CO129-492 - Governor Sir Clementi - 1925 [12] - 1926 [1-5] — Page 87

CONFIDENTIAL

Downing Street,

5th March, 1926.

83

My dear Tyrrell

Very many thanks for your letter of

February 12th in connection with the proposed appoint-

ment of Mr.R.F.Johaston to be Colonial Secretary at

Hong Kong. In view of your confirming what we had

already been told as regards the possibility of his appointment leading to criticism the Secretary of State naturally decided to cancel his previous decision

I am writing now to say that on the very

strong recommendation of Clementi, who, as you know,has

Just come from Ceylon the Secretary of State has

authorised me to offer the appointment to Mr.W.T.

Southorn, the Principal Collector of Customs in Ceylon,

but before actually doing so I would like to know whethe

from the Foreign Office point of view you have any

observations to offer? As I wasnot absolutely

certain about Southorn myself I got leave from the

w.G.TYRKELL,G.C.M.G.,K....,C.B.

Secretary