COPY
Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch No. 111 of the 34th March, 1903.
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15026 RECO
His Excellency Major-General Sir William Julius Gaynor, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, The Officer Administering the Government of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies.
The humble Petition of the undersigned Assistant Warders and Guards of the Victoria Gaol in the said Colony.
Respectfully showeth as follows:-
1.
Your Petitioners are all Natives of India and are in the Government Service as Assistant Warders and Guards of the Victoria Gaol.
2.
In or about the year 1894, there were twenty men, Natives of India, in the Government Service in this Colony as Gaol Guards and the rate of pay was as follows:- The Sergeant received $25 per month, the First Class Guards received $20 per month and the Second Class Guards received $19 per month. In the year above mentioned the sum of $100 was equal to about 335 Rupees.
3.
In or about the year 1895, certain of the Gaol Guards were styled Assistant Warders and a reduced scale of pay, under which the Assistant Warders received from $13 to $20 per month, the First Class Guards $14 per month and the Second Class Guards $12 per month, came into force and at the same time the hours of duty and responsibilities of the Assistant Warders and Guards were materially increased.
4.
In the year 1899 an increase of pay was granted, that is to say, four Assistant Warders received $25 per month, four other Assistant Warders received $22 per month, the remainder of the Assistant Warders $19 per month, five First Class Guards received $18 per month and the remaining Guards received $14 per month.
5.
In April 1900 the Assistant Warders and Guards of the Victoria Gaol petitioned for an increase of pay, for exchange compensation and for quarters for the married members with the result that allowances of $15 per month each for quarters for four men were sanctioned but this concession has not been of any practical advantage to Your Petitioners as owing to the cost of living in this Colony being very heavy not one of Your Petitioners has brought his family to Hongkong.
6.
Your Petitioners have wives and children or relatives dependent upon them in India to whom they have to remit a considerable portion of their pay.