) it would be $1,239.

In my minute of 3rd instant, I shewed that in Singapore the average clerical salary is $735, in Mauritius, the equivalent of $744, and in Ceylon, the equivalent of $373. I see no reason why in Hongkong it should greatly exceed the highest of these amounts. I entirely agree, if I may be allowed to say so, in the opinion expressed in a despatch which I have recently seen by the Secretary of State that it is undesirable to bring out men from England to fill clerkships in this Colony; and for Chinese and Portuguese clerks I consider the existing rates of pay to be, almost without an exception, altogether excessive. The rates shewn in the sub- joined table, which I submit for consideration, are in my opinion amply liberal.

Monthly pay.

1st class 6 clerks $150 to $200, average $175

$1,050

2nd

7

120 to 140,

130

$ 910

59

=>

}}

3rd

15

4th

5th

6th

15

25

11

9

18

""

80 to 100,

90

$1,350

60 to

70,

65

17

$ 585

45 to

55,

50

$ 900

"

30

30 to

40,

35

2)

17

$1,050

$ 5,840

12

$70,080