CO129-441 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [1-3] — Page 174

CONFIDENTIAL.

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

171

HONGKONG. 6th. February, 1917.

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12251 S

In continuation of my Confidential Despatch of

the 29th. ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that on the 2nd. instant the European Un-official Members of both Councils had an interview with me, at which they informed me that at a meeting held on the same day the resolutions copy or which is enclosed were passed by them.

2.

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I had previously communicated to the Un-official Members for their perusal an extract from my Confidential Despatch of the 22nd, ultimo from the words in paragraph 4 *I fd had an interview on the 20th. instant to the end of the despatch

together with a copy of my Confidential Despatch of the 29th. ultimo, and I explained to them that I would much prefer to await your consideration of the proposals made in those two Despatches before taking up the proposals contained in their resolutions. They represented to me, however, that the feeling among the younger men in mercantile employment in the Colony who were anxious to offer themselves for military service beyond the Colony, was so strong that unless steps were taken at once to settle judicially whether or not their services could be spared having regard to the interests of the trade and commerce of the Colony wholesale resignations were likely to ensue; and they urged very strongly upon me to seek your sanction for the

establishment

HE RIGHT HONCURABLE

WALTER LONG, M. P

&o., &o.. &C..