307
102
say that I should not be disposed to attach much weight to the opinion or advice of any of the existing members.
4.
I do not feel entirely in agreement with the view
expressed in Mr. Chamberlain's despatch No.119 of the 29th May,
1896, that all the unofficial members of the Executive Council
7 should as a rule be chosen from among the members of the Legislat-
ive Council, but I do consider that one member should as a rule
be so chosen and in the circumstances I think that Mr. Pollock is
the only possible person to appoint.
5.
There is, however, a possible course by which a
satisfactory arrangement can be effected. The number of
unofficial members of the Executive Council is not limited by
Article II of the Royal Instructions and I consider that the
appointment of a third member would be an advantage. I would propose therefore that His Majesty the King should be asked to
give instructions for the appointment of Mr. Pollock to be a
member of the Executive Council under Article II of the Royal
Instructions. Mr. Pollock is rather exceptionally stupid but he
is an honest straight-forward gentleman, whom I have always found
eminently reasonable when matters have been fully explained to him, and his long experience in the Legislative Council and his
previous terms of service as an acting member of the Executive
Council, both ex-officio as Acting Attorney General and as a substitute for other unofficial members, will in my opinion make
him a useful member.
6.
On being so appointed to the Executive Council,
Mr. Pollock would cease to act in the place of Sir Paul Chater
and the way would then be open for the appointment of an acting member from the commercial community. In present circumstances, it would be necessary to select this member from outside the
Legislative Council, a course to which there would be less
objection in view of the appointment of Mr. Pollock as a substantive member, and I should probably propose to appoint
Mr.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.