CO129-535-6 Leave and passage regulations 2-6-1931 - 30-3-1932 — Page 18

3.

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I think fully justified. In this connection it should be

noted that rules conceming Sick Leave apply generally to

the whole service and are not limited to officers ordinar-

ily recruited in England.

V.

The rules concerning casual leave have

taken a new shape. The existing regulation covering ten

days per annum did not permit of any journey from Hong

Kong beyond the limits of South China and the geographical

situation of Hong Kong is such that there is no healthy

place to which an officer can go for a change if he has

to retum within ten days. The new rule will permit of

one absence not exceeding a month in any two years and

time will thus be allowed for a short holiday in the

health resorts of Japan, Java or the Philippines, without

drawing on the possibilities of an officer's home leave.

Such a break in an officer' s tour of service I consider

of great value.

vi. The rules for passages of families are little

altered from those now in force though it has been

necessary to adapt them to the new periods representing

tours of service. The definition of a family is based

on Colonial Regulation 111, and constitutes a desirable

limitation on the existing rule which places no restrict- ion on the number of family passages to be granted, provid-

ed the age limits are observed.

5. The cost of the new regulations cannot be

estimated with any accuracy but it is probable that the

shorter tours of service in the later years will mean

some increase of expenditure. This however I consider

the Colony should face in view of the increased efficiency

that should result.

6.