CO129-412 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [7-8] — Page 436

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CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

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67797

REC

REG 2 OCT 14

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG.

16th August, 1914.

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専

NU OYDAN DA PENE

26378

With reference to your confidential despatch of

the 23rd August, 1911, on the subject of the Free Passage Scheme,

I have the honour to suggest that the P. & 0. Company might now

be sounded with regard to allowing the Government to book

passages on P. & 0. steamers for Government officers who are not entitled to free passages, and to secure on behalf of such

officers a rebate on the same terms as the Company allows on passages booked under the scheme.

2.

The working of the arrangement would present

little difficulty. The Government would book the passages and effect payment through the Crown Agents for the Colonies exactly as under the free passage scheme, while the officers concerned

would refund the Government the fares less the rebate.

3.

It is scarcely necessary to state that this con-

cession would confer an inestimable boon on Government servants,

particularly those with families, upon whom the expense of pas- sages to the United Kingdom presses heavily. As it is, even officers with large families who come under the free passage scheme are not granted the reduction on the excess fares which

they have to provide.

4.

The P. & 0. Company would benefit, I think, by the new arrangement, as the reduced rates would probably cause officers to travel by that line, who are now attracted by the

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&0..

&c.