CO129-590-28 Hong Kong finances- advances to meet deficits 20-12-1941 - 3-1-1944 — Page 38

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would therefore amount to our controlling

ourselves. We could no doubt put down on

paper annual estimates of expenditure, but it

would be very much a formality, and I am not sure

that it would help very much. There are of

course agencies overseas incurring expenditure on

Hong Kong account, but in form at least they act

only on our authorisation. The problem of

exactly how to exercise adequate detailed control

over these agencies is at present under consideration.

In these circumstances we should be very

grateful for your views as to the proper method of

controlling the expenditure. As already indicated,

a great deal of it consists of commitments incurred

in close consultation with you, and, as already

indieuted, we have no desire to abandon the practice

of getting your consent in every important case.

It is obviously, however, to all our conveniences

to reduce the formalities to a minimum.

Yours Sincerely

(Signed) J. J. PASKIM