ENG-1962 — Page 419

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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advising on the qualifications to be prescribed for various posts and on the selection of candidates for appointment. The amend- ment made in 1961 to the Public Services Commission Ordinance, whereby the Commission is no longer required to advise on appointments, probation bars, promotions and efficiency bars for the more junior posts, enabled it to devote more time to the many other important issues referred to it. For some time it had been felt that departments should be given more discretion in the appointment and promotion of junior staff and authority was delegated to them to appoint and promote staff (subject to certain reservations) to posts with an initial monthly salary of less than $930 ($690 for women).

Steps were taken during the year to set up a selection board in London to enable persons of Hong Kong origin studying in the United Kingdom to apply for posts in the Hong Kong Public Service. This is regarded as a practical way of ensuring that every- thing possible is done to implement the policy of filling vacancies with persons whose roots are in Hong Kong. Overseas officers are now appointed on pensionable terms only if a local officer will not be available to fill the post within the foreseeable future.

In conjunction with heads of departments and their representa- tives the Establishment Branch undertook detailed reviews of the staff and salary structures of several departments during the year and produced revised structures and conditions of service designed to give more logical career prospects at all levels, thereby fitting the structure more closely to the duties to be carried out. This is of necessity a continuing task.

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In August 1962 a committee under the chairmanship of the Honourable W. C. G. Knowles, JP, recommended better salary scales and a non-pensionable allowance of $40 a month for all police rank and file in order to counter resignations and recruit- ment difficulties. The committee's recommendation was accepted by government and introduced from 1st August. Since the accept- ance of the 1959 Salaries Commission Report, women's salaries have generally been set at 75% of men's. A scheme was introduced with effect from 1st April 1962, whereby this differential is gradually reduced for women who earn $1,200 or more a month and who are on probation, on the pensionable establishment, on contract or on temporary transfer from the United Kingdom Civil