CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917 — Page 48

I

AA

euker Jen ob s

293.73 vniot be pega vel

.:

T

(g)

c3

20

(0)

·(0)

(6)

(0)

.: I

(2)

&

45

(h)

The Japanese steamers at present proceed via the Cape

and it may be considered desirable at the present time to

divert passenger traffic as far as possible from the

Mediterranean to the Cape route. It is understood that

the Government particularly object to women travelling in

the Mediterranean.

No information is at present available as to how long

officers will be detained in India, and it is impossible

to name any definite sun which they should take with them

to cover expenses. In some cases officers may not have

sufficient funds available to meet this contingency, in

which case a special advance will be needed.

3. Pending the receipt of other instructions, we

are booking each passage by the route which, in the

particular instance, seems the more economical. As, however!

there appears to be no immediate prospect of a resumption

of the P.& 0. through service, I have to enquire whether

the Secretary of State desires to lay down any general

ruling as to (A) the choice of route and (B) the payment

of detention and baggage allowances to officers travelling

across India. Meanwhile we are informing such officers

that they should apply for an allowance to the Government

after reaching their destination, and are reporting to the

Government

4.

concerned in each case.

I may add that it was formerly our practice to

provide first class officials, entitled to second class passages by mail, with passages at the B rate; but we notice that several return passages provided to second class officials by the Governments concerned have recently been at the A rate and we are therefore providing this rate for all first

4.