CO129-543-3 Leave and passage regulations 13-1-1933 - 11-9-1933 — Page 31

2.

31

(9)

A) (4

contained in my telegram No.74 of the 25th April, 1933,

that the limit should be raised from £800 to £825. I would

also invite comparison of the facts regarding the family

assistance granted under the Hong Kong rules and that granted

by the other Colonies mentioned in the petition. Hong Kong

grants passages not only to wives but also to sons up to the

age of 16 and unmarried dependent daughters of any age.

This last is a valuable and costly concession which enables

parents to bring their daughters back to the Colony after

completing their education at home, the Colony footing the

bill. Malaya limits its grants for officers of the class

now in question to children under 10. In the African

Colonies assistance appears to be of the slenderest amount.

As regards Ceylon I have no up-to-date information except

that the legislature is pressing for curtailment of passage

privileges.

The cost to this Colony during the past three

years of passages provided for sterling paid officers and

their dependents has averaged approximately $575,000 a year.

This is a very high figure having regard to the revenue of

the Colony, and I am of opinion that if further privileges

were to be granted by way of 1st class passages in such a

case as that of the petitioners or that of the 3rd Assistant

Auditor, which is dealt with in my despatch No.392 of the

13th July, 1933, some compensating curtailment of existing

privileges in respect of the passages of dependents would

have to be made.

3.

It should be explained with reference to

paragraph 7 of the petition that choice between the old and

new rules was limited to officers already confirmed to the