ENG-1959 — Page 407

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

Government consolidated a proportion of the cost of living allow- ance into basic salary. In 1952 a new system for the calculation of basic monthly salaries over $200 was introduced, which, by substantially increasing those allowances, to some extent restored the situation existing before the 1951 consolidation. In 1953 the second post-war Salaries Commission was appointed, and pre- sented its Report in 1954. Since the Government was unable for a variety of reasons to accept the Commission's recommendations as they stood, Mr. P. C. M. Sedgwick was then appointed to devise a modified scheme of salaries revision into which those of the Commission's recommendations which were otherwise acceptable could be fitted. The Revised Salaries Scheme, as it is known, came into effect in 1955. The Sedgwick Report had purposely left sub- stantially unaltered the salaries for professional, administrative and superscale posts, and in 1956 Mr. W. D. Godsall, C.M.G., conducted a review of these salaries, his conclusions forming the keystone for the new salaries structure derived from the 1953 Salaries Commission's Report.

During 1959 a fresh Commission was appointed, under the Chairmanship of Mr. J. W. Platt, to consider and submit recom- mendations for the revision of the salaries and all other emolu- ments of all public officers in Hong Kong. The Commission's Report, which has now been accepted, recommended the incor- poration of the cost of living allowances into basic salary for all officers except minor staff, the abolition of expatriation pay and its replacement by a system of incremental credit for overseas officers, and increases in salary for most officers.

Training. A 'Report on Training of Government Servants 1952 - 1958' was published in March 1959 which indicated that a con- siderable amount of training was taking place both within the Colony and overseas.

Local training schemes, mostly for new recruits, have continued and several new schemes have been inaugurated. Such training is given to air traffic control officers, revenue officers and inspectors, launch coxswains, nurses, health visitors, police and prisons officers, social welfare workers, etc. In most cases the department concerned has provided the training staff, but occasionally outside lecturers have been invited. Use has also been made of the facilities of the Technical College. Overseas officers are encouraged and