CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 248

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but only one answer can be given to it viz., that the paid servants of the government cannot be left free to

I should be surprised to oppose the government. learn that the officials themselves wished to be given this freedom. It is in fact not peculiar to the Crown Colony system, it is of the essence of all ad- ministration that the paid supporters or components of the government should either vote for and when necessary speak for the settled policy of the government or else resign their places.

13.

The fourth and fifth claims are to the effect that the Council or rather the elected majority in the

L Council should have complete control over local

expenditure and the management of local affairs.

I

There

is point no doubt in these contentions, in that the municipal institutions, which are to be found in Ceylon and the Straits Settlements, do not exist in Pongking, but the difficulty at Hongkong is and must be to draw a line between matters which might be entrusted

to a municipal council and the business which must be reserved for the Colonial Government. In saying this I am aware that possibly or even probably a municipality would not meet the aspirations of the petitioners, and that they may place a wider construction upon the terms 'local expenditure' and 'local affairs' than I have

placed upon them.

14. One of the difficulties with which I am met in dealing with this petition arises from the fact that

the words employed require to be more accurately defined before their meaning and the intention with

which