4
Eastern Services Vote.
They
This is now the Treasury's reply.
consider that the F.0. were correct in refusing
to accept liability for these non-British refugees,
since the provision in the Diplomatic and Consular
estimates was specifically stated to cover the cost
of transport and maintenance in Hong Kong of
British subjects. There is apparently no
Parliamentary authority for extending the scope of
relief already approved, and the Treasury do not
a
consider that the charge could be accepted on
public funds in respect of the relief given to
these particular refugees. Hong Kong will therefore
have to meet the cost themselves.
It is true
There
that the sum of $3,230 is not in itself "outside Hong Kong's capacity to pay", but this would be
even more true of Imperial funds, and Hong Kong
might feel justly incensed by this decision.
is still the faint possibility mentioned in
para.3 of the Governor's despatch at (28) on the
1938 papers that some of this amount might be
recovered from the individuals concerned or from
various foreign Consuls; but the possibility is
very faint.
? Now reply to the Governor's despatch,
saying that the matter has been taken up with both
the F.0. and the Treasury, but that the latter
have decided that a charge cannot be accepted to
public funds in respect of the relief given to flac
peale listed in the enclosure to the Governor's
despatch. Say that the S. of S. is therefore
regretfully forced to the conclusion that the amount
in question will have to be met from the Hong Kong
Govt. funds, subject to any possibility there might
be