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defer their repatriation in order to assist in the urgent work of rehabilitation. Most of these men had worked all their lives in the Far East and their special knowledge and experi- ence made them well nigh irreplaceable in the early days of the liberation; many of them remained at their posts until after the resumption of Civil Government.
During the Pacific war very heavy material damage had been caused through military operations, looting and neglect. The speed with which material rehabilitation could be under- taken was limited firstly through the shortage of qualified men and, more important, through lack of supplies. But the resumption of commerce, which is the foundation on which Hong Kong's prosperity has always rested proceeded more quickly. It proved possible formally to open the Colony to private trading, with the exception of dealings in a few reserved commodities, on 23rd November, 1945. This step which was taken sooner than had been expected went far to strengthen public confidence in the Administration and in the future of the Colony. Merchants, both Chinese and foreign, were quick to avail themselves of these facilities and the volume of trade increased rapidly.
The keynote of the Military Administration was hasty improvisation, desperate overwork, a sense of close community of interest between the people, the civil officials and the Fighting Services and progress which, though appreciable in retrospect, was barely perceptible at the time. Pre-war experience and routine had to be applied with great caution for it was possible only gradually to extend the activities of Government to cover all its normal fields. Whatever was most urgent was done in the easiest and quickest way. What- ever could be postponed was forgotten for the time. Only in a very few undertakings was it found possible to look further ahead than a few months and no question of long term policy was ever considered unless an irrevocable decision could no longer be postponed. As the period of the Military Admin- istration drew to a close administrative arrangements were made to conform more and more with the normal pattern of civil government and the change-over took place without undue dislocation. Many Service personnel remained for the time being on temporary loan to the Civil Government and those who were discharging permanent civil functions were only gradually replaced by civil officials. Thus, even at the end of 1946 certain Police duties were still being carried out by garrison troops and this assistance would continue as long as the Army could spare the troops or until the Police establishment was fully brought up to strength.
Constitutional Reform.
Civil Government was restored on 1st May, 1946; Sir Mark Young resumed the Governorship of the Colony, the Legislative and Executive Councils were reconstituted and