T
this would be an unprecedented and very
undesirable step. An extension for one,
two or at the most 3 years would seem
the right course.
So far as the Far East Depart-
ment are concerned we should have no
serious objection to the prolongation
of his term. He has been an able and
a firm though sometimes hard and
arbitrary Governor, and has shown him-
self in particular a competent financier.
That he has found favour with the Un-
officials is clear enough from this tele-
gram and from the petition in 13438/24 .
Unfortunately he has been far
from finding favour with the Foreign
Office. In December 1923 Lord Curzon in
-
a private letter pressed for his speedy removal from Hong Kong see 62381/23 -
This resulted in a very serious telegram being sent to the Governor on the 22nd of
December (62381/23) which should be read with the Governor's telegram of the 29th of December (63029/23) and the minutes
thereon.
The Foreign Office did not return
to the charge directly, but in a visit to
Sir H. Lambert some little time ago
(?)Mr. Wellesley asked that the Foreign
Office might be consulted before a fresh
appointment was made to Hong Kong.
Sir H. Lambert would not agree to
official consultation but agreed to do
497
so privately if the matter fell to
be dealt with by him. I am afraid
that there can be no doubt that
Foreign Office will be against any
prolongation of Sir E. Stubbs' term
and strongly so against any long
extension.
Sir E. Stubbs has also
irritated the Home Office here by his
attitude on the opium question and
by the tone of his despatches.
Mr. Fletcher, Assistant Colonial
Secretary, Hong Kong, who is the
Governor's closest friend and
supporter and who is now at Geneva
to help the British delegate has
(I learn from Mr. Paskin) unneces-
sarily developed strained relations
with Sir M. Delevingne.
I feel bound to say that
tact judgment and moderation do not
characterise the Government of Hong
Kong as now constituted and to part
Sir E. Stubbs from Mr. Fletcher would
be in the public interest (Sir C.
Severn, Colonial Secretary of Hong
Kong retires next year, and Sir E.
Stubba has already made every effort
to secure the succession of Mr.Fletcher),
A.E.C.
18/11/24.
BO