589
Enclosure 6 b.
HARBOUR DEPARTMENT,
November 30th, 1906.
To His Excellency
Sir MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong, Sr.
The humble petition of the undersigned European Lighthouse Keepers on the Staff of the Harbour Department praying for immediate relief in the matter of their personal emolu- ments showeth :-
That in January, 1903, when the Sterling Salaries Scheme generally came into force, the average rate of exchange for that month was 1/7 the Dollar as against 2/3 for this month. In January, 1903, £10 equalled $123.32 and $100 plus exchange compensation tɔtalled $189.47, whereas at the present time £10 equals only $87.27 and $100 plus exchange com- pensatin totals only $130.90.
That whilst in consequence of the continued rise in exchange Petitioners monthly in- come from the Government is thus considerably less month by month, yet their house rent and cost of most of the necessaries of life are not reduced.
That having been placed in such a position and having no means of pecuniary assistance, Petitioners venture with due respect to solicit His Excellency to give this, l'etitioners' pray- er, early consideration and to take such steps as to His Excellency seem reasonable at an eraly date and Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
C. E. NICHOLAS.
J. MITCHELL.
W. F. HAST.
W. McKay.
E. A. JonsSON.
J. W. BEATTIE.
Enclosure 7.
PRISON DEPARTMENT, HONGKONG, 26th November, 1906.
To The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
SIR,-We, the undersigned, of the Prison Department of Hongkong respectfully forward for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor this Petition, and trust that His Excellency will give it his carnest re-consideration and cable it to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
We have previously petitioned and are also aware that a petition from Heads and Sub- heads of Departments stating our grievances has already been submitted; since these were prepared, however, the purchasing power of our salaries has again diminished, and we urge that it is now vital that some immediate steps should be taken to relieve a situation, which daily becomes more unbearable.
We do not wish to suggest what form the relief should take, neither do we 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 the higher the value of the Dollar, the more we have to pay for the actual necessaries of life: to prove this we beg to call attention to the Market List, published weekly, in our local papers, as compared with that of from 6 to 10 years ago, for example, a perusal of the Market List, "China Mail" 18th