CO129-523-6 Criticism of Hong Kong Administration 29-1-1930 - 3-3-1930 — Page 28

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT (Part 1).

(Destructive).

28

The Hong Kong Government's first and probably

greatest failing is that generally speaking it is entirely

out of sympathy with modern China, its outlook and the goal,

which it is determined to reach. Another failing, which is

due to the fact of the local service being a watertight

compartment, but is none the less disastrous to British

interests, is the parochial outlook of the Government.

correct this and to deal properly with future problems it

is most necessary, that appointments from outside should be

of men of broad outlook and character able to overcome local

traditions and prejudices.

To

It is not because of the official majority in

Council, which we must have, that conditions in Hong Kong

are as bad as they are but rather because the personnel

of the Government are so profoundly soaked in Colonial Office

tradition, so strongly Conservative, that it prevents them

from moving with the times unless absolutely forced to do so.

For many years the Eurasian in Hong Kong, for some

unaccountable reason, has been much more prominent in local

Government affairs than the Chinese themselves. This is a

problem the Government are now seriously faced with. These

people have not only become very rich, but have also to a

considerable extent managed to ingratiate themselves with

the Chinese, so that it will be a difficult task for the

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