324.
58662
REC
21
RE 30NOV
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 20th October, 1920.
My Lord,
I have the honour to forward for Your Lord-
ship's consideration the enclosed copy of a letter received'
from the Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General, China Command, regarding four ex-soldiers who arrived in this Colony on repatriation on the 21st August
last.
These men had been sent by the Military
Authorities in England to Canada on a Canadian Transport
and had received 3rd class tickets on the Canadian Pacific
Railway. They informed this Goverment that they had been
compelled to spend all the money in their possession to supplement the provision made for them in Canada and had
been informed that matters would be put right by the
Military Authorities in Hongkong. They had, however, been automatically demobilised at the end of the standardised voyage while still at sea and the Military Authorities, having no information concerning them, were unable to essist. They were absolutely destitute on arrival at this port and this Government was compelled to find them board and lodging during their stay in Hongkong.
They had travelled from Vancouver by the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services R.M.S. "Empress of Russia" with third class steerage passages and were booked through
HE RIGHT HONOURABLE
VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B..
&c..
80..
&c.