Sessional_Paper_1930 — Page 71

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for the post is £250 to £385 by £15 annually with existing conversion privileges and it is recommended that the revised salary shall be that of Class III, Senior Clerical & Accounting Staff, namely £250 to £445 by varying increments.

Paragraph 117.-It is recommended that the Gardener at Tai Po should be paid at the rate of $192 to $240 by $12 triennially (see para. 144). An efficient man cannot be obtained for less.

Paragraphs 124-138.-Medical Department.

The Director of Medical and Sanitary Services has entered a strong plea for bet- ter terms for the Senior Staff of his Department mainly on the ground that the scales in the Report compare unfavourably with those of similar staff in other Colonies, es- pecially in Malaya. A copy of his representations is annexed.* All the main facts of Not printed. his case, were, however, before the Commissioners and their dictum in paragraph 40 regarding pecuniary competition with richer colonies is as true of the Medical as of the Cadet Service. Also due regard must be had to the balance of the Report as a whole.

Any general increase in the awards to one Section of the Service can hardly fail to call forth or revive requests from other sections for similar conces- sions. Apart, therefore, from the items set out below, the Government is unable to recommend departure from the Report. It is nevertheless most important that the Colony should possess a thoroughly efficient Medical Service, and if suitable officers are really unobtainable at the salaries recommended by the Commissioners, in- creases will be considered. At the same time an endeavour will be made to extend in the higher ranks of the Medical Department the policy, already adopted in the Nursing establishment, of staffing all but "key" posts with Chinese officers Chinese are studying medicine in ever increasing numbers and while by reason of their dif- ferent standard of living their salaries are on a much lower plane than those re- quired for European officers, it is hoped that their qualifications both theoretical and practical will reach the standard required for the public service of this Colony.

Modification of the Report in respect of the following items is recommended:-

Paragraph 124.-The Government agrees that the Director of Medical and Sani- tary Services should be treated in all respects as a First Class officer and should receive a salary of £1,500 to £1,800 by £50 annually.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in recruiting a Malarial Research Officer with the requisite experience. A candidate with long service under the Gov- ernment of the Federated Malay States has now been found who is willing to transfer on £1,280, the maximum proposed in the Report for a Senior Medical Officer, and it is recommended that for the immediate future this shall be the salary of the post.

It is considered that insufficient recognition is accorded by the Report to the spe- cialist qualifications of the Chinese Medical Officer of Health and his salary is re- commended to be $5,700 to $8,400 by $300 annually.

The Assistant Visiting Medical Officer to Chinese Hospitals and Medical Offi- cer for Schools are temporary appointments only in the same sense as the locally engaged European schoolmistresses (paragraph 148). It is recommended that in the case of the latter, the dollar salaries of these two officers shall be slightly in- creased to $7,800 and $6,600 respectively.

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Paragraph 125.-The salaries mentioned in the Report are for Chinese Radio- graphers. These have now been abolished and a European Radiographer appointed on a salary of £320-£360 by £10 annually. The equivalent of this in terms of the Report is £370-£430 by £15 annually and that salary is recommended for the post.

Paragraph 127. For the post of Assistant Steward, not covered by the Report,

a salary of £310 to £350 by £10 annually is recommended.

Paragraph 133.-Two Chinese Boys, employed respectively in the Operating Theatre and X-ray Department and now drawing $240 a year, should receive the same salary as is recommended for Ward Boys in the Mental Hospital, viz :-$264+ $360 by $24 triennially.

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