CONFIDENTIAL
4 -
any event the prospects of finding experienced
senior staff from elsewhere who could adequately
fill either of these posts, or indeed the post of
Senior Labour Officer that is mentioned, are far
from good.
9. A continuing point of anxiety incidentally
continues to be the post of Deputy Commissioner of
Labour about which we have already addressed you
(see, for example, paragraph 8 of our confidential
telegram No.1017). Alexander, we understand,
is shortly to go on leave. How will he be replaced?
It would be difficult to equate your desire to
strengthen the Labour Department with the usual
Hong Kong practice on such occasions of bringing in
an Administrative Officer to act as deputy. It
seems to me that if, in this department, you are
going to attract and retain the properly qualified
professional officers you now need in increasing
numbers you must provide reasonable prospects that
they can rise to the most senior positions in the
department. While it may remain necessary for some
long time to come to retain firm "political
direction" of the department, surely this can be
achieved if an Administrative Officer continues as
the substantive head of it? The ideal head (an
officer combining professional knowledge with the
political feel and flair that is so necessary in
Hong Kong conditions) will never emerge unless the
professional officers are given some opportunity to
acquire "political" experience through the exercise
of responsibility at higher levels.
CONFIDENTIAL
/10. We
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