Mr Lucas
On looking moon fully into the papers. I regret to see that I did not state the position quite distinctly. It was this, In reply to Atkinson's request for leave for six months from 20th, I wrote "granted subject to any objection" & told him that the form had been telegraphed to him on 9 February and received without objection.
I did not tell Lee that it had been telegraphed back. For the sake of clarity, I should say that their objection did not tally with Atkinson's. I did not tell Lee that it had been objected to within the time allowed for objection.
As confirmed by the letter of 17th, I had telegraphed that there was no objection to the grant of leave "subject to any objection which may be received". The June telegram was for Atkinson's immediate return.
You consider it usual to grant leave subject to any objection; & you argue that the phrase meant that the Governor might telegraph that he had objections at any time during those months.
Let him have it, though I don't think he has much claim.
Let me see draft (Pd 3 above).
C.PL
TO-8-0008~68:9-
No. 477.
Sir,
539
45104-
DEC DI
Government House, Hongkong, 19th November, 1901.
I have the honour to invite your attention to the fact that considerable hardship and expense are sometimes incurred by Government Officers during their absence from the Colony on leave, when the exigencies of the Public Service require their return to the Colony before such leave has expired.
I submit for your consideration that some relief might with justice be extended to Officers placed in such circumstances, at least to the extent of repaying from the public funds any extra expense incurred by them in arranging for a sudden and unexpected return to their posts.
2. The most recent case in point is that of Dr. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer, whose leave was cut short in consequence of my telegram to you of the 15th June last.
As Dr. Atkinson was obliged to return by himself at an earlier date than could be arranged for by his family, he was put to the extra expense of taking separate passages for them and of making arrangements for their accommodation in England after he had departed.
A very moderate computation of the extra expense so incurred has been furnished by Dr. Atkinson, who considers that it would be covered by £25.
I request authority to refund this sum to Dr. Atkinson.
3.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&C. &C.