CO129-602-2 General orders relating to government quarters and rent allowance 6-1-1948 - 29-6-1949 — Page 118

117

File No.394/46.

RESTRICTED.

Colonial Secretariat,

Hong Kong.

1st April, 1948.

SECRETARIAT ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO.15.

Air Passages for officers and their Families.

In view of the prevailing shortage of sea passages it has been decided to permit officers and their families to travel on leave by air to and from United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand if they are other- wise eligible for sea passages at 1st or 2nd (Tourist) class rates to these countries.

2.

The conditions attached to this scheme are:-

(a) Government will pay the cost of the air passages for the

officer, his wife and children up to 4 full fares besides himself.

(b) Voyage pay" will be assessed on the duration of the flight. (c) All passages must be arranged through the Accountant General,

Crown Agents for the Colonies or other agents authorised by this government to book passages and officers and their families will travel by such airline as government directs. (a) Officers may send their luggage in advance by sea and will be permitted to claim up to the following amounts in respect of dock to dock freight charges on production of the receipted bills to the Accountant General:-

(1) To or from United Kingdom: $50 each in respect of the

officer and his wife and a proportionate amount in respect of each of his children based on the proportion which each child's fare bears to the cost of an adult air fare.

(ii) To or from Australia or New Zealand: $40 each in respect

of the officer and his wife and proportionate amounts calculated as above in respect of his children.

(e) Payment in respect of any excess baggage charged for by the

airline company over and above the fare is the responsibility of the officer.

3. Similar conditions will apply to officers and their families travelling out to the Colony by air on first appointment except that they may claim up to twice the above amounts in respect of luggage in advance sent by sea. Transferred officers and their families who have to travel by air will be allowed a reasonable allowance for the transport of their heavy baggage by sea in accordance with G.0.200D.

4. Unless their conditions of appointment otherwise direct, officers will not be required to travel by air if they object but if by so doing they overstay their leave due to shortage of shipping they are liable to receive no pay for the period of the overstay. Similarly officers who object to proceeding on leave by air must be prepared to accept the first available passage by sea even if this should be at a lower standard than that for which they are normally eligible.

5. The provisions of this circular will come into force on 1st Apr 1, 1948, and will operate for as long as the present difficult shipping situation persists subject to review in one year's time.

By Command,

To:

Heads of Departments.

D. M. MacDOUGALL,

Colonial Secretary.