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comparatively few members of these two Corps who had not Local Defence Corp status is .notioohsiderad justifiable. Grants to such persons are accordingly being limited to a maximum of £300. Similar treatment will be accorded in the case of a number of appointments to miscellaneous posts made shortly before the fall of Hong Kong and Singapore, in respect of which arbitrary rates of pay were granted.
(e) In certain cases owing to misunderstandings regarding the status of in-
dividuals, the dependants of members of the Civil Defence Services have received allowances on the erroneous assumption that the persons concerned were members of Voluntoor Units. In such cases any excess of allowances paid to dependants above the amount which these depondants would have received by way of basic maintenance allowances at the rates applicable to civilians will be deducted,
2.
It has also been decided that temporary full-time servants of the Governments of Hong Kong and Malaya who were interned, and tho owing to the relatively short period of their service prior to the outbreak of the Japanese war, or for other rensons have not been awarded full pay in respect of the period of internment, may be granted ex-gratia payments equivalent to the half-pay of their posts for the period of internment plus three months, subject to a maximum of £1,500 in any one case (as explained below) and to the following rules :-
3.
(a) In calculating the amount payable deductions will be made
in respect of any advances already made to officers from public funds, including ex-gratia payments, if any. Deductions will also be made in respect of allowances paid to dependants in excess of the mounts for which they would otherwise have buen eligible by way of basic maintenance allowances.
(b) No officer shall receive an amount (inclusive of the total
allowances paid to his dependants) in excess of the full pay of
his post less a deduction of 10%.
(c) The ex-gratia grant payable to any individual shall be limited to a maximum of £1,500 inclusive of any advances or ex-gratia payments already made to him, and of any sums paid to his dependants in excess of the basic maintenance allowances for which they would have been cligible as members of the public. (a) The considerations set out in paragraphs 1(4)(a) to (d) as
affecting Civil Defence personnel shall, in so far as they may be applicable, be taken into account also in regard to the treatment to be accorded to temporary Government officials.
Members of the Special Constabulary of alya and of the Hong Kong Police Reserve employed on police dutics during hostilities will be accorded treatment on the lines approved for Civil Defence personnel generally. Members of Civil Do fence services, holding posts to which monthly or annual rates of pay are attached, as for cxample certain members of the Malayan Medical Auxiliary Service, will be treated. on the basis of temporary Government servants for the purposes of ex-gratia payments. In other cases where there is doubt as to whether individuals should be treated as members of Civil Defence Units or as temporary Government servants, the antter will be decided in the Colonial Office having due regard to 11 the circumstances of each case.
4. Forms of application for payments in accordance with those arrangements will, on request, be supplied by the layan Government Accountant, Hope House, 45, Groat Peter Street, S.W.1., or to the Hong Kong Government Accountant, Room 146, Sanctuary Buildings, 16, Great Smith Street, respectively. In order that the appropriate for may be supplied in each case requests should be accompanied by brief particulars of the Civil Defence unit or temporary Government post in respect of which it is desired to make application for an ex-gratia payment.
COLONIAL OFFICE
27th February 1946.
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