app:
Com
12 C
69
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
3723/47-48 Part II.
Code
IMMEDIATE
TO HONG KONG (81o A. Granthan)
sent 10th January, 1948.
14.15 are.
No. 4 Joonfidential..
(4403
Addressed Governor, Hong Kong.
Io pea sad
Governor-General, Malaya (et Singapore,ño, 38. (please pass to Governor, Singapore, No.57) Governor, Malayan Union, No.62.
My balegrun No.1976 ve peated Dovernor-Genaral, Malayk An.BL), Governor Slugapore No.1337, Governor Malayan Vożon No-1674. PRT&@78 pF 3.
allowann6.
Hong Kong salaries Commianlou. High cost of living
Goat of living allowances are, I think 15 must be accepted, deaigned mainly to prevent offloss from euffering andine hardebip through a temporary Tile in posh of essential cozanodi tles and serviosa, Where an officer's @moluments APS already clearly sufficient to protect him from such hardship a cost of living allowance la difficult to justify and I therefore suggest that cost of living allowances in Hong Kong above $1,499 per mensum should be tapered off so as to disappear al together st about 61,700 per annum. Beiors expresatng a fical viewW CO this matter I should be glad of your observations, in particular as so figura at which the allowance should disappear.
I have emphasised in previous belagrams temporary nature of cost of living allowanos and importance I atteok to 198 future regulation. Material which has just oog to hand bere, following recent onguiry by war office for its own Murposes, covering auch goods and services so clothing, washing, servants, chemical and toilet auoplisa, transport, recreation and rente, but not food, goes to show that doet of living in Singapore 18 appreciably higher than in Hong Kong. Indesd for services lloted diffezenca la dolculated as upwards of 30% in favour of Hoag Kong and P&P OFFLOE exe fixing thair local overusas allowano 02 accordingly. Cost of living allowances proposed for the two oclonies by respectivo Jalaries Commissions do not appear to reflect this difference and I should have wlabed to give this point further consideration, bad it not been for the urgency of
aling au sanouncement in Hong Kong. You will appreciate that, apart from marite of case, 014ïleuition ney eriso in making arrangementa for U.K. military and civilian personnel who will be called upon to serve in either Hulera or Hong Kong.
3. Should the anomaly which apodare to exist de batwa @12 Hong Kong and Malaye be substantiated on further study, I would mak that it should be oorrected 85 2003 na pocaibia when the rate of cost of living allowennga 19 wavinwerd. This ahould be the more readily accomplished if there a full consultation aud do-operation with Singapore and palaya in the proposed reviews, one on the gizat objaota of the Boerds of Revievers when set p will no doubt be to consider at roughly anat points, the reopoctive cost of living allowances Bhould disappear a