170
(Personally, I see no reason for obliging them in this way. I suggested to him that he could very well take the money out of his magnificent depreciation fund, and he said it might come to that.)
3. He now wants me to come to the London Office with one of the Crown Agents to see about taking over some of their staff, &c. I had originally suggested this to him at the Governor's request, and on Attlee's advice he had then declined for the moment to have anything to do with us; so now I treated it rather casually and said there was no hurry.
18902
No. 119.
Yours, &c.,
G. V. FIDDES.
MESSRS. SUTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL to COLONIAL OFFICE.
SIR,
(Received June 2, 1905.)
[Answered by No. 122.]
Straits Settlements.
Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Limited.
3 and 4, Great Winchester Street, London, E.C., June 1, 1905. REFERRING to our letter to you of the 24th ultimo, the Company's solicitors now write us as follows: "Our clients here are advised by their Board that the Government have engaged the services of Mr. Derrick, the auditor of the Company, and complain strongly of their action in so doing. We are instructed to protest against this course, and must ask you to represent to your clients that it is felt that the greatest injustice is being done to the Company by their being deprived of the services of this gentleman at this juncture. We shall be glad to hear from you in explanation," to which we have replied to the effect that we will communicate these . statements to you and await your instructions before replying thereto.
19041
We have, &c.,
SUTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL.
No. 120.
MESSRS. SUTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received June 3, 1905.)
[See No. 125.]
Straits Settlements.
Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, Limited.
SIR,
3 and 4, Great Winchester Street, London, E.C., June 2, 1905. IN further reference to our letter of the 26th ultimo, † Messrs Deloitte and Company inform us that they are now paying for the return passages of their assistants who are leaving on the 9th instant, that they estimate the cost of these passages and advances towards the current expenses will absorb £300, and that whilst they cannot estimate what the expenses abroad of these assistants will amount to, they suggest that £200 should be paid for this purpose, making a total advance for out-of-pocket expenses of £500. In addition to this sum they ask us to pay them a further sum of £500 on account of their professional charges, making a total payment on account of £1,000.
As this payment is only generally on account, we see no objection to complying with this request, and if you concur in this payment being made, we should be obliged if you would give instructions for that amount to be remitted to us.
We have, &c.,
SUTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL.
18693
171
No. 121.
COLONIAL OFFICE to MESSRS. SÚTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL.
GENTLEMEN,
Downing Street, June 2, 1905. In reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo,* I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to transmit to you three copies of: (1) Printed correspondence respecting the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company; and (2) Messrs. Coode, Son, and Matthews' report.
Mr. Lyttelton is not aware of anything in the correspondence which need be withheld from counsel and the accountants except the letters respecting their appointment, which you will probably think it unnecessary to communicate to them.
The only other documents in the possession of this Department which might be of use are the half-yearly balance sheets of the Company. The more recent of these have already been handed to you, and the remainder (from 1865 onwards) are avail- able if required.
No copies of the Ordinace as finally passed have yet been received here, but it is understood that no amendments were made on the Third Reading, and the copy enclosed in the Governor's despatch, No. 139, of the 6th April,† may therefore be assumed to be accurate.
18902
No. 122.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
COLONIAL OFFICE to MESSRS. SUTTON, OMMANNEY, AND RENDALL.
GENTLEMEN,
Downing Street, June 2, 1905. In reply to your letter of the 1st instant, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to state that he has no knowledge of the engagement of Mr. Derrick by the Government of the Straits Settlements, and he is therefore unable to say if the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company have any valid ground of complaint pending the receipt of a report from the Governor, to whom a copy of your letter is being referred by the outgoing mail.
18902
No. 123.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR J. ANDERSON.
[Answered by No. 252.]
(Confidential.)
SIR,
Downing Street, June 2, 1905. WITH reference to previous correspondence respecting the Tanjong Pagar Arbitration, I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of correspondence§ with Messrs. Sutton, Ommanney, and Rendall with regard to the alleged engagement of Mr. Derrick by the Government of the Straits Settlements.
2. I shall be glad if you will furnish me with a report on the subject at your earliest convenience.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
• No. 108.
† No. 112.
* No. 116.
† No. 82.
‡ No. 119.
§ Nos. 119 and 122.
20305
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