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mta ut
from which your petitioners have no
of escaping. As things are at present, the percentage of income paid away in house rent allowed in Hong Kong, for dwellings of the style occupied by your petitioners, is in great disparity as against your petitioners with what authorities on political economy would deem fair.
Q: Whilst increased cost of living has been pressing very hard upon your petitioners, their position in respect of their pay has received no corresponding advancement. Furthermore, by the abolition and amalgamation of certain offices, and the redistribution of duties following upon the enquiry by the Retrenchment Committee, additional work has been thrown upon your petitioners individually for which no compensation in any shape or form has been allowed.
10. Your petitioners hold that in framing the report on the expenditure of the Colony, and suggesting certain economies within the public service, the Commissioners in 1894, could foresee the present condition of things as regards the abnormal prices of commodities and the high value of rents following upon the sanitary legislation called into force by the disastrous epidemic of disease which occurred subsequent to the date of the Retrenchment Committee's report.
11. Based upon the monthly average rate of exchange compensation has been paid in the Colony since the date it was first paid, your petitioners believe that $40,000 is paid each year out of the Colony. The sum required to meet the allowance if granted to your petitioners would represent $11,000 or thereabouts yearly, or rather less than 14 per cent of the total amount now paid to the officers.