i
for 6 months from the 1st. of May last on which
date my wife and family left for the north.
C
31
File 4300 ra
4.197642
11.
4. During the middle of May I was informed
unofficially of the transfer of Mr. Brayn my 1st. Assistant Auditor to Nyassaland. I at once informed this Government verbally of my information, and
a cable was sent to London for confirmation. This
transfer was ultimately confirmed by your despatch No.110 of 20th. April, 1912 and cable of the gth. June last. In addition to Mr. Brayn's transfer my
Chief Clerk Mr. Paget Heathcote fell sick with
facial paralysis which has necessitated his
detention in the Government Civil Hospital for
one month, and has since been ordered to Japan
on 2 months vacation leave. This reduced the staff
from 4 Europeans to 2, and neither the Government
nor myself felt justified in my leaving the entire
work of the department to one European, I have
therefore been compelled to postpone my annual tour
of inspection and cancel my leave. These unforeseen
circumstances have frustrated all my plans and have
entailed great financial loss to me, from the very
fact that I have to keep an establishment in
Weihaiwei whilst at the same time I have to live
in Hongkong. This extra expenditure coupled with
the present high rate of exchange, over which I
am alone losing nearly an eighth of my salary during the last eight months, I can ill afford. The rent
alone of a furnished room in Hongkong costs me a
hundred dollars a month besides all other incidental
expenses which are absolutely indispensable. I would