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(21) /
1. Mr. Radford's minute of 15/12 puts the points for conson. clearly.
2. In view of Mr. King's agreement that the proposed method of provision for leave reserve is not abnormal (as Mr. Johnson thought it was) it seems to me neither necessary, nor indeed right, to base approval of the proposal on Hong Kong's present exceptional circumstances. We should, I think, approve outright, merely noting the Governor's statement at the end of paragraph 5 of (18) that the appointment of local officers of gazetted rank will make possible a reduction in the long leave reserve and hence in the establishment. (It is proposed on 54265/2/48 that the fraction 1.48 should be accepted as the basis for calculation of leave reserve etc. for Administrative officers; it may therefore be adopted here, as the Governor proposes. AS I have indicated in the margin of Mr. Radford's minute of 15/12 however the strict application of this fraction gives a new establishment of 40 " not 41, which the Governor proposes. I don't think we want to haggle on this point, but we ought to refer to it).
3. With respect, it hardly seems suitable to make the point at (A) of Mr. Johnson's minute above in replying to this specific request for approval of an increase in establishment. This is a question of general recruitment policy for gazetted police officers, not affecting Hong Kong alone. And, if it is desired to take it up, it should be taken up separately with C. S. Division.
Discusser axle
whes aques
with Mr Blaxlen
декем 3/2/49
4. As regards (B) of Mr. Johnson's minute,
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I know from personal discussion with Mr. Mackintosh, Commissioner of Police, Hong Kong, last year that he has very much in mind the desirability of promoting local officers to gazetted rank (see Mr. Shute's minute of 3/3/48and mine of 2/4/48 on this file also (13)). In fact, in Hong Kong despatch No. 2 Staff of the 7th January 1948 (which has just come in and is being dealt with as a matter of urgency on a 1949 part of this file) the Governor recommends the filling of three existing gazetted officer vacancies by the promotion of three Sub-Inspectors. I think therefore that there is no need to mention this point either.
5. I think we should send a telegram in view of (20), though this is the first and only intimation we had that Hong Kong want to fill the additional posts straight away. We shall require some more specific request to recruit than this before we set about it and I have asked for this in the last paragraph of the draft telegram which I submit herewith.
I
Jerseen
1.2.49..
have Sexpected Source Slight activations o
the draft.
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