§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELTo ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that some discontent has been caused among Civil servants in Northern Nigeria, who were engaged on the understanding that they were to receive a local allowance of 5s. a day until permanent houses were provided and the high cost of living was reduced, and whose allowance is now to be curtailed to 2s. 6d. a day in the provinces and 1s. a day at Zungeru and Lokoja, although many of these officers are still unprovided with proper houses, and the cost of living has rather increased than declined; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) The High Commissioner has received representations from several Civil officers of Northern Nigeria on the subject of the reduction of the "local allowance" which has recently been made in certain cases. This reduction is in accordance with the conditions, of their appointment, in which it was explained that an allowance of 5s. a day would be granted as a temporary measure in view of the inconvenience to which they would be exposed through there being no permanent houses and of the comparatively high cost of living under the conditions prevailing when the administration was being established, but that the arrangement would be subject to revision when these conditions were improved and permanent quarters had been provided. The reduction of the allowance which, with the concurrence of Sir F. Lugard, is now being made, is confined to cases where permanent quarters are provided, and the reduced allowance is being fixed at rates varying according to the cost of living at the different stations. Officers who are not provided with permanent quarters will continue for the present to receive the allowance at the rate of 5s. a day as before.