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(b) "salary" means the sterling salary of an officer's permanent appoint- ment together with any pensionable personal allowance which may be granted, converted into dollars at the rate of $10 to the pound. (c) "tenement” means a separate house or self-contained flat of two or
more rooms.
(2) Ordinarily only a married officer or an officer who has completed 20 years service will be allotted Government quarters for sole occupancy, or be allowed a rent allowance as the sole tenant of a rented tenement.
(3) (a) An officer occupying Government quarters shall, unless entitled to free quarters, pay rent at the rate of 6% of salary for unfurnished quar- ters and 7% for furnished quarters, provided that, an officer not entitled to free quarters residing with an officer entitled to free quarters in such quarters shall pay rent at the rate of 3% of salary, whether such free quarters are furnished or unfurnished.
(b) When more than one officer occupies Government quarters the rental charged will be 6% for unfurnished quarters, or 7% for furnished quarters, of the salary of the highest paid officer only.
(e) Officers entitled to free quarters (unless furniture is specially included in the conditions of their service) will pay 1% of salary if occupy- ing furnished quarters. If the quarters are occupied conjointly by more than one officer entitled to free quarters, the charge will be made on the salary of the highest paid officer only.
(4) (a) Except with the permission of the Colonial Secretary, no person other than an officer and the members of the officer's household shall regularly occupy Government quarters.
(b) An officer who refuses to occupy Government quarters when allotted to him will forfeit his claim to Rent Allowance or Lodging Allow-
ance.
(5) An officer who with permission of the Colonial Secretary rents or owns a tenement either for sole occupancy or for occupancy jointly with one or more other officers shall receive a rent allowance as follows:-viz., an amount equal to the difference between 6% of the salary of the highest paid officer and the sum paid (when the tenement is rented) or assessed (when the tenement is not rented) in respect of rent unfurnished, to- gether with the taxes paid for such tenement provided that such sum, including taxes, shall not exceed the following maxima :--
(a) In the case of an officer whose salary exceeds £1,200 per annum
$250 per mensem.
(b) In the case of an officer whose salary exceeds £900 but does not exceed
£1,200 per annum, $200 per mensem.
(c) In the case of an officer whose salary exceeds £600 but does not exceed
£900 per annum, $175 per mensem.
(d) In the case of an officer whose salary does not exceed £600 per annum
$150 per mensem.
(6) Only one rent allowance shall be payable in respect of any tenement.
We consider that these regulations furnish a fair and adequate basis for the payment of rent for Government Quarters and for the grant of Rent Allowances in ordinary circumstances. We suggest, however, that with the addition of 15% to all sterling salaries, the salary limits in paragraph 5 of the General Order should be amended by substituting £1,400 for £1,200 in sub-paragraph (a), £1,100 for £900 in (b) and £700 for £600 in (c) and (d).
In the case of outlying districts, however, such as Taipo, the ordinary assessment rule is, in our opinion, inapplicable. The cost of building a house in a remote place is not lessened because the rateable value is likely to be low, nor is the benefit to Government
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