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(ii) At the very next Meeting of the Council, on the 7th May 1914 (see p. 47 of Hansard) the Motion made by me for a Commission of 5 Un-official Justices to be appointed to inquire into the sufficiency in number efficiency and organisation of the Nursing Staff at the Government Hospitals was defeated by the Official Vote, with, I may add, very unfortunate results at the present time, for 1. The Government Civil Hospital is yet more understaffed than it was then for the carrying on of the ordinary work; and is in fact seriously understaffed in view of the annual recurrence of plague, combined with cases of typhoid and other serious diseases; and 2. Sisters, who are due for leave and urgently require it after 4 years* work, are now unable to obtain it, and I may add that the difficulty of getting Nurses to come out to serve in the Govern- ment Hospitals in Hongkong is not in any way due to the War, for there is no similar difficulty experienced in getting Nurses to serve in Singapore and the Federated Malay States.

In making my Motion, on the above occasion, I said (see p. 44 of Han- sard):-"I think it is very much to be regretted that in this as in many other cases the Government of this Colony has treated the Un-official Members in an adverse and hostile spirit instead of taking the Un-official Members into their counsel and co-operation."

One is, in fact, forced to believe that such almost automatic and decidedly arbitrary employments of the Official Vote, as are referred to above, most de- cidedly would not take place if the Un-officials were not in a permanent and hope- less minority, being unable by any possible powers of persuasion or argument to obtain a majority of votes. In short the Officials can defeat the Un-officials with neatness and despatch every single time, no matter how strong the weight of public opinion is behind the latter, and the so-called representatives of the public on the Council have no real power whatever to give effect to the wishes of the public.

10. I am forwarding the Petition with the original signatures thereto and a copy of this covering letter to the Colonial Secretary here for transmission to His Excellency the Governor, and I am at the same time asking, and I submit that my request is a perfectly reasonable one, that I should be furnished with a copy of every Despatch of His Excellency the Governor and of the Hongkong Government to you, upon or in any way connected with the Petition, and of any enclosures therein, in order that I may have, in consultation with others, an opportunity of replying to such Despatch or Despatches and enclosures (if any).

With many apologies for the length of this letter,

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

H. E. POLLOCK.

Enclosure 3.

PETITION FROM THE BRITISH RESIDENTS OF HONGKONG TO THE RIGHT Hoy. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES FOR GREATER REPRESENTA-

TION OF THE PUBLIC ON THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.

To the Right Honourable the Secretary of States for the Colonies.

The Humble Petition of the undersigned British Residents in the Colony of Hongkong Showeth as follows:-

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