CO129-438 - Public Offices - 1916 — Page 481

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The Colonial Office acted as intermediary for the Hongkong var

Charities Committee in arranging with the war Office conditions under

which a contribution in aid of the R, F. C. Hospital would be

Leceptable.

General Henderson acted in the matter for the war office and the

H. F. C. Hospital.

The War office undertook that dn being assured of the proposed

con ribution from Hongkong they would extend the B. F. C. Hospital;

and they further undertook to regulate the cost of upkeep of such

axtension ragording to the funds made available. (Telegram 19th Lay).

The Hongkong War Charities Committee promised to contribute £10,000

a year, during the war, on this understanding.

General Henderson understood origi,mily that the whole of the funds

were ta be placed unreservedly at the disposal of the Hospital Committee

but subsequently agreed to the condition that they should be expended on

the extension as to 70 to Bứy and the remainder upon the parent Hospital.

In order to carry out this arrangement, a scheme was drawn up by

the representatives of the war Charities Committee and informally

handed to the sxecutive Committee of the Hospital on the 21st August,

it being understood that the matter should be dealt with at a

subsequent weeting.

This scheme involved inter alia

(a) Geparate accounts being kept for the Extension and these being

passed for payment by a sub-committee.

(b) deparate stores, etc., for upkeep of the xtension.

(c) Leparate bursing staff.

(d) The appointment to the Extension of a latron and a Resident

Ledioal Officer.

after several informal

conversatione on the subject, the scheme

was revised (as per copy enclosed) and yesterday Lr. Stewart had a

Giscussion with General Henderson about it. General Henderson

contended that the scheme involved dividing the R.F.C. Hospital into

two separate hospitals and that consequently it infringed the conditions

on which he had consented to receive the Longkong contribution.

this contention he relies upon the telegram of the 11th April, sent to

Hongkong through the colonial Office, in which it was expressly stated

that it was impracticable to divide the Hospital.

In