To the
the Right Honourable,
Mr Joseph Chamberlain, M.P.
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary
of
State for the Colonies,
The Humble Petition of the Undersigned, Portuguese subordinates
54
2 subordinate
Officers in the employ of the Government of Hong-Kong!
Respectfully sheweth:
to them.
1. That
your petitioners are all members of the Public Service respectively holding offices in the various departments of the Government of the Colony of Hong-Kong requiring honesty, diligence, and zeal in the performance of the various duties assigned to them.
2. That on the 15th July 1895 your petitioners collectively addressed a memorial to His Excellency Sir William Robinson, K.C.M.G., the Governor of the Colony, and on the 23rd September forwarded a petition through His Excellency's courtesy to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, both praying for the privilege of drawing "exchange compensation" which certain members of the Public Service have been receiving since January, 1894.
3. To the first representation above referred to, His Excellency directed a reply to be sent to your petitioners, duly received, that it was not in His Excellency's power to grant exchange compensation,
and