CO129-419 - Individuals - 1914 — Page 98

3 copies

CONFIDENTIAL.

1

265048

SEC REC

REGEREGA 14 SEP 14

Government offices,

HONGKONG.

30th January 1914.

96

To:-

The Right Hon: Lewis Harcourt,

Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Sir,

POST OFFICE BUILDINGS, HONGKONG.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a letter dated the 28th March last from the Hon. Director of Public Works, wherein you intimate that "as the result of a perusal of the Report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the Expenditure and Delay in constructing the Post Office Buildings,

you cannot avoid the conclusion that much of the delay and difficulty might have been prevented if I had

taken a more accurate view of my duties as Executive

officer, and had succeeded in maintaining better re-

lations with the Architects".

I regret that ill-health has prevented my

dealing with this matter until the present date.

(2)

What surprised me most upon receipt of the

letter from the Hon: Director of Public Works (Mr.

Chatham) was, that he should in his official position

have written such a letter, having regard to the fact

F