CO129-366 - Governor Sir Lugard Acting Governor May - 1910 [4-5] — Page 247

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the necessity of recalling Mr Hallifax. I propos- ed to take this course, unless from your more intimate knowledge you were prepared to advise me that Mr Irving is not fitted to perform those duties.

I reply, the Private Secretary informs me, that you say you can not recommend Mr Irving to act in the appointment on the ground of lack of experience and as being a man of indecisive character.

I thereupon addressed a letter to His Excellency,

of which the above is with a few verbal alterations a copy;

pointing out also what I considered to be the injustice of

Mr Thomson's strictures; and earnestly requesting His Excellency

to consider my position, and particularly

A.

*B.

"C.

To make a ruling upon the question whether there are any grounds for the suggestion that my power of enforcing discipline, my capacity for organisation and my financial ability are less than satisfactory, (as suggested by the minute of the Colonial Secretary quoted on page 10) sc as to disqualify me for promotion.

To inquire into the principles upon which the giving of acting appointments is based. At present as I have shewn they are treated at one time as having no signifi- cance and as matters of temporary convenience only; at other times as so important as to give the holder clains to promotion outweighing years of seniority.

To call upon Mr Thomson for an explanation of the grounds of his description of my character; to decide whether

it is true; and if untrue, whether Mr Thomson's belief in its truth was based on reasonable grounds.

TE

In reply His Excellency minuted as follows:--

Minute by His Excellency the Governor to the Colonial Secretary.

(Dated 23rd January, 1910.)

Mr Irving takes particular exception to Mr Thomson's statement in reference to his qualifications to act as Police Magistrate, Mr Thomson was aware thaắt I had knowledge of Mr Irving' 3 work, and therefore tha the reason I especially asked for his opinion was because he had acted as Colonial Secretary on pre- vious occasions, and had had opportunities extending over the whole time that Mr Irving has been in the Hongkong Service of learning the opinion which is generally held of Mr Irving's abilities and the way in which he has performed his work, and the general estimation in which he is held. The Governor necessa rily cannot be so fully informed.

My phrase" inti-