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ANNEX II

Copy of a minute (dated 14th March, 1946) from Sir George Gater to the Frime 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 Minister 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 advance 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 ns # whole and should not be delayed a moment loner 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 period should be kept as short as possible and that it should not be lonrer than a month.

Is soon as the date is finally settled, it is proposed to issue a public announcement of His Majesty's approval of the extencion of Sir Mark 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.

CO 537/1262 “THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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