The following is the reply of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the despatch of the Governor of Hongkong covering the report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the defalcations of Mr. Alves, It ix not unduly severe, nor is it weakly lenient, and we are gild to see that Lord Ripon is not among the officials who di treat every dnoument of the kind as confidential," and keep it as long as poasible from the public knowledge Downiny 26th July, 1893, Sin,—I have given very careful consideration to your confidential despatch of the 26th of April Inst reporting upon the serious defalcations which have occurred in the Hongkong Treasury, and enclosing copies of the report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the matter, and of correspondence with Public Officers arising out of that report.
2.—It upbears from these papers that Alves, the late first Clerk in the Treasury, embezzled in the course of the five years, 1888 to 1893, nearly $63,000 of public money, "ud the circumstances which enabled him to do this are very clearly explained by the Commissioners, tv whom the Colonial Government. is indebted for a very careful and clear Report, Iconcur in their conclusions as to the persons who, by neglect or omission of duty, allowed the frauds to be committed. Omitting the names of minor delinquents, the officers chiefly to blame were:—()—The late Mr. Lister, for authorising Alves to sign receipts, fur engaging a shroff who could not read English, and for failing to cause the rent roll to be made up at the proper time, although this omission was brought to. his notice Ly an audit clerk. i}—Mr. Wodehouse, sume time Acting Treasurer, for neglect in not causing the rent rolls of 1886, 1888 and 1889 to be made up at the proper time,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.