23
regard to the vast total of the expenditure already
provided for in the current year, to the inevitable
increase in the rate of expenditure as the war
proceeds, and to the heavy increases in taxation
which have already been imposed, His Majesty's
Government have been forced to the conclusion
that it will be necessary to eliminate for the
duration of the present hostilities all those
services which are not essential to war require-
ments or other pressing public needs.
3%
I have accordingly to request that
careful consideration may be given in the light of the
above considerations to the possibility of
replacing the usual annual grant of £300 from
United Kingdom funds towards the provision of King
Edward VII Scholarships by temporary special grants
from Hong Kong funds, and that I may be furnished
with your early observations on this suggestion
by telegram. I deeply regret the necessity for
having to approach you with this suggestion, but
you will no doubt appreciate that the temporary
4 Are Ge gdem grant (for
cessation of the United Kingdom grant/for the
duration of the war would in no way imply any
diminution/