CO129-591-12 Military Administration- Civil affairs- directives to force commander and senior officials 24-2-1945 - 13-9-1945 — Page 141

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ཨཱཝཱཏྟབྦ, ཏཾ ཨཱ॰...

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Civil Affairs Direction to the Chief Civil Affairs Officer

in Hong Kong.

177

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1. You have been appointed to act as principle staff officer, on matters relating to Civil Affairs, to the Senior Officer Commanding His Majesty's Troops in Hong Kong. You will operate under his general direction and instructions and will exercise such powers as he sees fit to delegate to you from time to time.

2. In order to enable you to carry out these duties you will be provided with a War Establishment of about 314 officers with the appropriate sub- ordinate staff and equipment.

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3. The functions of the Civil Administration are two-fold:-

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(a) The maintenance of law and order and the prevention of disease and

unrest.

This will involve amongst other things:-

(i) The establishment of a police force. As it has not been possible to provide you with adequate personnel for this purpose, you will have to rely at first on such military personnel as the S.0.C. can spare for the purpose. 、

(ii) The establishment of military courts.

control

(iii). The prevention, so far as possible, of (influx of civilians by land and sea.

(iv) The establishment of relief camps and the provision of relief for distressed persons.

(v) The provision of medical treatment in these camps, in hospitals or elsewhere.

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(vi) The taking of adequate measures of public health and sanitation. (vii) The restoration and maintenance of essential public services,

(viii) The control and distribution of supplies.

(ix) The taking into custody and management of the property of absent owners and, in some cases, of enemies. (see separate directive).

(x) The setting up of such war-time control (e.g. exchange control, censorship) as may be deemed necessary.

(xi) Treatment of renegades and quislings in accordance with the terms of the special directive issued to you.

(xii) The taking of such immediate steps as may be necessary to record claims for war damage.

These activities will care for the provision of both consumption and capital goods. The essential supplies required for the period of military administration are being procured by the War Office and will be shipped to you as soon as possible.

You have been furnished with particular directives on the more important of these matters.

Colonial administra-

(b) Long-term. The restoration of the framework of ion with a view to the establishment of stable civil government, and the rehabilitation of the social and economic life of the Colony with a view to its future well-being and prosperity.

This will involve amonst other things:

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