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would therefore amount to our controlling
ourselves. We could no doubt put down on
paper annual estimates of expenditure, but it
would be very much a formality, and I am not sure
that it would help very much. There are of
course agencies overseas incurring expenditure on
Hong Kong account, but in form at least they act
only on our authorisation. The problem of
exactly how to exercise adequate detailed control
over these agencies is at present under consideration.
In these circumstances we should be very
grateful for your views as to the proper method of
controlling the expenditure. As already indicated,
a great deal of it consists of commitments incurred
in close consultation with you, and, as already
indieuted, we have no desire to abandon the practice
of getting your consent in every important case.
It is obviously, however, to all our conveniences
to reduce the formalities to a minimum.
Yours Sincerely
(Signed) J. J. PASKIM