THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1955,
A NEW SERIES: “GOVERNORS AND GOVERNORSHIP"
T
THE
TASK OF A GOVERNOR
By HAROLD INGRAMS
per, becomes
IIE title of these While Colonics have never theory as the Queen's repre- people with experience and
Whitehall, sentative. In fact it is not so mense of responsibility. articles was inspired been governed from
the eries of lato years by three remarkable controversy over the tempo
and simple, for in the shadow world Only this and public opinion of between the end of the classic, exercised through the press and lectures given by advance towards self-govern- crown colony typs government Parliament could keep Lord Wavell in 1939 under ment have causad
the Parliament and the attainment of tuli golf- balance. This at least shows the the
tako a title "Generals and to
closer interest in government, he is much more vital part maturity plays and them.
than Queen's representative, Generalship." They describe
underlines Formerly a Secretary of State
the importance of Armed with little more than the Governor in countries which many qualities as necessary had little difficulty in defending A never—or hardly VCB
not renched political for Governors DS for a course of action he had be-exercised "reserved power,
This does not only Generals and a number of "greed with the Governor, but his
the mean those territories which single factor in have been recently categorised attributes of good General ivancing self-government hus, mest
in practice,
the con- determining whether the ship ship equally required in stitutional
positioned
Parliament will be sidored rafely to self- Governorship.
could now hardly hope to hold government or hit the rocks of
form In the case of Generals the Secretary of State respon- revolution in some
or these have remained basicale for the actions of, say, the other.
Gold Coast Government. ly the same, for their task
Governors-General have now has always been to win formally become personal re- battles. The task of Gover- Presentatives of the Sovereign, with no more than consutu. nors and the concept of oral monarch's functions, but Governorship has changed.
there is
still much in the Most of us know what character of the Coloniai Goy
ernor's office which recalls the Gentrais are for: few under-
"Tezanal
monarchy" of Tudor sland the job of a Colonial days. Governor. The British take
little interest in Colonies and Irresponsible
so know little about Goyer-
nors.
craft-of of
لمه
The kind of Governor I have
il
Ultimate Right
In clrcumstance like these Excellency avails little but ex¬ college in all olbar ontalifes counts for everything. There is today only one Governer in exactly that perition, and it is
fortunate extraordinarily
for bath countries fluit Sir Charles Ardien Clarke t Governor of the Gold Coast today.
In the stage prior to the ene
which the Gold Coast has now
to
LIB
as backward. Now let
examine the Governor
and the ends of Colonial Government
The qualites required in a Governor have also varied in response to what has at dif- ferent times been
required or uum. રક્ત
of
him
In the days of the American used colonies good Governors a great deal of direct rule to achievo the exploitation
wealth. Bad onics economic enriched themselves.
Then
care the trial of Warren Hastings As the most unjustly treated. Governor in the history of the Empire he
Harald_Ingrams, CMG, OBE, is a student of Colonial affairs and author of many bboks, including "Soven Across The Sahara," and "Hong- kong." After thirty yours in the Colonial Adminis- trative Servico, he was until recently adviser on overseas Information at thò Colonial Office. Ho has served in or visited most colonios In Asia, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. as wall as with the Control Commission in Germany.
The growth of self-governing institution in the colonies mokos the position, of His Excellency more important than ever. He must guide every stop, and ultimately induct the colony Into the Commonwealth' as a full member. This series of three articles examines the problems of the highest office today.
arc
surpassed even in these days for its progressive outlook.
It was on age of Empire- building but in the acquisition of frech epionics principles were established which" ang Et! towards valid in the change the Commonwealth philosophy or
today, Kitchener,
maybe, lacked Ahe human touch-not needs- sarily a hall mark of his but the mark, I think, of a cer tain reserve not uncommon in LOTE Wavoll recalls colliere, Allenby, Wellington and Holg. Sir Brian Robertson had it.
I remember u General with whom I
worked in Germany. and who shared my admiration for our mastor, saying he never summoned to, the senzo without locking for The Time: 40 glul down his trousers.
WILA
to this by inventing chicks where none txisted.
nover
found
fnd
In the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast one young Ad- ministrative Officer specially posted to a tribe, which
developed beyond the family stage, with the purpose of finding out who the chief would have been if the institu- tion had developed.
The
who followed Governors in Africa were brought up in the
tradition Lugard
and were Squally Pro-consular in outlook. • They tried to bring the system more into line with the nation-
list silming of the forties, but with no great enviction that . was desirable even unavolt or able. They designed short-lived constitutions pre-
quickly discovered be unworkable. to round
had experience of the Gold Const. one. 1 falled because Indirect rula had
brought about a realization of Dual Mandate
responsibility for dependent peoples.
During the 10th century
that the
The subject has been little mostly known has been at once reached the Governor has studied, though retiring Cover King. Prime Minister and funt three fosits it British nars have often produced their Speaker of Legislature. He Colonial policy, as so often de- auteblegraphles, (1 more has had a cabinet of officials Uned,
to reach smooth colonial governors created sub- oput at days these were in at advising him but subject to his achievement.
icet races. In a liberal spirit; least two volumes, but one has orders. The Legislature has He must be a constitutional though they had not all learnt now l
la suffice,) In the absence had
Government bench monarch to a government prace other than India could be "men natives.of countries of public interests it is not sur- equally at his behest and autising full responsibilty for prising that the art-05,
opposition (it almost always be subjcels within its purview; he of as strong intellect, as round Governorship has been much less comes an opposition) of in-
must see that the democratie integrity, as honourable feel discussed than other trades. oficials.
habit of a society
sing ings as any in this kingdom." Nowadays, usually unhappily. I have sten in Mauritius, for common citizenship Is
But they were mostly hu- Calraies and their Governors example, the intense frustration ed; and he must exercise suf- manitarinn and some, follow even find mention in the popular of the unofficials. Without ex felent reserved power to pre- ing British. nstincts and the pt., so the subject has some perince of the sensations of
of field spirit
British vent abuses in the
institutions, Interest importance. It has res
they responsibility,
were often
suf- fostered systems of representa until always had.
irresponsisk, and dreamed of a the second tusk is
fetently accomplished to make tion which were not permeated, constitution where the Governor reasonably rufe they will not with ideas of racial discrimina- was their own man, sùbject to
tion. the m and not to distant White-
All this assumes- that the hall, with his cficials no longer
desires
The Office
I have served under,
known on their own rond
occur.
first
The only Pro-consular figure of a bygone age I knew at all was Sir Harry Johnston, one of the explorer-pixxzxy;;overnors. He was net an eping gune, mens to hi but he had no small achieve- crait. He pre-
reached its
ceiling and was utterly unreal in Its working. The Legislative Cornell was the first to have an Unofficial African majority, but I way astonished to find how lit- tle bitcrest or political passion Its proceedings evoked. The political 'battles were fought outside the chamber.
tised the Pax Britannica plus The Ceiling
expicitation (in the unpervert ed economic sence) policy.
of
I lately road an account of his work in Nyasaland. It called the kind of work I had once done in the Hadramaut colely on behalf of the people
Rending it in concerned.
the ht today's nationalion made easy for me to under stand how the meaning of ex
and perverted how easy it was for people to
cast the picturs my own work in at better onse of the word.
Empire-building ploitation was
unported but home-grown. The ponsible self-government in the and had official dealings with, as all unonicial and controlling deny the ultimate right to economie
Legislature they would plelure Commonwealth but does not They
also began social and 43 Govenors or Acting Gov- the power
which had hitherto ny
development. ernors in the entrso of the
cccede from it. This decision charming book called
"Roally controlled them. last 35 years, and I have served
ought not to be exercise until and Truly" which I had as a Historically the principal re- cush with at least, another dozen men hel londid constitution of this after full self-government has present at the age of five or. who
have become Governors.
OT1 United been attained kind is that of the
a basis of
six tells the glories of the 19th the Jin In addition I have known, States. The American colonists universal
adult suffrage and century in 21 Rhymes and mostly on their own ground,
turning the Governor into common citizenship.
Pictures. Ten of these are pernops a dozen Governors President,
stripped him of his
wonderfully imperialistic, but other European nationalities,
attributes (I have Om Pressures
the lost, headed "Khartoum "Khartoum have even acted as a Governor reason for believing that other
1800," shows African College myself.
In the absence of colonials have an equal dislike much other authority. I shail for British official uniforms)
In the first task the Gover- staff clad only in cigars and red doctoral robes watching a have to draw on these experi- and, though
as nor has to take a purely local cricket match between Africans, aving him ences in discussing the subject. Prime Minister, turned him out point of view. He will have batting, and green-robed and
Let me first deal with the na- of parliament. They then con- to advise
his advisers more turbaned Dervishes flelding. fure of the Governor's office, trolled him and his cabinet of than a constitutional monarch Kitchener is indeed the out This has not been constant
but he must not standing example of the best throughout Colonial history. Yet advisers to the furthest degree usually does,
of soldier-administrator history
has left its mark on it possible without bringing gov- try to impose a policy of his type
ernment to a full stop:
interfere own or
except to of the pre-political period. The and has caused some great
protect the constitution; to do Gezira schime has not been dificulties.
this to exercise the third lask. The second task is large- ly a British one, though It needs local co-operation.
The
revolt of the American Three Roles
colonie greatly affected the
evolution of the Governor's office in the Crown Colonies. In
Unili nationalism attacks a
thast days the Crown insisted colony a Governor can largely that the Royal instructions were combine and perform his three
Through all these changing pressures the Colonial Gover-
of
With the 20th century comes Lord Lugard and the diclop- mont of the doctring of the dual mandate. In this doctrina the idea of development for the benefit of the world may have arcused outside, the Colonies than in direct rule.
more
response
In regard to the latter Lord Lugari was an ill-used prophet for his concept was, ilke the Quran, denied any dynamics
and ki the crystallisation of the rub of chiefs les much of the charge against us trying to keep peoples primitive.
Sir
Lord Lugard's disciple, Donald Cameron, `contributed
wis
nad
There, too, indirect rule ·had reached its ceiling and TELE quite unreal in its working. Some of the young men knew what
the Wrong with
what the in- ngeded but were not encouraged to speals out. There was a failure to under- stand that the old dispensation of autocratic governship Was really over.
Today, it is more than necessary that the transitional stages" should be guided by a good governor; and there are many colonies involved, all with diverse problems, quite apart from, though complicating, the ment issue.
find are we ta
the right men? In the Colonial Ser- vice-now the Oversea Service or outside it—from the "ranko of politicians, the army or navy, or oven business? In the article I shall review tho of our stands of "gubernatorial "timber,"
(World Copyright New Commonwealth, London] (To be continued on Monday)
THE ROYAL FAMILY'S
MOBILE HOME
THE recent
binding on the people and the roles with dignity and effective nor has had to pick his way. Assemblies no less than on the ness. As King he Is above Ho is in many ways the key Governor:
Colonial scene; this broke down politics, as Prime Minister.he is figure in the when Colonial Legislatures re- right in the political arena and yet he is still in the last issut fused to be bound without their as Speaker of the legislature ho the creature the Colonial consent.
an impartial chairman. So
and unless the Colonial Vilice modern times there have long us unofficial members are Ofee can be shown, in Parila- been three forces in the govem nominated and in a minority, he ment for instance, to be mani- festly wrong, what it says must ment of Colonies, the Secretary has very little difficulty. of State, the Governor and the
however, strong poli- go with him unless he is com- specially-equipped coaches to senger train in the world, buil: local Legislative Assembly.
Indifferent to his the Royal Train for the ex- the whole where any two have of the King's representative future.
But while the Colonial Ofice clusive use of Prince Charles agreed they have prevalled, but is forgotten, the impartiality of Parliament, always Jealous of the Speaker is threatened and picks the man it sets him up as and Princess Anne the Constitutional position, has all that is left is a political op- an authority who may often be boen reluctant to relinquish the ponent. principle that the Secretary of This
perlod la now largely keeps this delicately balanced increasing use of aircraft State is responsible to it for all past. Speakers and prime relationship going the acts of a Colonial Govern ministars spring up everywhere Ministers, senior Colonial Office for Royal journeys of late, and the Governor is Jeft th officials and Governors are the Queen, her family and
ment.
Oncing grows, the dignity pletely'
On tical
be
In dispute with it. What really monstrates that, despite the redentialsonger, by the
is that
a
nex1 state
other train staff. There is, too, a printed confidential book of rules relating to the working of the Royal Train, copies of which are given to principal officials with offices along the route.
There is rule that a diagram of the train must be supplied to the rallway officials responsible for its working, so that the ex- net total length may be known. From this the arrival platform is carefully marked to enable the driver to pull up with the customary red carpet exactly opposite the doorway from
announce Court will still rely a good drivers of proved ability and HE
ment that there is to deal on rail travel.
Indeed, it is possible that be an addition
of two without this most unique pas
mobile home, the Queen's pro- specially for Royal use as a gramme of engagements would have to de-
considerably curtail cd, for it furnishes most of the' facilites
once
pro vided, but 110 "stately homes of England."
Time W was when travelling loyalty could spend a
night or two as guests at some castle or manor, but times have changed and teen most of England's stately homes broken up to meet death duties or turned into lle show places. This state of affairs was visualised by King George VI. who brought that Royal Train Into being as 4 home on wheels, with specially designed cars as day-rooms and sleeping accommodation.
pub-
The Royal Train Is kept in constant readiness at Wolverton, Bucks, and built up to the num- ber of
coaches required for particular type of tour. In addition to comfortable quer- ters
for the Royal family and staff, there are special acoustic arrangements for reducing noise and shock absorbers for the elimination of jarring or rat tling when the trala is at high speed. There is an auxiliary car with power plant to heat the compartments electrically wall as light them.
which tho Royal party will emerge.
Another is that the driver must not release the sícam ox- haust while the Royal party are 'at the Biation at the end of the
journey. This is met by blow- ing off steam as the train ap- proaches the arrival platform, only
sufficient being retained to finish the run.
Bridges and tunnels aro guarded as a precaution against mishops, and a man is posted at each level-crossing. which has no gates, while every inch of the truck is examined prior to the journey. At regular points along the route are guards. watchful for anything likely to endanger the Royal Train
Rall traffic over a stipulated area in the vicinity of the Royal route is brought to a standst!IT several minutes before and after The train passer, and all shunt- Ing for miles around up ed to avoid the possiblo Different locomotives are used of a runway wagon. according to the nature of the
One rule that has been lapsod run. For long journeys such as operated in the t Hind of Queen to Beotland there are engine Visor
Victoria, who insisted that changes on the way and at no account was her train to points an route.thors are réserve
xceed 40 mph. As
As she had a from one coach of pearing delay to a minimum should to another while the train was there be a breakdown,?
napking. thetras had, for... bi Royal Train journey, bre" the lounge to the dining
stopped while as walked from worlod out in tremendous de vlog Nowadays: the train or OHT,
• oan be stopped Azi, nhi drpdepe
enginos with steam up to horror of
1115
and
100-10
00
Oh! Woe! Woe!
POOR JACK
WIFE, DAUGHTERS, MAID,
ALL FALL FOR
THAT INFERNAL CRYING CROONER
Come and laugh at him
in
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THEN LET'S
MAKE IT
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ASK FOR IT BY NAME
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