CO129-602-3 Cost of living allowance 30-1-1947 - 17-9-1947 — Page 69

Code

INWARD TELEGRAM

COPY FOR'I

FROM HONG KONG (Sir M, Young)

TO S. OF S., COLONTES.

D. 24th April, 1947. R. 24th

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18,20 hrs,

1947

I

25

APR

XIX

II

IN REG

HA

JA

RECEIVED

67

IMMEDIATE

No.725 Confidentiale

My despaten No.57. (53)53832/2/47

Salaries Commission.

1. As a result of evidence, both oral and written, urgently submitted at the initial session, Commission have communicated to me their conviction that the cat of living (15) on, allowances approved in your telegram No.339 of 1946 must be 51832/1/+6 revised upwards by approximately 50% for the lower grades of

white collar workers and by amallar perccutages to all officers abová those grades; and that the temporary additional

(6) allowances approved in your telegram No.1279 of 1946 shall be (6).

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SASA

extended to certain grades of white collar workers who do not at present benefit therefrom. The Commissioners, while acknowledging that formal recommendatione made at this stage would embarrass the preparation of their final report nevertheless have become convinced that a measure of immediate relief to a large class of government servants ie necessary to avert individual financial breakdowne end this dissipate feers which. are undermining efficiency. They are not propered to suggest that temporary additional allowances should be extended to sûl people at present drawing rehabilitation allowances, c.g. artisans and skilled tradesmen, because pay and allowances of these grades are considered adequate in present circumstances and have been

dovarngent and other large fixed by arrangement between the employers of labour. They have, therefore confined themselves to suggesting such measures of immediate relief as will neither seriously prejudice the salay structure of Government Departmenta and larger issues to which the Commission must later give attention per become the focus of labour unrest.

mpi

/2.