CO129-446 - Others & Individuals - 1917 — Page 334

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Lercantile assistente and civil eervante coming fror the homelind

se a general rule, their salaries fixed in sterling by agreement 29

1 from 1894 to 1915 it may be roughly assumed that in fixing theee

rling salarier employers have had in mind a dollar having a sterling

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of round about 2/-. It will be shewn that a man whose sterling

y le say £300 per annum has until 1915 been drawing in local currency

ut 3.0 silver dollars. This man nov drawe at the current rate of

exchange #1894.00, a shrinkage in income of $1106.00 or over 36 per cent. it the rame time the actual purchasing value of the silver dollar har

creared for the price of practically all local necessaries, and even in

the case of thinge which may be paid to be in the nature of imported

larurice the high exchange har failed to compensate for the higher oort

of production, freight, eto. In the care of the' services where the

terling pay translated into local currency barely euffugee for eeeentiale

in normal times, the position of the men, both army and nevy, at the

oment 12 intolerable. Aurried men, in order to provide the bure

hecercariee of life for their familier, are reduced to the degradation

|Fof sccepting private charity.

Representations have been made by the heads of the Bavy and Army to

the Authorities, Bir Excellency the Governor har communicated to the

Lecretary of Stete and urgent telegramt have been despatched by the Joint

Committees of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce and the local branen

of the China Aerociation to the prime minister all without apparent effect.

In 1913 the hongkong Governmert, presumably with the approval of the

.ome Authorities, recognised the hardship caused to civil servante by u

high dollar end granted them the privilege for the future of drawing

4/7 th of their pay at 1/9 to the dollar. and the balance at current rate.

It is urged that similar concession should be granted to member of the

Pervices stationed in Hongkong and China generally and that any conceEFionF

hould be retrospective. I trust you till give the subject matter of

wis letter the very widest publicity, ae it appeare that only a prese

papaign can move the Imperial Authorities to ordinary acts of justice. ·

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