3
Service, seems to me to be a mistaken view.
I should have thought that the latter
system was surely in the public interest.
Nor is it altogether correct to say that
the previous system is much more highly
flexible and enables the square peg to be
removed from the round hole; and we have had
a recent illustration of this in the case of
Mr. Sayers, at present filling the post of
Director of Education, who is not suited for
the post but who has been appointed to it in
view of his status as a Class I Cadet.
Nor do I think the difficulties
mentioned in para. 4 of the despatch are by
any means insuperable. It seems to me that
the near occurrence of vacancies of the kind
mentioned can normally be foreseen and
promotions managed accordingly.
As regards prospects promotion, I
cannot see that the system of making substantive
appointments should give any reason for dis-
satisfaction. I think essentially the real
feeling
reason for this in the Hong Kong
the Lomsbelly
Service is that the number of higher posts
eligible to the Cadet Service may be reduced
(i.e. the Director of Education and do
First Police Magistrate may eventually be
filled by technically qualified men), and also
the fact that the making of substantive
appointments will allow the field of officers
in the rest of the Colonial Services to be
considered for vacancies which may occur,
[i.e.