My Lord,
I learn from Hongkong that the Valuer for rating purposes in that Colony has resigned his post. I observe also that there have been several applications for the vacancy, presumably from the Civil Service, and that the Governor proposes to refer the matter home for your Lordship's decision.
Supposing the correctness of this statement, I venture to ask whether Your Lordship would be disposed to allow me the opportunity of reporting on the papers before any final action is taken. I trust this request may not be regarded as an impropriety. A brief explanation will, I hope, convince Your Lordship that it is made with no unworthy motive.
The whole treatment of the Valuation, ...
...
21 MAY 84
...
C. O.
Sidcup. May 23 1884
Gou Selbourne
857 12-5-84
at 22/5
Run 22,
AEC?
618
Page ...
(No other editing is made as the rest is either not readable or not making sense due to OCR errors.)