CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 448

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I fail to see any just cause for protest if the Secretary of

State appoints from another Colony, especially from the

Straits Settlements or Federated Malay States, an Officer who

has served for several years longer.

The appointment of Mr. Johnston is a case in point.

Mr. Messer who entered the Service in 1897 was recommended

for the vacant appointment of Postmaster-General. Mr. Messer

is an able and efficient Officer, who had at the time of the

recommendation under five years' service, and no experience

of Post Office Work. The appointment was given to Mr. Johnston

who has had considerable experience of this special work and

who has fourteen years' service. Except the principle be

adopted that the Hongkong Service be kept entirely apart from

the Civil Service of the other Crown Colonies, I fail to see

any injustice to Hongkong Junior Cadets in the appointment.

4.

I agree with Mr. May that it is destructive

to the efficiency of any Police Force to place it under the

direction of untrained and frequently changing Officers, and

an amalgamation of the forces of the Eastern Colonies with an

Inspector-General would be an improvement upon the present

system, but I see no reason why the Police Officers should

not receive promotion to other branches, especially Police

Magistrates, from time to time. This is the system in the Royal

Irish Constabulary on which force the Colonial Police Forces

have been modelled.

5.

As to Mr. May's observations in paragraph

5 of his minute, this is a matter of policy and depends upon

the decision of the Secretary of State whether any person

other