2
118
24
20
living falls. In the second place the estimates in the
schedule to savingram No. 1366 were based on the Malayan
scale originally recommended whereas the present revised
estimates are based on the recently approved rates of pay
for Chinese Police which are shown in the savingram as
"Colonel Sansom's latest recommendations". You will also
note that the attached table includes provision for 20
recruits, thus bringing the total strength to 320, as
against the 300 budgeted for in my top secret telegram
No. 432.
4.
It has proved difficult to furnish an accurate
estimate of the cost of rations for an Indian contingent,
as no Indian employee formerly entitled to free rations
has yet returned to the Colony and the Army ration scale
for Indian troops is not a suitable basis for comparison.
In order to avoid delay in replying to your top secret
telegram No. 313 of 17th June, 1946, the 1941 figure of
$19 per head per month was used in my top secret telegram
No. 432. Since then further enquiries have been made and
it appears that rations would now cost $60 per head per
month. It is to be hoped that the cost will be reduced
below this figure as prices decline.
5.
the
With regard to the proposed provision of free rations
to the Indian contingent in addition to their other pay,
main reasons for this proposal, which gives them more
favourable terms of service than the Chinese contingent,
are as follows:
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