arguing thus against any supposed privilege attached to a service - which, as compared with other Branches of employment under Her Majesty cannot be regarded as unduly favoured. So I do not however consider it in this climate as a beneficial privilege to the Civil officers themselves, whilst it certainly is injurious to the working of the Service.
It is specially so at Hong Kong as well because of the climate, because of the exceptional privilege allowed to Civil Officers of claiming two months' vacation leave in each year instead of six weeks elsewhere and four months every two years instead of three in other Colonies. The difficulty thereby increased of suitably filling hard worked posts for four months gratuitously can only be appreciated by the Governor. I have however already dwelt in Executive Council fully on this the second principal reason against the practice in question - that, to avoid repeating myself on a point so obvious, I enclose Copy of extract from the Minutes of Council on the 13th Instant.
I have no wish to add to