CO129-127 - Public Offices - 1867 — Page 581

From T. H. THORNTON, Esq., Secretary to Government, Punjab, to the Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department, Simla,-(No. 1195, dated Murree, the 15th August 1867),

I AM desired to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 2950, dated 1st August, and in reply to forward a printed copy of the correspondence of this Government on the subject of the entertainment of Police for service in Hong- Kong, and to call your attention to pages 22 and 24, from which it will be per- ceived that His Excellency's proposals regarding the formation of a Return Fund were not communicated to the men, or accepted by them, before their departure; but Mr. Creagh promised to bring the matter before the Government of Hong- Kong for consideration.

2. I am further desired to call your attention to Clause V. of the conditions of service given at page 25 of the correspondence, and to state that, as the men have been entertained under a distinct understanding that dismissal from the force for misconduct carries with it the forfeiture of a free return passage, and the Government of Hong-Kong has expressed its unwillingness to accept His Excel- lency's proposal as tending to interfere with the discipline of the force, His Honor would not recommend that any change be proposed in the conditions under which the men have been engaged; but he would leave it to the Government of Hong- Kong to determine in each case, calling for punitive action, the course it will be most advisable to pursue.

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