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extract furces Hong Kong Selegraph of 20th hecala 1923
from
HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS'
ADDRESS TO H.E. THE GOVERNOK,
The Chief Justice, Sir W. M. Goodman, on behalf of the Civil Servants of Hongkong, attended at Government House this afternoon, and, in the presence of a large gathering of officials and others, presented H.E. Sir H. A. · Blake with an illuminated address, signed by the servants in Government offices. There were present, in addition to Sir Henry and Lady Blake, Sir John Keane, A.D,C., and Sir W. M. Goodman, Mr. A. G. Wise, Hon. F. H. May, Hon. i. S. Berkeley, Hon. W. Chatham, Hon. A. W. Brewin, Hon. L. A. M Johnston, Hon, Basil Taylor, Hon. Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Fease, Dr. Bainett, Dr. Anderson, Dr. T. Bateson Wright, Messrs. C. Mcl Masser, S. B. C. Ross, H. P. Tooker, R. F. Johnson, C. Clementi, G. A. Woodce k, A. Seth, Bruce Shepherd, J. Hanson, H. J. Baker, Jones, and the many other Civil Servants, besides a large : number of ladies.
Sir William Goodman assured H.E. of the sincerity with which they regretted his depar-¡ tore, and said they felt they were not only los ng an able Governor, but a wise and sympathetic friend (Applause). He afterwards handed him the address, enclos: din a beautifully. carved blackwood case, bearing the following inscription on a silver shield "Presented to H.E. Sir Henry Arthur Blake, G.C.M.G., by the Civil Servants of Hongkong, on his departure for Ceylon. November, 1903."
H.E., in thanking them for their kind ex- pressions of regret, said he had no hesitation in saying that nobody of public servants in the wide empire of the crown had done it work more laithfully than that in Hongkong. He personally thanked them for the thoroughness of their work which had made his easy and pleasant, and which would, he hoped, bring to them in future a due reward for public services faithfully and efficiently performed. The instinct of hard work was amongst them and fair criticism ought not to į be unwelcomed or disregarded. They had the good fortune of having a press, which he had no hesitation in saying, was not alone independ ent but as fait a press as he had known in any 'colony. Its standard was high and it was absolutely free from that scurrility and person. ality that he had seen now and again elsewhere (Applause). It was a great satisfaction to bin to kuown that in departing from Hongkong be had leû some good men amongst them, whose names would be wel known in the future. On behalf of Lady Blake and himself, he thanked tem most warmly for their kindness, which was most heartily (reciprocated. He wished them every prosperity in the future (Applause) The following is the text of the address:- To His Excellency SIR HENRY ARTHUR BLAKE, G.CM.G, Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the
same.
May it please Your Excellency,-Before Your Excellency leaves this Colony to take up
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the important a pintment which His Majesty ! the King has bean pleased to confer upon you, it in the desire of those who have served under you in Hongkong to express their regret at the prospect of your early departure, and the hi h respect and admisation which they have learn- ed to feel for Your Excellency. All sections of the community must be aware that since your arrival in this Culony in 1898, you have never spared yourself in labouring for its welfare, but none can know this so well as those who have bad the privilege of working under your direction. The period of your administration has been a momentous one in the history of the Colony, and has bad its special difficulty and anxieties Not only has Hongkong grown steadily in wealth and prosperity, but its area has been largely extended by the occupation of the New Territory. With the advance of the Colony in Imperial and Commercial importance, increas- ed responsibilities and new problems have arisen, demanding from the Governor no small measure of sagacity and administrative skill. In our own endeavours conscientiously to per- form our humbler part in the increasing labours of the Government, we have all been cheered and encouraged by the knowledge that the highest example of hard work, energy and enthusiasm has been shown us by Your Excellency; and at the same time we desire gratefully to acknowledge the courtesy, con- sideration and sympathy which you, as head of the Civil Service, have invariably extended to all its members. The Crown has already recog- nised Your Excellency's administrative abilities by conferring upon you the highest appoint- ments in several of the colonies of the Empire. In your administration of the Bahamas, New- ¡ foundland and Jamaica, and here again in Hongkong, Your Excellency has proved that the Royal choice could have fallen on none worthier.or better fitted to carry on the high Traditions of British justice, integrity, impar- tiality and earnestness which, no less than in the mother-country, are so proudly cherised in the King's Dominions beyond the Seas. he experience gained by Your Excellency many during so long a period and in so Colonies has added year by year to the value of your services. It was therefore with great Satisfaction that we, the Civil Servants in this Colony, learned that His Majesty had selected you to be Governor of the Colony of Ceylon, one of the fairest as it is one of the most important of all His Majesty's possessions. We feel confident that Your Excellency's term of administration in Ceylon will be accom- panied by the waiform success which has attended your administration of four other Colonies; and the Civil Service of Hongkong, while regretfully taking leave of a Head for whom it has the highest rega d, congratulates the sister-service in Ceylon on its acquisition of so capable, just and considerate a Governor. Io conclusion, we desire to express our heart- felt wish that, not only in Ceylon but elsewhere, Good Health, Prosperity and Happiness may long be granted both to Your Excellency and Lady Blake.
We have the bonour to subscribe ourselves
Your Excellency's
Most obedient humble servants,
[Here follou signatures},
į