CO129-611-1 Hong Kong Electric & China Light & Power Company Ltd. 1-12-1945 - 2-5-1947 — Page 22

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S416/31

Dear Cooper,

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54224/46

Civil Affairs Staff (Hong Kong),

28, Grosvenor Street,

London, W.1.

16th April, 1946.

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I enclose copy of a letter dated 11th April from Mr. Butcher of the Hong Kong Electric Company to King of this unit, on the subject of responsibility for cost of passages of Staff who came to England on rehabilitation leave.

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This question was referred to in paras 7 and 8 of a letter from the C.C.A.0. Hong Kong to the Secretary of State, dated 15th January, which read: -

#17. With regard to Clause 4, the Hong Kong Electric Company is pressing for some modification of the portion of this Clause which absolves the Administration from responsibility for the payment of personnel who are absent from the Colony on leave. They have represented - and the China Light and Power Company has supported these representations - that it would be reasonable for the Administration to meet the leave expenses of that portion of the staff which would normally be absent under peacetime conditions in the course of a period of six months. They consider that in so doing the Administration would not be paying for duplicate staff. In accepting the agreement as it stands the Companies specially asked that this point should be referred to His Majesty's Government for a decision.

118.

The amount involved is not very considerable as the Companies employ some 75 persons with overseas leave privileges. Conditions vary somewhat but such employees receive six or eight months' leave including the voyage period after a tour of four years. It is felt however that the Companies have been treated reasonably and this further concession is not recommended. Not only does it appear to me prima facie unjustifiable but, if made, may easily lead to complications in the negotiation of similar agreements with other public utility companies in the Colony."

I assume that this is a matter with which you will wish to deal and that you will reply to Mr. Butcher.

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B.L. Cooper, Esq., Palace Chambers, 9, Bridge Street, S.W.1.

Yours sincerely,

(W. J. Daniel)