CO129-411 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [5-7] — Page 329

No 204.

Sir.

325

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG, 11th. June, 1914.

t

I have the honour to inform you that soon after

my return to the Colony in December last I received applications

for house allowances from several European married officers with

families, who were not included among those for whom free quarters

are being provided.

2.

Married officers in all grades of the service

are at a great disadvantage owing to the very high rents charged, and

the greatest sufferers are those whose salaries are under £450 a year. It is not necessary at present to provide Government Quarters

for all married officers in this category, and after giving the

subject very careful consideration I desire to recommend the pro-

-vision of quarters, which can be rented, for married European

officers occupying posts with salaries ranging from £180 to £450 a

year, who have no house allowances, or duty pay and little or no prospect of promotion to higher posts in the Service.

3.

If you approve of the principle of providing such quarters, I propose to erect two blocks of quarters each con- -taining six flats. Six of these would cost approximately $10,000 each and be rented for $45 a month, and six 88,000 each with a rent of $35 a month. I enclose sketch plans showing the amount of accommodation which would be provided in each class of flat. There is a suitable site for these flats on Leighton Hill to the East of the Wong Wei Chong Valley at an elevation of about 120 feet. I also

+

HE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

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propose