A
Nos.17 & 19.
As the War Office have come down so
1
heavily on this proposal there seems to be nothing
to do but reject it. I understand that they
considered the G.O.C. considerably exceeded his
authority in making the suggestion without
previous consultation with them.
I do not know that the G.0.C. is a very
useful person to have on the Legislative and
Executive Councils but he forms a part of the official "bloc" and is at any rate not actively
harmful. The objection that he is obliged to be
absent from the Colony for considerable periods
is not, of course, of any importance as his place
is then automatically taken by the senior
Military Officer left in command of the Troops.
(In this connection see Nos. 17, 19 and 22 on
62724/29).
The proposals in paragraphs 3 and 4 as to
the occasional appointment of Captain Superintendent
of folice as an official member of the Executive
Council and as to the precedence of unofficial
members of the Legislative Council are independent
of the proposal to remove the G.0. C. from the
Councils. I see no objection to either of these
proposals but perhaps Honours and Ceremonies
Section will advise further as to the principles involved and the best means of giving effect to these proposals if approved.
? reply to No.17 that the War Office
have signified their inability to support the
request of the G.0. C. who has been so informed, and
that