Page 287
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 20th July, 1907.
Gentlemen,
In reply to your letter No. 146-M/S.A.J.19 of the 14th ultimo, I am directed to inform you that this Government regrets that it cannot see its way to grant house allowance to, or otherwise increase the emoluments of, the Chief Resident Engineer for the British Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway, or the Assistant Engineer and Chief Storekeeper for whom the same indulgence is requested.
The principal argument advanced for such grant is that the Officers concerned have to pay away a large proportion of their salaries in house rent, while the other members of the Railway Engineering Staff have quarters provided for them. Complaint is made in this connection of the high rents obtaining in Kowloon.
But it must be borne in mind that the Engineers who are provided with quarters have to reside on the works at a distance from civilisation and in unhealthy districts, and that if rents in Kowloon are found to be excessive there is no compulsion on the Officers who now reside there to continue to do so.
Finally, I am to point out how extremely favourably the salaries of Mr. Eves and Mr. Baker at any rate compare with the salaries of Engineers in the Colonial Service. Mr. Eves's emoluments amount to £1,400 per annum, while the salary of the Director of Public Works, whose duties are much more arduous and responsible, is only £1,170 plus $480 travelling allowance. Mr. Baker's emoluments amount to £650 per annum. Those of an Assistant Engineer in the Public Works...
The Crown Agents for the Colonies,
LONDON.
Enclosure 4.
287
Page 288