Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 634

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CLASS VII.-$480 to $600, by $60 biennially.

Office.

Salary

recommended by Committee.

Present Salary.

One Clerk, Public Works Dept., (Gutierrez), One Clerk, Shanghai Post Office, Assistant Bailiff, Supreme Court,..........

$360

$480

480

$720 to $960

480

480 to 600

Assistant Clerk and Librarian, Supreme

Court,...***

480

Fifth Clerk, Magistracy,

432

$660 540

Enclosure No. 4.

SUMMARY BY THE COL NIAL TREASURER.

Attached will be found a Summary showing approximately the result if the Committee's Recommendations as to Salaries are approved, but I should be glad if the figures were checked in your office.

$42,000 a year (with say $2,00, more or less, for exchange compensation) would be required to pay the suggested increases In calculating that amount I have taken the maximu'n in each case of present and proposed salary but have ignored increases in chair allowances.

These latter should be put on a regular basis throughout the Service say at $7.50 or $8, per mensem for each coolie required.

The amount involved in such cases however is small and may be neglected in the present consideration.

In my opinion this Government can easily afford the extra payments recom- mended. but before advising that any of them be adopted I suggest that a copy of the Schedule be sent confidentially to Heads of Departments for their remarks on such part as concerns their subordinates.

I have ommitted the Praya Reclamation figures as they do not really concern the Government. as also the Shanghai Statement as it obviously depends on a temporary state of affairs.

As regards the Report itself I may make the following remarks:-

Para. 7. The practice of getting out officers in a subordinate capacity

is generally expensive and hazardous.

The question is

moreover not strictly relevant.

As regards the Shanghai Post Office I am of opinion that the question as to whether it repays this Colony should be thoroughly gone into. If it does not, there should be no hesitation in moving its abolition as the Settlement has no claim upon Hongkong and th re are now plenty facilities for transit of correspondence specially since the institution of the Chinese Imperial Post Office a few years ago. Besides, the English residents have never properly supported the Hongkong Post Office there, as they were able to send letters cheaper through the French Post Office.

I am of opinion also that the sorting allowance should be kept distinct from salary.

Para. 10.-There is no hour for lunch and as a matter of fact no clerk can claim that the hours are fixed from 10 am. 10 4

p.m.

In my department, and I believe in the Colonial Secretary's Office also, work has to be done very frequently after the above time The suggestion of having a smaller staff and larger pay is not practicable in Hongkong where departments are very small as compared with departments at home and in larger colonies.