22
the subject. They handed me a Memorandum which read
as follows: "The Un-official Members (other than "the Chinese) considering the appointment of a successor "to the post of Colonial Secretary, now about to become "vacant, are unanimously of opinion that Mr Clementi,
"of the Civil Servants in the Colony, is the most
# auitable for the post, and they therefore beg to
submit his name for the consideration of the Right
"Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colònies.
"If however it may be decided that the post should be
"filled by the appointment of an officer from outside
"the Colony, the Un-official Members wish to submit
"the name of Mr Sercombe Smith who has previously, and
"with success, acted as Colonial Secretary over periods
"aggregating some three years" Each of the gentlemen
addressed me in turn, the purport of their remarks
being as follows; they regretted that their Chinese
colleagues had refused to subscribe to their recommend-
ations, the reason being that they were most anxious
to see Mr Brewin made Colonial Secretary and would
hear of no-one else. The speakers considered that Mr
Clementi would make the best Colonial Secretary but
they recognised that he was junior in the Service,
and only 35 years of age. They did not consider his
age any bar, but if the promotion was considered
impracticable they hoped that their recommendation
might result in his promotion elsewhere, and his
return later to this Colony as Colonial Secretary.
As regards Mr Sercombe Smith Mr Keswick considered
that he had been "very firm" with the Chinese for
which reason he had not been liked by them, and the speaker deprecated "lenient" treatment. They considered
Mr Smith had done well when acting as Colonial Secretary here. I replied that I would represent
their views
eb