Dear Dr. Herklots,
Downing Street
18. street,/
8th August, 1946.
5)
I am so glad that you have had good weather for your holiday, and I hope are feeling all the better for it.
You will be sorry to know that we have to-day heard from Mr. G.A. Stevens, declining the offer of appointment as Director of Fisheries. We have lost two months thereby, and must now look urgently for another candidate.
We have mentioned to the Treasury the
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suggestion that a sum of £25,000 should be made available to you for immediate short-term development plans, but they took the line that the approach should first come from the Hong Kong Government, who should submit recommendations in the light of their total needs. We have still not received the detailed Estimates which the Governor has said are on their way to us, but we are taking up with him by telegram the question of whether in face they include the provision for which you are asking; and if not, we are recommending that supplementary provision should be made for temporary advances up to a maximum of £25,000 in respect of your self-liquidating projects.
As regards your discussions with Sir Edward Salisbury in connection with the post of Superintendent of Gardens, we sent a telegram to the Governor as I promised you, and have now had his reply, in which he seems to contemplate filling this post locally. I attach copies of the two telegrams in question.
DR. C. HERKLOTS.
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