CO129-444 - Governor Sir May & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1917 [10-12] — Page 223

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498

REC

REG JAN 181

Hongkong

3rd. November, 1917.

219

We have the honour to report the result of our work in connection with the giving of assistance to Subordinate Officers for the repayment of their debts..

To regret to have to draw your attention to the deplorable state of indebtedness among the Subordinate Officers of the Service which has been revealed while the Board was sitting. In response to C.S.0. Confidential Circular No.16 of the 2nd July, 1915, applications were received from forty-sight subordinate officers, and the total sum applied for was £21,750.75. There appears to have been some diffidence on the part of subordinate officers in 1916 in disclosing their indebtedness. They appear to have distrusted the use Goverment might make of their disclosures so that only a small percentage of officers in debt applied for meeistance.

After the Board had commenced its sittings

and it became apparent that the Government was making

a genuine attempt to relieve subordinate officers of the

dangers of indebtedness, especially to Indian money-lenders, numerous fresh applications were received,

The Public Servants Liabilities Ordinance No.10 of 1917 came into operation on the 30th of "arch, 1917, and the attention of the Board was soon dram to cases of subordinate officers who had contrrated liabilitie after the passing of the Ordinance. In the majority of cases brought before the Board the ignorence of the Ordinance on the part both of the money-lender and of the

lis Excellency

Sir F. H. May, K.C.4.G.,

Governor of Honkon..