11
(5)
relationship and a rapport with TETOC which is one
of the essential desiderata of recruitment in Britain
of
for overseas posts.
On completion of my round of visits, I had been
built up as a recruiter in whom a good deal of time and
money had been invested with a view to acquiring a
first hand knowledge of technical education in Hong Kong.
It would not make sense in Mr. Kingwell's view to
put in hand a drastic change as a result of which
this knowledge would be wasted.
19. Mr. Kingwell made these points whenever the subject was
discussed and when I met the Assistant Directors of Education on
15th November they said they were satisfied that technical education
recruitment should not be taken away from TETOC. Indeed there is
no doubt that the timing of my visit was extremely fortunate in
that it took place at a critical period when tentative arrangements
for the transfer could still be reversed.
20. The Education Department did not however have the final say
as all decisions have to be approved by the Colonial Secretariat.
The last appointment in my visit on 16th November was accordingly
with Mr. R.G. Bridge of the Civil Service Department of the
Colonial Secretariat with whom I had to make TETOC's case.
Fortunately, Mr. Topley had so arranged things that Mr. Kingwell
and I had been able to put the points to him informally at a dinner
party two days previously. When I met Mr. Bridge officially he
said he was already convinced and there was no need for further
discussion.
The rest of my meeting with Mr. Bridge was spent