CO129-339 - Acting Governor May Governor Nathan - 1907 [1-3] — Page 501

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8.

From whatever point of view these

figures are considered it cannot be questioned that there

has been a heavy fall in the purchasing power of Sterling

Salaries in the last few years and it could scarcely be

expected that this fall should be without its effect on

the efficiency of the Service generally. Apart from

general dissatisfaction several cases have already occurred

in which good men have been lost to the Colony by the

unattractiveness of the present outlook.

9.

Since the Memorials above dis-

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об

-cussed were submitted, I have received Despatch No. 236

of the 26th. November, 1906, in the 4th. paragraph of which

Your Lordship regrets being unable to reconsider the

decision that measures of relief were unjustifiable and

unnecessary at the present time and goes on to state that

"in any case the fact that in spite of economy of Public

Works the estimated revenue for 1907 barely covers the

estimated expenditura is sufficient reason against any

general increase in salaries". In this connection I would

point out that the Estimates were drawn up on the basis of

a two shilling dollar and that the current rate is now

over two shillings and two and

a half pence so that

unless