548
No. 175.
MY LORD MARQUESS,
(Governor to Secretary of State.)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG, 2nd September, 1893.
I have already communicatad to Your Lordship the reply of Mr. MITCHELL- INNES, the Colonial Treasurer, to the letter which I addressed to him in pursuance of the instructions conveyed in Your Lordship's despatch of 26th July last; and I have now the honour to report that the intimations directed in the same des- patch have been conveyed to Messrs. WODEHOUSE and MAY,
2. In reply to the ninth paragraph of Your Lordship's despatch, I have to state that ALVES gave no security, as in the proper discharge of his duties he had nothing whatever to do with the receipt or custody of money. BARradas, late of Post Office, Hongkong, gave security to the amount of $5,000; steps were taken to put his bond in suit, and on the Attorney General's advice a tender of $2,500, by way of satisfaction of the claim against his surety arising on the bond, was accepted by my predecessor. It is doubtful whether, if the case had proceeded to trial, the Government would have recovered anything.
3. The suggestions made in the 11th, 12th, and 13th paragraphs of Your Lordship's despatch will receive careful consideration.
4. The rules referred to in the 14th paragraph will be strictly carried out. I recently declined to sanction an application made by a subordinate officer for the conversion of a farm lease held by him into a building lease with a view to the establishment of a factory on the land.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient
humble servant,
The Right Honourable
W. ROBINSON.
THE MARQUESS OF RIPON,
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies,
&c.,
Ye..
Jc.