CO129-440 - Others & Individuals - 1916 — Page 213

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Sir:

نشهر

23886

¡REC

REG 22 MAY 16

Felixstowe,

20th May 1916.

212

love

your Tet

Letto

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

o 22374/1916 requesting me to make arrangemente

to return to Hong Kong. On receipt of your letter I wrote for an interview with an official of the Eastern "epartment of

the Colonial office, which was granted, and on the 18th inst:

I saw Mr J.R.W.Robinson. I understand, from the result of

my interview, that in the case of my not returning to

Hong Kong the Secretary of State would have no alternative

but to terminate my appointment.

55749

In my letter of 29th March last, I pointed out

that I could never be happy or contented if I returned to

my civil work, and asked for relief from it. I humbly

submit that it may be taken into consideration that I have

served the Crown for 12 years in the Colonial Audit Department

in London, Nigeria and Hong Kong, and prior to going into

the Colonial Audit Department I also volunteered for active

service in the Boer War and served in South Africa with my

present Regiment.

While I do not in any way wish to criticise the

policy of the Government, is it rather not) hard to be

rather

summarily dismissed merely because my conscience dictates I

should serve the Crown during the War as a soldier instead

of civil capacity?

I have the honour to be

sir.

Your obedient Servant,

The Under Secretary of State

The Colonial Office,

S.V.

Ballis