00148
لام
Copy of a minute
Sir George Gnter
ANNEX II
(dated 14th March, 1946) from
to the Prime Minister's Private Secretary
HONG KONG
Thank you for your minute of the 14th March asking, on behalf of the Prime Minister, for my comments on the minute addressed to the Prime inister on behalf of the Chiefs of Staff on the continuance of the military administration in Hong Kong after the 1st of April.
We are not, of course, in a position to assess the military reasons put forward by the Chiefs of Staff for an extension. There are, however, cogent reasons why, in our view, military administration should not be continued longer than is absolutely necessary. It is a form of administration, akin to martial law, which severely restricts the rights and privileges of the individual. It also
adversely affects the future of the territory, inasmuch as a military administration is clearly not in a position to embark either on discussions leading up to constitutional advence a matter of particular interest to the people of the Colony) or on the longer term measures of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Those measures are of first importance
and urency to the territory as a whole and should not be delayed a moment longer than is absolutely necessary.
If it in considered that the considerations adduced in the minute addressed to the Prime Minister are such as to necessitate an extension of the period of military administration' we would strongly urge, for the reasons given above, that the reriod should be kept as short as possible and that it should not be longer than a month.
As soon as the date is finally settled, it is proposed to issue a public announcement of His Majesty's approval of the extension of Sir Hark Young's term of office as Governor
to enable him to complete a year's duty in the territory as from the date of his return, together with the approximate date of his return.
Mr. Creech Jones, whom I have consulted on this matter, is in agreement with the foregoing.
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
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CO 537/1262
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Original
21031 0.R.
00149
24. Copy for
Downing Street, 8.4.1. 13031/10/46.
23rd March, 1946.
SECRET.
I am writing in the absence of later (who
is away from the office today) as I understand that the matter of the resumption of civil government in (23) Hong Kong (about which he wrote to you on the 19th
March) is on the agenda for the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee next Monday. You might like than to circulate to them the draft, of which I enclose a copy, of the announcement which we propose to make concerning the return of Sir Mark Young to Hong Kong. The wording of this draft is in accordance with the Prime Minister's decision, as notified in Rowan's minute to you of the 15th March, that Sir Mark Young's return should be deferred for one month from the 1st Apr11. We have sent a copy of the draft to Rowan.
(19)
(23)
As Gater said in his letter of the 19th March, we shall be making this announcement quite
8004.
(Bgd.) T.I.K.LLOYD.
MAJOR-GENERAL
SIR L.C. HOLLIS, X.B.E., O.B., R..
7
Ref.
CO 537/1262 THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Please note that this copy 15 supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that y
restnctions Further information is given in the enclosed "Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet
at your use of it may be subject to copyrig
TIT