CO129-435 - Governor Sir May & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1916 [9-11] — Page 386

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48462

RAPHRASE TELEGRAM. The Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State

for the Colonies.

(Received, Colonial Office, 12.32 p.m.9th October,1916)

Your cypher telegram October 4th. I have

discussed question with British Consul-Ceneral at Canton.

We agree that Northern Chinese are more suitable on

following grounds. (1) They are inured to cold. (2) They

est farinaceous food. (3) They are more amenable to

discipline. (4) They are not impregnated with malaria.

We consider organization elaborate beyond what is neces- sary. If you desire recruiting to take place here I suggest following:- Unskilled Labour Fifteen dollars a

month and all found should be offered. Possibly it would b

necessary to pay twenty dollars or more. Fee of recruitin

agents about thirty dollars a head would have to be paid. Skilled Labour. French Government is recruiting carpen-

tors at Canton at French Union rates but I cannot ascer-

tain what these are. They recruit Unskilled labour in North China. Recently Naval authorities here engaged

unskilled dockyard labour for Basra at forty follars a

month exclusive of food. Assistant Interprotors. I

suggest most suitable would be Chinese of Forman class

with limited knowledge of English. Three or four skilled

interpreters with knowledge of written language would see

to be enough. As regards officers I would suggest the Hongkong Cadet officers who have joined the army or who

are on leave of absence. Warrant Officers. I could

send ten European police with knowledge of Chinese; and

there are six others serving with army who have similar

knowledge. Unless Chinese would be working in small

parties these Europeans would seem quite sufficient.

MAY.