47
Appendix A.
THE MILITARY SERVICE COMMISSION.
HONGKONG, 26th March, 1917.
St-Referring to our recent interviews on the subject of applications from Civil Servants, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that the Commissioners, upon further consideration of all the circumstances which I put before you, are confirmed in the view that it would not serve any useful purpose for them to hear such applications.
2. The principal circumstances influencing the Commissioners in this view are that such applications constitute in some respects a peculiar category; inasmuch as you hold the dual position, at once of the applicant's employer and the arbiter of whatever recom- mendations the Commissioners may make upon their findings. They also understand that in the former capacity, at the instance of the Secretary of State, you have already formed and are acting upon an opinion as to the maximum number of men who can be spared, which opinion they apprehend would in fact guide your decision in your final arbitrament.
3. In the above circumstances, the Commissioners suggest that you withdraw the Civil Service from the purview of the Commission, in the same manner as the Naval and Military Services have been withdrawn.
4. The Commissioners wish this letter to be understood as in no way implying a desire on their part to be relieved of the task of dealing with applications from Civil Servants, a duty they would gladly undertake were the conditions such as to enable them to perform it usefully and effectively.
I have the honour to be,
Your Excellency's obedient servant,
His Excellency
Sir F. H. MAY, K.C.M.G.,
Governor of Hongkong.
(Sd.) E. H. SHARP,
Chairman,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG, 28th March, 1917.
SIR,I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant explaining the circumstances which have induced the members of the Military Service Commission to suggest that I should withdraw the Civil Servants from the purview of the Commission.
1 appreciate the reasons for this suggestion which in the circumstances I shall adopt. I shall at the same time weigh carefully the cases of those Civil Servants who have not applied to the Colonial Government for permission to offer themselves for Military service beyond the Colony, but who may have made applications to go before the Commission. I shall be glad therefore to receive from the Commission the names of all Civil Servants who have made such applications.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
The Honourable
Mr. E. H. SHARP, K.C.,
Chairman,
Military Service Commission.
(Sd.) F. H. MAY,
Governor, &c.