586
We therefore earnestly pray that the Government will give immediate consideration to this petition and afford the relief to which we are sure they will see we are entitled on due consideration of our statements.
We have, &c.,
PHILIP T. LAMBLE.
HORACE J. KNIGHT.
FRED. O. AMY.
T. P. CONOLLY.
F. ALLEN.
S. KELLY.
L. BRETT.
W. FINCHER.
J. BULLIN.
E. W. DAWSON.
R. HUDSON.
FRED. FISHER.
R. MCEWEN.
C. E. FIRTH.
D. O'HALLORAN.
J. LEE.
J. J. BRYAN.
R. DUNCAN.
W. F. CULLEN.
A. SMALL.
JAMES A. LYON.
D. MCKENZIE.
T. ABLEY.
A. BROWN.
SYDNEY MAURICE GIDLEY.
J. PEARSON.
The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
MINUTE OF 26TH NOVEMBER, 1906, FROM Mr. CHATHAM.
The position has become so acute on account of the continued rise in the value of the dollar, without any corresponding reduction in the cost of living, that some immediate relief is felt to be necessary. Of the 43 signatories, 23 are married men. I trust that the necessity of making some immediate improvement in the conditions of officers will be strongly repre- sented to the Secretary of State.
Enclosure 4 b.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT,
HONGKONG, 24th November, 1906. SIR,-We the undersigned officers of the Public Works Department of Hongkong respectfully forward for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor this petition and trust that His Excellency will give it his earnest recommendation and cable it to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
We are aware that a petition from the Heads and Sub-heads of all Departments, stating our grievances, has already been submitted; since that one was prepared however the pur- chasing power of our salaries has again diminished and we would urge that it is now vital that some immediate steps should be taken to relieve a situation which has become almost unbearable.
We do not wish to suggest what form the relief should take; we only desire to emphasise strongly the conditions which are proved to exist in the petition referred to.
We do not even consider it necessary to bring forward any figures to prove what everyone
in the Colony either in or outside the Government Service is aware of, viz., that whilst the bulk of the professional men in the Service have to resort to unseemly economies to make their expenditure meet their income it has become impossible for the lower paid officials to do even this.
Professional married men have to live in one room in a hotel and practise the most rigid economy.
Senior married overseers have to live as best they can, neither putting money by for passages home nor for possible sickness.