51193-1917-Establishment-of-a-local-Munitions-Priority-Authority — Page 3

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MAY 18, 1917.

303

Extract from circular despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor of Hongkong, dated 14th February, 1917.

4. I take this opportunity to state that the Minister of Munitions is anxious that merchants and the general public in British oversea possessions will co-operate with him by (a) endeavouring to do without such supplies as need priority, and (b) realizing that priority is only refused with great reluctance in order to conserve the maximum supplies for hastening the Allied victory and a satisfactory peace. I shall be glad if you will give publicity to this request.

SIR,

MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS OF WAR.

PRIORITY,

1. CAXTON STREET,

WESTMINSTER, S.W.,

23rd January, 1917.

I am directed by the Minister of Munitions to refer to the Conference held on 7th December, 1916, with respect to the setting up of a Local Priority Authority in the British Dominions and Dependencies.

Some of the proposed Local Authorities have already been constituted, and im- mediately the necessary particulars as to the persons to whom, and the addresses to which applications should be made, are to hand, the Minister will announce publicly, and cause instructions to be issued that no applications for Priority Permits will henceforth be considered, except upon the receipt of the proper forms duly countersigned by the proper person, or persons. It is assumed that a similar announcement will be made in each Dominion or Dependency.

It was agreed at the Conference that a uniform form of application should be used, and copies of the form that would be convenient to the Ministry of Munitions are for- warded herewith. Each Dominion or Dependency may print the forms to suit its own purposes, with such pages of additional instructions or particulars as may be necessary.

It will be observed that it is contemplated that there should be three copies of each application-one to be used by the applicant for passing on to the merchants or manufac- turers, two to be forwarded direct by the Local Priority Authority to the Ministry of Munitions, Priority, 1, Caxton Street, Westminster, London. The first-mentioned form bearing the authority and classification of the Ministry of Munitions will be returned to the exporter or manufacturer in the United Kingdom, one of the other two will be returned for purposes of record to the Local Priority Authority, and the other will be filed at the Ministry of Munitions.

Where there is any exceptionally strong case of urgency, or a supply that is deemed to be specially important, the Local Priority Authority should indicate fully the reasons for special consideration, and the latest date by which delivery must be pressed for.

There may also be cases so urgent and important that an order has to be placed by cable, and if the Local Priority Authority deems it necessary to send a strong cable, it will be given the most immediate and sympathetic consideration by the Ministry of Munitions.

Each Local Priority Authority will adopt a scheme of reference for filing purposes, and when a cable is sent the references of the application, which is following by the next mail, should be clearly indicated.

All communications relating to applications that have at any time been before the Ministry of Munitions should bear the full references of the Priority of the Ministry, so that there may be no delay or confusion in referring to the previous papers.