CO129-435 - Governor Sir May & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1916 [9-11] — Page 220

149 370.

N°

(

HONGKONG.

IREC

52887

Pro 4 NO.6

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

216

22nd September, 1916.

Sir,

33638

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your Despatch No. 141 of the 6th June last transmitting corres-

-pondence with the General Post Office, London, on the subject

of the pensions of certain officers employed in the British

Postal Agencies in China, and after consulting the Postmaster General I submit the following proposals,

2.

The general principle that officers now employ-

-ed in the Agencies who were formerly in the service of this

Government should still be regarded as members of that service

is open to no objection; so also the proposal by the Secretary

General Post Office for the payment of pensions and gratuities as modified by the suggestions in Colonial Office letter No.

23538/16 of the 2nd June, 1916.

3.

The proposal, however, that such officers should

continue to be paid by this Goverment, subject to reimburse-

-ment by the Imperial Government appears to be cumbersome and

unnecessary. It would entail the keeping of separate pay-lists, and, what is more important, it would make reference to this

Government necessary whenever any question of discipline, pro-

-motion etc., arose in connection with these officers. Such

officers being seconded for service with the Imperial Govern- -ment, it seems only reasonable that they should draw their

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c...

pay