CONFIDENTIAL
ENCLOSURE D.
(continued)
756 20 A
appear to be in point :-
A. That as the letter engaging me to do the work bears Mr. Drayson's initials at the bottom, he was conversant in a very special and precise manner with the fact that I was being engaged to do the work, and that it would have been as well if he had convinced the Government of Hongkong of his ability to do the work himself
and assured them of his willingness to do it without remuneration BEFORE instead of after sending me the letter which requested me to undertake the task.
B. That as I am informed that the card-index system is to be used by Mr. Drayson it is of some interest to note that the card-index now in the office of the Colonial Secretary of Hongkong was made from a model lent by me for that purpose, and that whatever knowledge of the use of a card index for official documents Mr. Drayson may possess arises from my own explanation of the system to him when I was in Hongkong, since the system is not used in the Colonial Office, where Mr. Drayson's previous work has been done, and that when I was working in the Secretariat in Hongkong last year I found Mr. Drayson, in common with every other official in the Secretariat,
quite unfamiliar with the system of card-indexing for official documents.
11. I am advised that your letter No. 3371 of Oct. 29, 1902 constitutes a definite engagement of my services to perform a definite piece of work at a definite time for a specific fee, and I must inform you that as I have accepted your offer to do the work and am still prepared to do it, and as I have made changes in my plans involving both expense and inconvenience, so that I might be able to perform the work you engaged me to perform, I shall require my fee of £100 to be paid by the Hongkong Government on my return to Hongkong in November, whether the work I was engaged to do is carried through by myself or by Mr. Drayson.
12. Mr. Drayson's action in this matter is merely one of personal conduct; but the action of the Government carries with it official responsibility.
13. I shall be obliged if you will inform me of your final decision in this matter, addressing your communication to me at Government House, Singapore.
I have the honour to remain,
signed
Your obedient servant,
ALLEYNE IRELAND.