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75
of Military Officers who were retained on loan to the
Civil Government after the handover. There has thus been
a reduction in personal emoluments of $1,705,500 and there
will be a further reduction as the staffs of temporary
departments are cut down still further. The progress in
the gradual closing down of these temporary departments
has so far been satisfactory. The expenditure estimate
of the department of the Custodian of Property shows a
reduction of $633,002 as compared with 1946/47 and it is
hoped that the department will close down completely before
the end of the present year. The expenditure estimate for
the Supplies, Trade and Industry Department also shows a
reduction of $639,546 as compared with the previous year.
14.
Although, in so far as basic salaries are
concerned, personal emoluments show a reduction of
$1,705,500, it has been necessary to increase the provision under "Miscellaneous Services" for high cost of living,
rehabilitation and special allowances from seventeen to
twenty-four million. Five million of this represents a
token sum to cover the possible cost of the recommendations
of the Salaries Commission which is now reviewing the
emoluments of the public service. It seemed to me that it would be unrealistic if this considerable possible increase
in expenditure was not reflected at all in the expenditure estimates, and as the amount involved cannot be forecast, the best method seemed to be to make provision for a token
sum under this sub-head which could later be set off
against the actual increases in expenditure under each
departmental head. The balance of the increase in the
vote, amounting to two million, is due to the fact that provision has to be made for a twelve-month instead of an eleven-month period, and also as a result of the special