Shanghai, Jan. 13.
'A "sliding scale" provision is responsible for "hard times" Increases for Shanghai Municipal Council em-Dloyees ranging, roughly, from 15 pee Cent. to 100 per cent, it was aseer-tained yesterday. In an interview, 9 high Anancial ameer of the Couneit painted out to a representative of the *North-China Daily News" that in the higher' brackets the figures actually Worked out somewhat below the per centages. given on paper. Neverihefess, itis plain that, on the whole, the higher the salary the higher the increase due to high cost of living.
"The rank and file of SMC. "em. ployees are in the classifications known. as "B" and "Lo" and. their remuneration hat no direct reference to foreign exchange. They are thus not affected by the fluctuations of the Chinese dollar in relation. to. the pound sterling, gold dollar, ete. 'These workers, who "receive the smallest slanes,' benet by a hardctimes. in= eremeni of 18 per cent. only. It is pointed out, however, that they con. Hinue to receive the normal increases pay which come in the service of the S.M.C. with time and satisfactory work,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.