CO129-558-3 Levy on Salaries- petition from Chinese Civil Servants 3-1-1936 - 19-12-1936 — Page 209

WX SECRET.

AIR MAIL.

Sir,

LIVE

1536

207

18207

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HỒNG KÔNG.

6th March, 1936.

Sicut in aie

Cify annexed.

With reference to my confidential

despatch of today's date forwarding a petition on

the subject of the Salary Levy, I have the honour

to refer to Mr. Malcolm MacDonald's secret telegram

No. 180 of 26th October, 1935, in which he stated

that he was prepared to approve the temporary

relaxation of the $10,000,000 reserve limit to the

extent necessary to balance the budget for 1936.

2.

This was not overlooked when the

salary levy was imposed, but the estimated deficit

is so large that I did not consider it prudent to

risk having to charge the whole of it to the surplus

balances of the Colony.

I have the honour to be,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

J.H. THOMAS, M.P.

&C., &C., &C.

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

A Caldecot

Governor, &c.