CO129-592-9 Future Policy in Hong Kong- Port Administration 13-1-1945 - 4-3-1946 — Page 19

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As anticipated Mr. Coleman arrived in London on the 13th and yesterday afternoon came to the Office for a talk with Miss Ruston and myself about the suggestion that he should be offered the post of Chairman Designate of the Hong Kong Harbour Trust and meanwhile should be responsible for the necessary planning in London.

Mr. Coleman, of course, had had no details of the problems involved or of the proposals we had in mind to meet them, except what he had been able to learn in a short talk with Mr. Cohen. I therefore outlined to him our ideas as set out in my minute

of the 8th of June. I explained that what we desired was someone who with the assistance of the suggested Advisory Committee could lay down policies on the lines indicated in the Sir David Owen Report, supervise the working out of the details, and, when the time comes, be responsible for putting these plans into effect. I explained that there had not previously been a Harbour Board and that it was therefore necessary to create this new piece of machinery. It was necessary that this planning should be begun as soon as possible but we hoped that if, as we expected, Mr. Coleman had to return to Iraq until the end of the year, it would then be possible for a small planning committee with a nucleus staff to be working on the details. ive had in mind the engagement of an officer on a three- year contract and that while the post would be a civilian one, it would be necessary to co-operate closely with the military authorities during the period of military administration.

Mr. Colman explained his own position very frankly. He said that his contract with the Iraq Government expired at the end of this year but that as he was due for six months' leave, he had hoped in fact to come home at the beginning of July. He said that the Iraq Government had been pressing him to undertake a further period of service with them, but that he was looking forward to retirement and had at first refused their offers. More recently, however, he had said that he would continue in the service of the Iraq Government for a further year if they would agree to increased terms. This had been accepted and would give him a salary of approximately £3,500. It was very soon afterwards, I gathered, that Mr. Coleman first received our suggestions for an appointment in Hong Kong.

He

was attracted to this idea because he would prefer to finish his career in the service of the British Government rather than that of the Iraq Government. He therefore went to the Iraq Government and told them of this other offer and said that he must be free to consider it.

Mr. Coleman is an attractive Dickensian character who I think would like to accept the appointment which we have in mind for him. (On the question of salary he suggested the figure of £3,750 which is within the ceiling approved by the Treasury.) The impression he gave to Miss Ruston and myself, however, was that he did not wish to undertake any onerous or exacting work. On the mention of a three-year contract he immediately said. that he would not wish to be bound for longer than