CO129-434 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [7-8] — Page 416

N°

3/5.

411

44114 REC"

PEG 14 SEP 16

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 10th August, 1916.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your despatch No. 143 of the 12th June in which you approve of my proposal to make advances to certain subordinate public ser- -vants to pay off their debts, but express reluctance to approve the proposed legislation to protect such subordinate officers

in future.

2.

I am afraid that without the proposed Ordinance

it would be merely throwing money away to make advances. It may

be taken for granted that the desire to borrow will not cease

to exist and unless the power is removed of recovering by legal process the money lent the present undesirable state of affairs

will continue, and be intensified owing to the repayment of

advances being a first charge on salaries. If no Ordinance is

passed and the Government make it a condition of an advance that

the borrower shall not sign another pro-note on pain of punish-

-ment, the only effect will be in many cases that pro-notes will

be signed and the money-lender will hold the fear of exposure over the borrower in order to extort repayment.

3.

I enclose a copy of the scheme dram up by the

Colonial Secretary from which you will observe that the passing

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,

ac..

&c..

ac...

of