CO129-449 - Governor Sir May & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1918 [7-9] — Page 34

***IAL.

32

L033

Pac

[G3 AUG 18)]

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 4th. July, 1918.

Sa

20489

Sir,

Je

With reference to my Confidential Des-

-patch of the 21st. of March, 1916, I have the honour to transmit the enclosed copy of a letter from the Governor- -General of the Commonwealth of Australia asking that the sum

of £1,725 3 3 expended in the return of 35 of the prison-

•

•

-ers captured in the S. S. "China" to this Colony may be refunded to the Government of the Commonwealth by this Govern-

-ment.

2.

In my cypher telegram of the 22nd. of Sar

February, 1916, I offered to send these prisoners to Australia 8695

16. at the expense of this Colony. This was done, with Mr. Bonar Law's approval, at a cost of more than $30,000. This Govern- -ment has also paid £1,133 2 6 to the Government of the Commonwealth for the maintenance of 35 of the prisoners from 3rd. April, 1916, the date of arrival in Australia, to 4th. October, 1916, the date of release.

3.

.

•

Upon arrival in Hongkong the prisoners

were sent under an escort of Police to Shanghai at a cost to this Government of over $2,500.00

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

WALTER LONG, M.P.,

&c...

&C..

&C..

4.