CO129-339 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1907 [1-3] — Page 497

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for long been at the rate of one dollar to one shilling

charged in England" is not applicable to all goods nor is

it correct to lay down that customs duties in other Colonies

"at most add 10 per centum to the price". Though $200 a

month may be the mean rent of houses on the Peak for

Officials in the position of the signatories of the first

Memorial (of whom one, however, is provided with Govern-

-ment Quarters) it is certainly not the average rent of

houses occupied by Government Officers. The statement that

"landlords do not find house property a profitable invest-

-ment" put forward to show that "it is hardly possible to

anticipate any reduction of rent" is incredible; I am

informed also that there has during the last year been a

tendency of rents of houses on the Peak and upper levels

of Victoria to fall slightly. The statement that servants'

wages are "roughly not less than $100 a month,

including

4 chair coolies", does certainly not apply, as it is said

to do, to "all classes of Officers". Subordinate Officers

do not keep 4 chair coolies and conveyance allowance of

$15 to $40 a month is given to Officers whose duties

require them to make use of rickshas or chairs. In spite

of these inaccuracies which it has been my duty to point

out