Extract from "The Hong Kong Daily Press"
14th June, 1909
I am quite prepared to be convinced that the transfer of the Chairmanship may be advisable, but the control of this department must remain in the hands of the Board. The Ordinance should be cancelled, and the powers of the Board reinstated.
HIS EXCELLENCY—There is just one word I would like to say. It is in respect to the question that the honourable member has just referred to: in regard to that and all other principal questions I am only continuing the policy which 'received' the final endorsement of Sir Matthew Nathan before he left this Colony. It is an irrefragable law of official etiquette that the Acting Governor should merely continue the policy of the departed Governor until such time as his successor arrives. However, gentlemen, I shall of course weigh anything that the hon. Member or any other hon. member has to say on this point or on any other point. I wish you to bear in mind that I am not initiating any new policy of my own. That would be an act of disloyalty to the Governor who has left the Colony. I am simply carrying on the policy which I know he himself would have adopted if he had been here.
THE HON. MR. HEWETT—I trust your Excellency does not think I was personal in my remarks. I was discussing it in an impersonal manner.
HIS EXCELLENCY—I have never had any personal feeling in the matter of this report at all. It is the privilege of a Colonial Secretary to criticise. I criticised and Sir Matthew Nathan apparently thought that those criticisms were conceived in a spirit which did not militate against proper consideration when he directed that they should be printed and laid on the table at the same time as the report of the Commission. He evidently thought that they were, taken on the whole, useful comments on the report. I am very pleased to have heard the remarks of the hon. Member and I have not the slightest doubt that we will amongst us be able to arrive at conclusions on this report which will be satisfactory to everybody and of considerable use to the Colony.
The motion was agreed to.
591
Page 4
Extract from "The Hong Kong Daily Press"
14th June, 190g
ble, and I am quite prepared to be convinced that the transfer of the Chairmanship may be advisable, but the control of this department must remain in the hauds of the Board. he Ordinance should be concelled, and the powers of the Board reinstated.
HIS EXCELLENCY-There is just one word I would like to say. It is in respect to the question that the honourable member has lost referred to: in regard to that and all other principal questions I am only continuing The policy which 'received' the final endorsement of Sir Matthew Nathan before he left this Colony. It is an irre- fragable law official etiquette that the Acting Governor should merely continue the policy of the departed Governor until such time as his successor arrives. However, gentle-. men, I aball of course weigh anything that, the hoo. Meniber or any other hon. member has to say on this paint or on any other point dat i I wish you to bear in mind that I am not ini- ! tiating any new policy of my own. That would be an act of disloyalty to the Governor who has left the Clony. I am simply carrying on the policy whch I know he himself would have adopted if he had been here.
trust your
THE HON. MR. HEWETT-I Excellency does not think I was personal in my remarks. I was discussi g it in an impersonal
manner.
HIS EXCELLENCE - I have never had any per so al feeling in the matter of this report at all, It is the privilege of a Colonial Secretary to oriticise. I oriticised and Sir Matthew Nathan apparently thought that those criticisms were conceived in a spirit which did not militate against proper consideration when he directed that they should be printed and laid on the table at the same time as the report of the Commission. He evidently thought that they were, taken on the whole, useful comments on the report. I am : very pleased to have heard the remarks of the hon. Member and I have not the slightest doubt that we will amongst us be able to arrive at conclusions on this report which will be satisfactory to everybody and of considerable use to the Colony..
The motion was agreed to.
591
4
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.