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Enclosure
1
Hotel
To the Beeretary of State for the Colonies
Dear Sir,
534
Manrubor 31st 1915.
25201
¡REC
REG 29 MAY 16
I beg to bring before your neties a matter, in which
I have attempted, for the past six years,to secure just treatment
in this solony, without success.
Briefly it relates to the adjustment of compasses work on which I have depended to a large extent for my livelihood, but of which
I have been largely deprived owing to the unfair névantage enjoyed
by a government official Comm. Beckwith Harbour Master of Hongkong .
The Board of Trade régulations which are in forse here merely stipulate that the person who adjusts the compass shall be a properly qualified man selvated by the shipowner.
It is quite evident that a person, who presides over a marine court,silets berths, grants sertificates of various kinds, enjoys a high official position such as Comm. Reckwith doen,has lover, and an influenee which is bound to affect the agents of the owners of vessels who require their compasses adjusted.
It is surely contrary to all ideas of British administralen that an official enjoying £900 per year, together with other emoluments, should be allowed to compete for this work, which is done in every part of the Empire by non-officials.
I performed this work in the past to the entire satisfactio of the ship owners, but now Comm. Beckwith has acquired such power, that he decides in every case who shall adjust the compass.
-Men-
The result is that the few now passenger carrying vessels,
he does not want or has not time for are allotted to me,while he
This year 1915 does the work on all the rest the vast majority-. the number he has adjusted is 24 to my knowledge.