telegram (957).
He will have since received despt of 20th Jan. (957) in which we objected to the appointment of the holder tht on the ground that the office of Police Magistrate should not except in very special reasos have a seat.
Nor is it thought that he has special claims for fitting him to the Harbour Master.
As to the proposal to put the Harbour Master on the Council, the Governor gives no reason for his proposal.
There would perhaps be no objection, except that it were objected that Hong Kong is likely to furnish more than six officials whose services would be useful. Before very long, Deane will probably retire, & then the Harbour Master could, if still thought desirable, take his place (as Mr. Deane's seat is personal to himself and does not belong to this office!).
Perhaps before deciding whether the Council should then be enlarged, Sir G. Des Voeux, who is shortly coming to England, might be asked to give his views more at length? But the last part of the paragraph suggests that if we were to add only one new member (one instead of two as proposed) and if that were to be Capt. Rumsey & not Mr. Wodehouse, we should certainly make W.Wodehouse feel very sore without satisfying the Governor.
Besides, I doubt whether ordinarily so small a service justifies a despatch being sent by telegraph? The Acting Registrar General says the Council should be in the new Women's Protection Ordn is wrongly left in, and it was directed to be brought in without delay.
The Governor is advised (I presume rightly) that he cannot admit...