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receiving a salary of over £300 a year or its equivalent in
dollars should be entitled to claim overtime pay, except under
circumstances where it is regularly unavoidable.
(iv) Questions relative to the provision of Government
Quarters or House Allowances.
101
As we do not agree with the main recommendations of the
Commission's Report, we have no comment to make upon the General
Orders dealing with rented quarters, rent, and lodging allowances,
as framed to conform to the existing scales of pay.
While reviewing this part of the Commission's Report, we
are forcibly impressed with the very favourable conditions under
which senior and, in some cases, junior employees obtain living
accommodation. The value of these is perhaps not fully appreciated Then comparing the pay of Government servants with that of private
employees. A most important benefit is obtained by the majority
of the employees of the Government in the shape of free or rented
quarters, or house allowances, and the monetary value of such
benefit should be calculated and added to the monthly salaries
before comparing them with those paid outside. The benefit may
be worth, in the case of a senior officer, anything from $100 to
$200 a month.
China New Year Bonus.
With regard to the question of payment of China New Year
Bonus to native employees, we find that in several cases the
payment of this is made in accordance with the old Chinese custom
but, in cases where the practice does not already exist, its intro-
duction is considered undesirable, the view being held that the
payment is tantamount to an increase of pay which is not considered
propitious at the present time of trade stagnation and general
commercial depression.
In view of the opinions received, which are not in favour