1 April, 1908. Although I think that the system of Personal Allowances should be very rarely resorted to, Mr. Chatham's case offers somewhat exceptional reasons for special consideration. He has 19 years' service, and his experience and tact have been of very great value to this Government, more especially of late in two delicate matters of land resumption for the Railway where large amounts were involved, and as my adviser in various matters connected with the Railway, which are additional to the scope of work which ordinarily pertains to the post. He is serving on a salary some £80 less than that drawn by the Director of Public Works in 1877, and has had no increment, or acknowledgment of the admirable way in which he has filled the appointment since he was promoted to it in 1901. I recommend in these circumstances a Personal Allowance of $1,000 per annum with Exchange Compensation, which is a somewhat smaller increase than that involved in my original recommendation.
Should Your Lordship, however, be averse to granting a Personal Allowance or an increase to the Dollar salary of the post, I would beg leave to alter my original recommendation, in Mr. Chatham's case only, and to increase the Sterling Salary to £1,400 per annum instead of to £1,350 because I find that the acceptance of the latter rate while benefitting