CO129-552-1 Supplementary expenditure 24-12-1934 - 18-1-1936 — Page 8

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provision has not been made in the approved Estimates, or (6) additional non recurrent Expre for which

In our despatch of the 24th September,

1930 (No. 2 on 72894/30 Hong Kong) the limit

within which the Governor could sanction payments

of a casual or non-recurrent nature not provided

for in the Estimates without the prior authority

of the Secretary of State was raised from $1,200

to $10,000, and he was then informed that the

Secretary of State expected this limit to be more

carefully observed. That expectation has not been

entirely realised, and in paragraph 5 of No. 25

on 33753/34 Hong Kong, the Governor asks to be

allowed a measure of discretion more especially in

regard to extensions to Votes which have been

approved by the Secretary of State in principle,

"as telegrams are frequently inadequate and

circumstances do not always allow of the long

delay consequent on reference by despatch. The

excuse appears to be rather flimsy, and I am

inclined to agree with Mr. Howell that the discretion

should not be given.

In the case of Palestine, the High

Commissioner is empowered to authorise without

reference to the Secretary of State non-recurrent

(ay

expenditure in respect of services for which

provision has been made, to an amount not exceeding

£1,000 in respect of any one item, on the understand-

ing that the expenditure in question will be met

from savings on the same head or on other heads

of the Estimates, and that no question of importance

and/or principle is involved.

As far as I can see the Governor of Hong Kong

is