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3. I have since perused the files regarding
this officer, and have discussed the matter with
Mr. Southorn. The general impression definitely
left on my mind is that Mr. Wodehouse cannot be
considered qualified for further promotion.
4. With regard to recent confidential reports,
referred to in paragraph 2 of Your Lordship's
despatch, I would point out that the Governor's report in 1926 was as follows, "An officer of very
mediocre ability and not, so far as I am able to
judge, qualified for further promotion."
It is
true that the Governor, in the reports for 1927 and
1928, merely stated that he had nothing to add to the
Reporting Officer's statement. This, at all events,
must be taken as implying agreement with the Reporting Officer's view. In the report for 1929,
Mr. Wolfe recorded his opinion that Mr. Wodehouse's
personal characteristics were weak, that he took the
line of least resistance, and was not a hard worker:
further that he was poor at dealing with new or
difficult problems. Sir Cecil Clementi concurred
in this report. In the report for 1930, Mr. Wolfe
recorded a similar view, and Sir Cecil Clementi
stated, as follows, "I consider that Mr. Wodehouse
is unsuitable for promotion, and that his retirement
would increase the efficiency of the Hong Kong Police
Force."
5.
X
Mr. Wodehouse appears to have acted as
Captain Superintendent of Police for ten months, from
April