CO129-316 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [1-4] — Page 285

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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services I may point out:-

A.

That as Mr. Drayson works every day in

your office, and has done so since the question of my employment

was first raised, it is unfortunate that Mr. Drayson's ability

to do the work referred to and his willingness to undertake it

should not have been discovered until after I had been engaged

to do the work.

B.

That if this simple step had been taken

I should have been spared what every professional man would

regard as an affront, namely the receipt of an official request

to undertake certain work, a request made spontaneously by the

Government of Hongkong, stating the exact work to be done, the

time of performance and the fee to be paid, a request which I

granted merely cut of consideration for the courteous treatment

I hat received in Downing Street and the receipt within three

months of another official letter informing me that my services

are not required because another gentleman, who was at hand

when the proposal to me was first made and who could at any

time have been given the work, has undertaken to do it without

remuneration.

10.

As far as Mr. Drayson's part in this

matter is concerned two considerations appear to be in point;-

That as the letter engaging me to

A.

do the work bears Mr. Drayson's initials at the bottom he was

conversant in a very special and precise manner with the fact

that I was being engaged to do the work, and that it would have

been as well if he had convinced the Government of Hongkong of

his ability to do the work himself and assured them of his

willingness to do it without pay before instead of after

sending me the letter which requested me to undertake the task.

B.

That as I am informed that the card-

-index

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