To The Right Honourable,
sir,
Hong Kong
January 1917
T2231
The Secretary of State for the Colonies.
RECEIVED 131917 COL. OFFICE
I have the honour to inclose for your consideration the copy of
correspondence which has passed between me and the Colonial Secretary
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here as the representative of His Excellency The Governor, and seeing that
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it is impossible for me to obtain justice for myself locally. I regret that I'
am compelled to appeal from His Excellency The Governor to yourself in the
hope of obtaining suitable redress.
The Matronship of the Government Civil Hospital has recently fallen
vacant, owing to the retirement of Miss Maker, and Sister Sloan several
years my junior,in the service has been appointed matron.
The only reason the local Government has given for passing me over
in favour of a Junior is that her official qualifications are superior to
mine.
My letter to the Colonial Secretary here dated January 17th which forms
part of the enclosed, shows this statement to be incorrect, and the refusal
of H.E.The Governor to supply me with a copy of his despatch to you,
obviously reporting adversely on me and my claims, absolutely prevents me
from having any opportunity of defending myself.
I have been in the Government Service here for nearly 14 years and have
never hitherto, so far as I am aware, been adversely reported upon in any
respect.
The conditions of work at the G.C.H. are of a trying character, owing to
the climate, and during the last few years, owing to the shortage in the
Staff of Nurses for the duties to be performed, the stain of overwork
has been felt by all of us.
I very much regret that I can only suppose from the secrecy in which
these proceddings against me are enveloped, that the fact that I acted as
spokewoman at a meeting of Sisters held at Government House to explain
their grievances in July last, may have something to do with the present
injustice.
Sister Sloan was perhaps (fortunately for herself) unable to attend, as
she was suffering severely from boils due to over work.
It is possible also (though I am guessing absolutely in the dark) that
I may have incurred some odium, owing to having during the last few years
had to complain on various occasions of a shortage of drugs, disinfectants,