CO129-599-1 Salaries Commission 8-12-1947 - 22-12-1947 — Page 279

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following recent enquiry by war Office for its own

purposes, covering such goods and services as clothing,

washing, servants, chemical and toilet supplies,

transport, recreation and rents, but not food, goes

to show that cost of living in Singapore is

appreciably higher than in Hong Kong. Indeed for

services listed difference is calculated at

+

upwards of 30-in-favour of Hong Kong and war office

are fixing their local overseas allowances accordingly.'

Cost of living allowances proposed for the two

colonies by respective Salaries Commissions do not

appear to reflect this difference and I should have

wished to give this point further consideration, had

it not been for the urgency of making an announcement

will

in Hong Kong.. You/appreciate that, apart from merits

of case, difficulties may arise in making arrangements

for U.K. military and civilian personnel who will

be called upon to serve in either ialaya or Hong Kong.

3. Should the anomaly which appears to exist

as between Hong Kong and Malays be substantiated on

further study, I would ask that it should be

rected as soon as possible when the rate of cost

ring allowances is reviewed. This should be readily accomplished if there is full

on and co-operation with Singapore and

e proposed reviews. One of the first

f the Boards of Reviewers, when sot up,

pubt be to consider at roughly what points

tive cost of living allowances should

ecommendations of Malayan Salaries

ffer from those of Hong Kong Commission

flat rate of cost of living allowances

a salary, but neither the Malayan nor

Commission recommends tapering off

(see

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