that Mr Thompson, who preceded him, and was a cadet
officer, did not do well in the post.
436
Paragraphs
4. 5.
1351/83
Para. 6
infiting
Those cadets are perfectly justified inbiting
the 1883 correspondence, but our despatch of June 1908
cannot possibly effect appointments made in 1901, and
earlier. Moreover, things have moved since the 1883
correspondence was written. Sir G. Bowen's despatch
gave a list of 16 appointments (including the Colonial
Secretaryship) of which two were clerical.
These last
two would not be included in any scheme of the cadet ser-
vice; but, our list in the despatch of June, 1908, gave
Sir G. Bowen 16, apart from the Colonial Secretaryship.
stated that. Cadets had a preferential claim to all these
posts except the Colonial Secretaryship; adding that "the experience of all practical Administrators is that
no absolutely fixed rule should be laid down with regard
He added that as to promotion in the Public Service",
a general rule an outsider should be made Colonial Secretary (the last two appointments have been made from
the Hong Kong service); and that as regards six of the
other 15 posts, professional or other special training was necessary, and cadets should have preference only when they possessed these special qualifications as well.
Lord Derby expressed general agreement.
The argument that there were Houg Kong cadets
qualified for these posts can only be checked by what i have said above as to the circumstances in which the
appointments
!
?