N°
3/5.
411
44114 REC"
PEG 14 SEP 16
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG. 10th August, 1916.
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
your despatch No. 143 of the 12th June in which you approve of my proposal to make advances to certain subordinate public ser- -vants to pay off their debts, but express reluctance to approve the proposed legislation to protect such subordinate officers
in future.
2.
I am afraid that without the proposed Ordinance
it would be merely throwing money away to make advances. It may
be taken for granted that the desire to borrow will not cease
to exist and unless the power is removed of recovering by legal process the money lent the present undesirable state of affairs
will continue, and be intensified owing to the repayment of
advances being a first charge on salaries. If no Ordinance is
passed and the Government make it a condition of an advance that
the borrower shall not sign another pro-note on pain of punish-
-ment, the only effect will be in many cases that pro-notes will
be signed and the money-lender will hold the fear of exposure over the borrower in order to extort repayment.
3.
I enclose a copy of the scheme dram up by the
Colonial Secretary from which you will observe that the passing
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,
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of