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separated from their families owing to the prohibition of travel on the part of women and children and to the stoppage of home leave and the consequent necessity to send wives and children to Japan, Australia and Canada at great expense, in order that they may avoid spending too many consecutive summers in the tropics.
5.
I would ask that, in these special circumstances, you will sanction, as from the 1st. January, 1917, the grant of compensatory allowances to such officers at the rate of $100, 875, and 850 a month according as they are in Class I, Class II, and Class III respectively. The allowance would be dram only in cases where the absence of wife and family from the Colony exceeds a period of two months, and the officer concerned has not free or rented
quarters or a separate house allowance. I am satisfied that such an arrangement will give adequate relief where it is
genuinely required, and though I realize that to this small extent there will be differentiation between married and
single officers the peculiar circumstances of the time call
for extraordinary measures. I may mention that Unofficial Members drew attention to the cases which my present propos-
-als are designed to meet.
6.
I will address you separately on the
question of the provision of quarters referred to in the
2nd, and 3rd. paragraphs of your Despatch under reply. I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
Roma
Governor,&c..