107A
that any such officers should be retired before their cases have been considered by the Colonial Office, and meanwhile they will remain entitled to full salary.
(b)
Non-pensionable staff.
It is hoped that alternative employment on reasonable terms will be found, and Colonial Office are anxious to have names in order to explore possibilities. Colonial office agree that, until it becomes clearer to what extent it is possible for such officers to be moved to other places where employment is available, notice of termination should not in general be given, and instruction in earlier telegram should be regarded as permissive only.
3.
It is emphasised that Colonial Office wish to have names of any officer reaching Free China as soon as possible.
4.
Lof
As regards Chinese officials, Colonial Office do not have the same opportunity for placing them elsewhere in the Colonial Empire, but they hope that employment could be found for some of them as far as possible in British organisations in China, e.g. under Mr. Sedgwick. We agree that in any case they should look to His Majesty's Government and not Chinese Government for assistance, and paragraph 4 (3) of my 02. telegram No. 470 of April 5th was intended to convey authority for you to grant such assistance where claim to salary had expired, or where pension etc., to which officer was entitled, was insufficient for livelihood. No time limit is placed on period concerned, but it would seem preferable not to relate "relief" to pre-occupation salary since, having regard to Japanese policy of expelling large part of Chinese population from Hong Kong, "escapes" may not necessarily be meritorious in themselves, and it would appear equally open to criticism to regard officers as entitled to Hong Kong salary in whole
or part for duration of war, thereby removing incentive to take up other remunerative employment of war importance.
INDIV.