HONG KONG DIRECTIVE.
FIRST DRAFT.
2
134
Q
General Administration.
1.
The first step on re-occupation will be the issue of the C. in
C. Military Governor's Proclamation which will, inter alia, confirm all
existing laws and regulations except as specified then or later.
2.
It will, however, be the object to re-establish, at as early
a date as the military exigencies allow, an Executive Council and a
Legislative Council in conformity with the Letters Patent and Royal
Instructions, in order that the necessary sanctions may be given to
official actions, to the collection of revenue and to the maintenance
of law and order.
3. For this reason it will be essential to appoint,either on an
acting or on a substantive basis, the four principal officers of
state who have ex officio membership of both Councils, viz Colonial
Secretary, Attorney General, Secretary for Chinese Affairs and
Financial Secretary.
4.
For the appointments of unofficial members of the two Councils
some improvisation will probably be necessary. If suitable persons
of Chinese race can be found it is very desirable that these should
be included although the customary allowance of one Chinese on vie
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Executive Council and three on L Legfislative Council is not statutory.
5.
A
The Urban Council is the only other assembly with statutory
Shake
powers of any substance and steps wit be taken to reconstitute it on
its old basis, with an unofficial majority, as soon as circumstances
permit.
6. Certain Heads of Departments (besides the four officers
specified in paragraph 3) have statutory powers under existing
Ordinances but it does not follow that these will necessarily have
any priority of appointment in the period immediately following
re-occupation. It will be the object in due course to re-establish
all the Departments of Government which were in existence in 1941,
but the following is a list, in rough order of priority, of the
officers necessary at an early stage:-
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