69
494
PUGLI
PECORD OFFICE
༅། ། ། ། ། །
Reference :-
C.O.882/12
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE AF REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO ||
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |
1
C. 92800/32 [No. 40].
No. 28.
MALAY STATES.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.
(Paraphrase.)
(Sent 1.35 p.m., 22nd April, 1932.) ́.
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 29.]
No. 65. WITH reference to your despatch 23rd March, Confidential, and previous despatches, I must again state that there is no question of His Majesty's Government being committed to the decentralization of any service, and that I shall not, without the fullest consideration, take a decision with regard to any services. You have forwarded reports from heads of the Medical Department and the Public Works Department. I shall wish also to be furnished with reports from the Heads of every Department in which it is proposed to effect a measure of decentralization. The administrative, financial, and other results which, in their opinion, would attend the carrying out of decentralization proposals should be dealt with fully in these reports and in particular the effect on the efficiency of the services for which they are responsible and the method by which it would be possible to ensure uniformity in services which closely affect the industries of the country and the people's welfare. They should take into account effects not only of amalgamating a Colonial and Federated Malay States Department, but also, and in particular, those effects which would arise from the substitution of advisory for executive powers.
I shall certainly consult Wilson and Sturrock and discuss fully all details with them. I shall consult also the other persons referred to in your despatch of 23rd March, and when I am more fully seized of the details and effects of the proposals, I shall receive the views of the Malayan Association who have asked to lay their views before me.
With regard to the post of Chief Secretary His Majesty's Government are not committed to the abolition of this post. In this connexion see references to necessity for an executive head of the Federation under the High Commissioner in Guillemard's Federal Council speech of 28th September, 1926, and reference to need of strong and efficient Chief Secretary in Clifford's Federated Malay States despatch 20th August, 1927, Confidential.† Agreement to Caldecott being given acting rank was not intended to commit His Majesty's Government to any particular course of action.
It follows from what I have said that I cannot at this stage authorize the intro- duction of any Bills for the carrying out of the decentralization of any services, and unless and until the decentralization of any particular service has been approved, I shall not approve any action, legislative or administrative, which will prejudge or prejudice the issue. It follows equally that the Estimates for 1933 should not be drawn up on the assumption that any service will be decentralized unless and until a definite decision has been taken in regard to such service.
While anxious to consider each proposal on its merits, I am doubtful as to the general wisdom of making big changes in administrative machinery at a time when the industry and commerce of the Federated Malay States are at a low ebb, and the energy and capacity of the ablest officers will be fully taxed in dealing with questions of immediate importance.
I am most desirous of avoiding the taking of any step without examining the whole ground as fully as possible. Reports of officers of other Departments, which I have now asked you to furnish, will put me in better position to consider whole question on its merits. I consider that I must have opportunity of examining matter at closer quarters than is possible through medium of correspondence before His Majesty's Government are finally committed, and I propose, therefore, to send Sir Samuel Wilson to Malaya in order that he may review the whole situation on spot and discuss best means of dealing with it with you. It is unlikely that he could leave England before September, but I will furnish you by telegraph as soon as possible with details as to date, &c. Meanwhile it is essential that no further step should be taken that could be held to commit in any way His Majesty's Government or prejudge conclusions which they may eventually reach.-CUNLIFFE-LISTER.
* No. 26.
+ C. 50270/27 [No. 1]: not printed.
C. 92300/32 [No. 44].
No. 29.
MALAY STATES.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE, (Received 3 p.m., 29th April, 1932.)
(Paraphrase.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 30.]
29TH APRIL. Your telegram 22nd April, No. 65.* posed visit of Sir Samuel Wilson will be welcomed by the Rulers and the public of I am sure that the pro- Malaya and it will be welcomed especially by me. I hope that in view of urgency
of the problems confronting the local Governments, it may be arranged at the earliest possible date.
I request that before this visit is announced in the English newspapers, I may have your authority to inform the Rulers. Thereafter I should like to issue the following communiqué to the local Press :-
Begins-His Excellency the High Commissioner has received from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies a telegram announcing that Brigadier-General Sir S. Wilson, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, will shortly pay a visit to Malaya for the purpose of studying local conditions and discussing them with the High Commissioner and the Rulers of the Malay States in order that His Majesty's Government may have the fullest information at first hand of all aspects of the present situation.-Ends.
I will reply by despatch to other points in your telegram which I have noted but I telegraph the above request because it would be a political mistake if, before the Rulers of the Malay States were informed, news of Sir S. Wilson's proposed visit became public.
C. 92300/32 [No. 46].
No. 30.
MALAY STATES.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.
(Paraphrase.)
(Sent 8 p.m., 10th May, 1932.)
TELEGRAM.
No. 76. Your unnumbered telegram of 29th April.†
You are authorized to inform Rulers of visit of Wilson and to issue thereafter communiqué to local Press. I consider, however, that communiqué should take a form somewhat different from that which you have suggested and should be in terms set out in my immediately following code telegram. Please report date on which you propose to publish, in order that announcement may be made simultaneously. As regards date of visit, I am afraid that it will not be possible for Wilson to be absent from England while I am at Ottawa, and in consequence he cannot leave for Malaya before end of September.-CUNLIFfe-Lister.
C. 92300/32 [No. 47].
No. 31.
MALAY STATES.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. (Sent 8.30 p.m., 10th May, 1932.)
TELEGRAM.
No. 77. My immediately preceding telegram. Following is text of communiqué as approved by me :---
Begins: His Excellency the High Commissioner has received from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies a telegram announcing that he
* No. 28.
† No. 29.
† No. 31.
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