37
No
375
Sir,
C. O.
37546
12-63
Ren 27 NOV 12.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG. 31st. October, 1912.
346
I have the honour to inform you that I have
had under my consideration certain proposals laid before me soon after my arrival for increasing the salaries, owing to increased cost of living in the Colony, and for improving the classification of the appointments held by subordinate employees of the Govern- -ment not included in the Grading Scheme.
2.
In view of the fact that a very large number
of these employees either have been or will be granted allowances
of $2 a month each in lieu of free quarters as reported in my
Despatch No. 374 of the 31st. October, 1912; that the price of rice
which owing to bad crops was abnormally high last year, nas experienced a sharp fall during the current year; and that the pay of many of these employees has been revised of recent years, I do not see my way to recommend a general increase in their salaries. I have, however, come to the conclusion that the follow- -ing increases should be made, and I have now to recommend them as from the 1st. of January next. There has unfortunately not been time to incorporate them in the Estimates for next year. I consider that the minimum pay of any Government employee should be not less than $108 per annum. This will involve an alteration in General
also Order 48. I desire/to include in the category to which good conduct pay under that General Order applies, the following classes to some of which the privilege has already been extended with your authori-
-ty:-
RIGHT HONOURABLE
LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.
&C.,
&c.,
&c...
(a)