TNAG-0991-FCO40-1210-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 361

RESTRICTED

7. SUBSEQUENTLY, SHE ASKED GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE HER DAUGHTER AND GRAND-DAUGHTER WITH RETURN PASSAGES TO LONDON ON THE SAME AIRCRAFT ON WHICH SHE WAS BOOKED BY GOVERNMENT TO TRAVEL (THE DAUGHTER AND GRAND-DAUGHTER HAD BEEN INTENDING TO RETURN TO LONDON BY CHARTER FLIGHT AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE WHICH WOULD HAVE INVOLVED A THREE DAY JOURNEY). THIS WAS ARRANGED AND PAID FOR BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON AN EX-GRATIA BASIS AS MRS PENHEAROW'S DAUGHTER

AND GRAND-DAUGHTER WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FAMILY PASSAGES.

8. ON ARRIVAL IN LONDON, MRS PENHEAROW HIRED A PRIVATE CAR, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TRAIN, TO HER HOME IN DORSET. SHE LATER ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST WHICH WAS DULY ARRANGED, I MENTION THIS BACKGROUND TO SHOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO LACK OF SYMPATHY FOR MRS PENHEAROW IN HER BEREAVEMENT AND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY AUTHORISED ADDITIONAL EX-GRATIA EXPENDITURE AMOUNTING TO HK DOLLARS 4,300. THIS IS GREATER THAN THE LOSS SHE SUFFERED ON THE EXCHANGE RATE.

9. GIVEN THAT THE SUMS DUE TO MRS PENHEAROW WERE FOR PAYMENT IN HONG KONG DOLLARS: GIVEN ALSO THE NEED TO COMPLY WITH PROBATE PROCEDURES AND TO OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE IN THE SETTLEMENT OF OUTSTANDING TAXES, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE HELP AND EX-GRATIA FINANCIAL ASSISTANGE

ALREADY GIVEN TO HER, I CONCLUDE WITH REGRET THAT THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT GROUNDS FOR APPROACHING THE LEGISLATURE FOR

ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO COMPENSATE FOR EXCHANGE RATE LOSSES,

CATER

FILES

HK & GD (4)

T

2

RESTRICTED