CO129-458 - Public Offices & Others - 1919 — Page 466

J

J

452

Government House,

Singapore.

14th February 1919.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's telegram of the 21st December, 1918, in the following words:-

(as decoded)

"Secretary of State for the Colonies reports that your Government has protested against actions of Government of Hong Kong in permitting subcharter of vessels requisitioned under Colonial Scheme on grounds: of essential services are deserted for speculative vent- ures and steamers are offered for subcharter in India at rates in excess of Blue Book rates. Please telegraph particulars",

and to inform you that I replied thereto by telegram as follows

on the 11th February 1919:-

2.

(as decoded)

"Your telegram 21st December on subject of shipping control, particulars asked for being sent by mail"

I enclose a copy of a letter addressed to the Deputy Controller of Shipping on the 27th September last, togeth- er with copies of the two telegrams to which reference is made. It had been taken for granted that Colonel Thomson would, in the ordinary course, have referred this matter to Hong Kong, but it would seem that he adopted the alternative course of addressing the Controller of Shipping in London, through whom,it is con- cluded, the matter came to the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I have, etc.,

(Sd) Arthur Young.

Excellency.

The Officer Administering the "overnmentof.

Hong Kong.