CO129-513-7 Appointments to Executive and Legislative Councils of Hong Kong 21-12-1928 - 14-2-1930 — Page 14

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Nos.17 & 19.

As the War Office have come down so

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heavily on this proposal there seems to be nothing

to do but reject it. I understand that they

considered the G.O.C. considerably exceeded his

authority in making the suggestion without

previous consultation with them.

I do not know that the G.0.C. is a very

useful person to have on the Legislative and

Executive Councils but he forms a part of the official "bloc" and is at any rate not actively

harmful. The objection that he is obliged to be

absent from the Colony for considerable periods

is not, of course, of any importance as his place

is then automatically taken by the senior

Military Officer left in command of the Troops.

(In this connection see Nos. 17, 19 and 22 on

62724/29).

The proposals in paragraphs 3 and 4 as to

the occasional appointment of Captain Superintendent

of folice as an official member of the Executive

Council and as to the precedence of unofficial

members of the Legislative Council are independent

of the proposal to remove the G.0. C. from the

Councils. I see no objection to either of these

proposals but perhaps Honours and Ceremonies

Section will advise further as to the principles involved and the best means of giving effect to these proposals if approved.

? reply to No.17 that the War Office

have signified their inability to support the

request of the G.0. C. who has been so informed, and

that