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243
the risk of having to continue paying rent during short breaks in such appointments, even though provided with free quarters at Tai Po. House Rents in Hong Kong are ex- ceptionally high.
Moreover such acting appointments would cover time on duty in the Colony only: the question of leave stands by itself, and when on leave nothing more than the pay of my substantive post would be available. That being in the third class with exchange at 3/- the total for the usual three months full pay and nine months half pay reaches £393.15.0d : out of which (with no margin for saving while on duty) pas- sages have to be paid. These figures make Home leave
to a bachelor
-
-
even
A simple impossibility. In my case I have to provide for a wife and two children.
77. While urging my claims to the post of Deputy Superinten- dent of Police, I have further respectfully to submit that I should be permitted on appointment to draw the second class salary on the dollar basis. I was appointed a cadet under the dollar conditions: and in common with all other dollar cadets
refused the sterling scheme at its first introduction in 1902,
and later again in this year when it was modified by the
addition of "duty pay". The Sterling Scheme even with the
addition or duty pay is not a full equivalent to the doller
scheme of salaries: otherwise the refusal of it would not
have been so unanimous or so decided: and as I understand it
the reasons for such refusal are shortly two :-
B.
It involves the loss of the 3/- rate for the
payment of pensions under the Widows and Orphans
scheme, on premis paid at the current rates now
under 1/10. The difference between the rates re-
presents a grant from the Government to all dollar
officers: approved some ten years ago.
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