7.
the continuation of the same scale would not
appreciably compensate officers for a fall in the
exchange value of the dollar to the ranges between s.d.
s.d.
s.d.
2/6 and 1/8. For values of the dollar between 2/0 and s.d.
2/4 it would in fact only give an increase of 0.8%
over present payments, and for the interval between s.d.
s.d. 1/8 and 2/0 an increase of 3.3%. It is thus evident
that some much steeper scale would be required, if
any substantial relief is to be afforded to officers
ky this means.
Generally speaking the high cost of living presses more hardly on married officers than
on single, a fact which has been recognised in Malaya by the grant of a bonus of 20% to married officers and 10% to single. In Hong Kong the additional complication of a fluctuating exchange must be taken into account. The grant of a percentage addition
to salary increasing as the dollar falls and of a
double amount for married officers is necessary, if
account is to be taken of both considerations.
table which follows in the next paragraph of this despatch shows how such a scale could be applied and at what approximate cost to Government. The
calculations are based on a total of £345,000 for
sterling salaries, for which a sum of $4,140,000 is provided in the 1928 Estimates.
The
The scheme which I now propose can
10.
be tabularized as follows:-
1.