Page 141
9
Ordinance, 1893," the corps becomes subject to the Army Act, with modifications to some provisions, whenever it is on actual military service. The calling out of the corps for actual military service is dealt with in section 13 of the same Ordinance, and the draft of the necessary Proclamation should be included among those to be issued by the Colonial Secretary.
CHAPTER VI.-Civil Administration.
33. Page 79.-The Colonial Defence Committee recommend, for the consideration of the Hong Kong Government and the Local Defence Committee, that prompt and complete action by the various civil authorities is more likely to be obtained if the information now given in Chapter VI and elsewhere in the Defence Scheme with regard to it appeared in the form of definite instructions showing the action to be taken by cach authority. These instructions, in the compilation and subsequent revision of which the persons responsible for carrying them out should be consulted, would supply the basis of action on receipt of the Governor's order to put the Defence Scheme in force. The Colonial Defence Committee will in future arrange for printing separate copies of the several instructions, so that each civil authority to whom specific duties are assigned by the Scheme may be in permanent possession of the part of it in which those duties are set forth.
The Colonial Secretary would, when directed by the Governor, issue the orders to act on those instructions, and would presumably be responsible for laying before the Governor a Proclamation for him to sign as Vice-Admiral, announcing the existence of a state of war and thus enabling Prize Courts to be formed. He would obtain the Governor's signature to the Order printed at page 83, and would issue the three Proclamations printed at pages 82 and 83 and referred to in paragraph 32 above. The Colonial Secretary's action should apparently also include any measures that may be required for the control over the food supply (page 80), including prohibition of exportation.
The Colonial Treasurer should be instructed to open an account for war expenditure (e.g., on traffic regulation), and should be furnished with an estimate of probable initial and subsequent expenditure from Colonial funds.
The Director of Public Works will have instructions-subject to modification from time to time-with regard to pressing on works of military importance, such as the new Colonial powder magazine (page 12) and strategic roads (page 26).
The Secretary of the Sanitary Board will require instructions as to the utilization of the Volunteers for sanitary duties referred to in the Proclamation on page 83.
The Harbour-master has important responsibilities, which are now described at page 79 of the Scheme, and will require amplification when the further instructions now being considered by the War Office have been issued to the station.
The Postmaster-General will arrange for priority of despatch for military
messages.
The action of the Captain Superintendent of Police is outlined at page 80, and he also has duties in connection with the management of the civil population (page 79, bottom), the provision of police guards, the arrangement with the banking establish- ments, &c., for their measures of self-defence (p. 35, bottom), and the selection of Chinese scouts and messengers for employment under the military authorities (page 36, first and third paragraphs). If the administration of the Colonial Government telephone system is controlled by the police, some action may be required on mobiliza- tion by the Captain Superintendent (page 28).
The Principal Civil Medical Officer will have action to take in connection with the provision of additional medical practitioners (p. 45), and of accommodation in the civil hospital for sick and wounded (page 45).
The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade's action is recorded in the present Scheme at p. 81.
Other points in regard to which action may usefully be taken by the civil depart- ments, or assistance rendered by them to the military authorities, are likely to suggest themselves in the course of the revision of this part of the Scheme
34. Page 79 (1).—As stated in paragraph 9 above further detailed instructions on Regulation of Traffic will shortly be issued, and the Colonial Defence Committee. accordingly abstain from commenting in detail on the arrangements proposed in
Page 141
92
Page 141
Page 141