CO129-403 - Governor Sir May Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1913 [8-10] — Page 116

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Sir,

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8 SEP 13!

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 18th. August, 1913.

I have the honour to address you with regard to

filling the post of Assistant Colonial Secretary which will become

vacant by the transfer of Hr. C. Clementi to British Guiana.

2.

The Cadet Officers who have claims to the

vacancy are lir. S. B. C. Ross and Mr. A. G. M. Fletcher, the former being two years senior to the latter. Mr. Ross is at present District Officer at Taipo on the dollar salary of the third class, while Mr. Fletcher has recently been appointed Head of Sanitary Department on the sterling salary of the second class.

3.

I consider that the appointment of Assistant Colonial Secretary is not one that should be necessarily filled in the regular order of seniority as it is a post which requires special qualifications, and the smooth and efficient working of the Colonial Secretary's Office depend in a great measure on the manner in which the duties are performed. Both Mr. Roes and Mr. Fletcher have acted in the post, the former for some months in 1904 and 1905 and the latter on no less than three occasions in recent years. I have no hesitation, however, in recommending that lir. Fletcher should be appointed. He has a good knowledge of the records of the Office, and his work on former occasions has proved that he

is exceptionally well fitted for the post.

4.

In my Confidential Despatch of the 15th. July

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LETIS HARCOURT, M.P..

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