No.348.
Hongkong.
Govte
Sir,
C. O.
38377
Government House 5 SEP 1902
Hongkong, 7th August, 1902.
Referring to my Despatch No.340 of the 30th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that in calculating Mr. Ford's pension, an allowance of $120 per annum granted him in 1897 as compensation for the privilege he enjoyed up to that date of drawing free vegetables from the Government Vegetable Gardens, which were sold as building land in 1896, has been eliminated.
2. The enclosed copy of a letter addressed to Mr. Ford on the subject in 1897 shows that the allowance was a local one purely personal to Mr. Ford, and is forwarded for your information in case that Officer should again raise the question in England.
I have the honour to be,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&c. &c.
Sir,
Your most obedient
Humble servant,
M.J. Gascoigne
Major-General, Administering the Government.