CO129-441 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [1-3] — Page 201

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ICOMIZOTOŇ ZRɔégmoll

„TISJOTORĖ ystsubať s obert

„stuðkteal isinfe? Isyall

.aehnol

Bir,

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Hongkong,

19th. December, 1916.

I am directed tê noknowledge the receipt of

your letter of the 5th. December relative to a proposal that legislative powers should be taken te compel Goverment and other public departments and undertakings as far as possible te purchase Empire-made goods and to plese all contracte with

British firms.

2.

It is a rule of the Colonial Service that all requisitions from a Colony for stores required from the United Kingdom or from countries not being adjacent to the Colony concerned are to be sent to the Crown Agents for the Colonies in London; and it has been the invariable practice of the Crow Agafanto place orders, as far as possible, with British firms. This Government concurs that the Crom Agents should be asked to make it a hard and fast rule that its orders are pla to be placed with British firms within the Empire, unless such a course is considered to be at variance with public interests.

As regards the may orders and contracte placed locally by this Government the matter assumes a different aspect. It is the rule that all orders in an amount exceeding $150 are to be placed by public tender; and, as your Chamber are aware, the successful tenderers are in the majority of cames Chinese firms, who may or may not contain British subjecte and may or may not employ British materials. It would be possible in many cases to make it a condition that materials

The Secretary,

3.

Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce -