2
니
who, in order to provide a proper age balance in the service, it is necessary, as explained in the despatch, to recruit now. Paragraph 7 of the despatch points out that Williams, Tsui and Barlow, when they arrive in the Colony, will be supernumerary to establishment (vide Enclosure No.3 to the despatch). They can however presumably be held against the posts of Kennedy-Skipton, Burgess and Fortescue, who are not drawing pay from Hong Kong funds (In the same way presumably Follows is held against the post of Butters.) There remain the three pre-war ex-I.C.S. officers whom you have asked us to recruit (one of whom has in in fact already been selected). If it can be held that Clinton and Cater, being on contract, do not count against the permanent establishment, only one of these new men would be supernumerary to establishment. And by the time he began to be paid from Hong Kong funds, might it not be that a retirement had occurred and so provided a vacancy for him?
7.
I am not sure whether it is necessary to increase the permanent establishment now to provide for the above 6 appointment If so, I suggest that it might be best to send in a fresh proposal without reference to despatch No.107, as we shall have to go to the Treasury.
Yours sincerely,
Sad. (N.L. Mayle)