CO129-469 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [9-12] — Page 180

¡

N°385.

61723

Are: 13 AC

174

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 12th October, 1921.

6868311

Enclosure 1.

You

3832

nclosure 2.

Do

119

Sir,

With reference to your despatch No.186 of

the 29th June, I have the honour to inform you that throug

an oversight, which I much regret, the report on the

measures taken under the Ordinance for the acquisition and

disposal of rice was not sent with a covering despatch, but was merely forwarded in the volume of Sessional Papers for

1920. I enclose copies of the report.

2.

I find also that in paragraph 3 of my despatch No.392 of the 18th December last reference is made

to a separate despatch reporting on the outstanding balance of the Rice Account. No despatch appears to have been sent and no report supplementing the preliminary report referred to above was prepared. In the absence from the Colony of Mr. Fletcher, who was acting as Colonial Secretary, and of Mr. Bullock, the Chief Clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office, I am unable to account for the omission to prepare the report and despatch.

The total loss incurred during the years

1919 and 1920 in rice transactions was £2,707,798.71 as shown by the enclosed table. The difference between the value of the stock of rice on hand and the figure in the "Advance Account, Rice" was estimated at $3,087,749.46 at

the

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

WINSTON CHURCHILL, M.P..

&c.

&c..

20000 531 W&STA.

Page 180Page 181