712 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, DECEMBER 22,
1911.
DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
No. 394.
CIRCULAR.
DOWNING STREET,
15th November, 1911.
Sin, I have the honour to inform you that the War Office have had under their con sideration the question whether commissions in the Special Reserve or Territorial Force can be held by gentlemen belonging to the permanent Civil Service of the Crown Colonies and Protectorates, and that the Army Council have now decided that---
(a.) Commissions in the Special Reserve will no longer be given to gentlemen per- manently employed in civil capacities in the Crown Colonies and Protec-
torates.
(b.) Officers of the Special Reserve who are at present holding, or who may in future accept, such permanent civil appointments will be called upon to resign their commissions.
2. There is no necessity for an officer of the Territorial Force who has been seconded to resign his commission until he shall have reached the limit of the period (four years) during which he may be seconded from that force.
3. The Army Council have further intimated that officers will no longer be permitted to retire under the provisions of Article 510 of the Royal Warrant if they intend to take up permanent civil appointments in British Colonies and Protectorates. It is not meant, however, that the rule as to resignation of their commissions in the Special Reserve should have retrospective effect as regards officers who retired under the above-mentioned Article and are now employed under Colonial Governments.
The Officer Administering the Government of
No. 395.
HONGKONG.
MISCELLANEOUS.
I have, etc.,
L. HARCOURT.
HONGKONG.
DOWNING STREET,
23rd November, 19!1.
SIR, His Majesty has been pleased to direct that the precedence in His Oversea Dominions of all persons holding office therein, whether Naval, Military or Civil, should be determined solely by official rank and that, as in the case of officials in the service of a Dominion or Colony, Imperial Naval and Military Officers, should while on duty at a Colo- nial Station, waive any personal precedence they may enjoy in the United Kingdom.
It is also His Majesty's pleasure that the wives of all officers whether Civil or Naval or Military even though they enjoy precedence in the United Kingdom by right of birth, should, while in any part of His Majesty's Oversea Dominions, take their place according to the official precedence of their husbands.
While these rules will be of general application, it will of course always be open to the Sovereign whenever he thinks fit, to give special orders as to precedence in any particular
case.
I have, etc.,
L. HARCOURT.
Governor Sir F. D. LUGARD, G.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.