TNAG-0991-FCO40-1210-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 348

Reference HKK 430/1 (6

CODE 18 -1}

1.

N Clift

lel to issue as

Pr. retype

amendjet

Mos Penhearon.

ا متر

1

Tisblaker's question below: it would be open to this Penthearow to ask UMELCO to look into her case if the wished (though it would be unusual for the Hong Kong Government to refer a case to UMEZCO for arbitration). But the normal recourse for an indis- idual who is dissatisfied with the Hong Kong aduimistration is to petition the Governor and /or the Secretarz of Starte. By raising the case with her MP, who inton has taken it upwrite the Minister, This Perhewow has in effect petitioned the Secretary of State, and (except that she could, of corse, appeal to hord Carrington against Ir Blake's decision) has thus already reached the ultimate arbiter (an appeal to The Queen would, of course, be referred to the Secretary of State for advice). If

we are not entirely satisfied with Hong Kong's answer therefore, it is for us to thrush it out further before sending a reply.

2.

(ʼn opinion)

On looking again at the papers, it seems to me that Nislaher, is right: the Hong Kong Government have not given a sufficient explanation on the tax question. The only attempt at an explanation is in the 4th para. of Dr So's letter of 7 September (flay)), where he says: "The Commissioner of Inland Revenue bas informed me that there has been some, but noth mordinate, delay in his department." In his telegram of 3 January, Ar Rowlands referred vaguely to "the need... to observe the provisions of the Inland Revenue Ordinance in the settlement of outstanding taxes: This is a long Ordinance (over 118 pages), and I have not studied every bit of it; but I cannot find anything in any of the obvious parts to justify the action of the Inland Revenue Department in this case.

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