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"should have no hesitation in proposing that all public
"Servants and pensionors, Municipal as well as State
of atever grade or kind, old age pensioners, widows
and war pensioners, should share in the reduction,
"including those whose pay had already been reduced in
#accordance with our recommendations. We cannot however
"justify the singling out of public servants and
"pensioners from the rest of the community for special
"sacrifice".
more obscure than it is today.
Twelve months ago the local financial position was
Government therefore felt
justified in calling on its own servants for a sacrifice.
Today we know better where we stand. We know for instance
that we can afford to pay these salaries without imposing
any unduc burden on the community. In view of these
considerations it is only right that exchange rates for the payment of salaries should be restored to something more in
accordance with the facts. The Secretary of State after full
consideration of all the circumstances has therefore directed
that sterling salaries shall as from the 1st January next until further notice be converted at current rates of exchange
with the proviso that for the present, payment shall not be made at more than twenty dollars to the pound sterlin
Gerling. Tith
1 exchange at 11d this proviso would mean cut of 4/6% and
double that amount with an lld dollar. The proviso vill apply to all sterling paid officers irrespective of whether they have dependents in a gold country or not.
The other matter on which I wish to say a few words
bc fore