CO129-591-17 Liberation of Hong Kong- instructions to Mr Gimson- proposed civil administrator 10-8-1945 - 21-9-1945 — Page 26

24

Brig on 54144/22/45

13 A

RESTRICTED

0115292/Sept. IN

Received:-

From C. in C. Hong Kong.

Date 2. 9. 45.

Time

Warning: This is an unparaphrased version of a secret cypher or confidential code message, and the text must first be paraphrased if it is essential to communicate it to persons outside British or Allied Government Services.

Addressed Admiralty.

Pass following to Secretary of State for Colonies from Lieut. Governor Hong Kong begins: I have seen detailed instructions regarding Civil Affairs in Admiralty message to C. in C. of 30th August, which arrived after despatch of my message to you of 31st August.

2.

The C. in C. had already today issued the British Administration Proclamation and a further proclamation appointing me Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony to exercise, subject to any general or special instructions which the C. in C. may give from time to time, all the powers which by the instruments of Government or any ordinance are vested in or conferred on the Governor of the Colony, any in particular to set up and administer a Civil Government in the Colony, and also proclaiming that the Executive Council and the Legislative Council of the Colony as they existed prior to the 25th December 1941 shall continue to exercise all the powers conferred on them by law. A further clause proclaims that the Civil Courts of the Colony shall continue to exercise full jurisdiction except in regard to certain offences reserved to a military tribunal.

3.B.

Subject to the considerations conveyed to you in my message of 31st August I am thus in a position to carry on the Civil Administration, and Departments in charge of public utility services are already functioning. I would accordingly venture to suggest, with the concurrence of the C. in C., that these arrangements should continue to function and that the Civil Affairs unit proposed should be absorbed into the already existing Civil administration in suitable posts thus satisfying to some extent the requirements. mentioned in my telegram of 31st August for reliefs or additional staff.

Ends.

011 5292