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difference is insufficient to induce men to come out here.
(2) The recent increase in the pay of the Imperial Maritime Customs. This causes all local candidates to go to the Customs.
(3) The recent increases in the cost of living here. (4) The evil reputation of the Colony for Plague. The backbone of this Force is the European contingent, and on the efficiency of that Contingent depends the efficiency of the entire Force, and the efficiency of the Contingent cannot be maintained at a high standard unless trained recruits are obtained from home, unless a depot were established here for the training of recruits with no previous police service, which would involve an expenditure in buildings and instructors which would make the system more expensive than that hitherto pursued.
In view of the fact that recruits who have had previous training are practically unobtainable at home, and that locally the pay fails to attract respectable men I have no alternative but to recommend an increase of the pay of the European Police.
Apart from the questions of such increase being necessary to overcome the difficulties in recruiting, I consider that a substantial increase is necessary in order to meet the extraordinary rise in the cost of living, that has taken place during the last (5 years?).
The following are the prices paid for eatables by the wife of one of the Inspectors (she is a most careful housekeeper) in 1895 and at the present time:-
1895 1899 Beef per lb. 11 cts. 14 cts. Mutton per lb. 14 20 Chicken per lb. 12 17 Capon per lb. 11 20 25 Fish per lb. 19 44 10 16 Carried forward 66 92 Sugar