CO129-583-19 Administration of government 19-5-1940 - 22-5-1941 — Page 38

COLONIAL

OFFICE

COLONIAL OFFICE.

DOWNING STREES.W.1.

27th June, 1940.

38

myrca Trains Mimiti

навчий

The Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Geoffry

Northcote, had to leave in the middle of May to take a period of rest and holiday at home on the urgent advice of his doctors. He has not yet arrived here, but may be expected in a week or two now. The Acting Governor at present is the next man in the Civil Administration of the Colony, Mr. N.L. Smith, the Colonial Secretary, who has spent his working life in the Civil Service in Hong Kong and has much valuable experience of local administrative affairs.

But the Colony is facing a defence situation of some gravity, and it has been urged upon me by the Naval Commander in Chief and the General Officer Commanding, whose China Headquarters in both cases are at Hong Kong, that Smith's qualities have not been shown to be of a type required in a Governor in face of the present needs.

I have decided that I must accept this advice and in consultation with the War Office I am proposing to submit the name of Major-General E.F.Norton, C.B., D.3.0., M.C., who is at present commanding the Western District in India, to be sent to administer the government of the Colony at the earliest possible date. He can be released at once and can travel by air. N.L. Smith will on his arrival then revert to be Colonial Secretary and his advice and experience on the civil side will, of course, remain available to General Norton. The latter will need to be given the temporary rank of Lieutenant-General while he acts as Governor and Commander in Chief at Hong Kong, and I am

writing

The Right Honourable

Winston S. Churchill, C.H., M.P.