CO129-594-6 Brigadier D M MacDougall- letters to Gent on civil affairs administration 15-9-1945 - 24-12-1945 — Page 13

Civil Affairs

The immediate

practical

fect of the Commander-in-

Chief's

newest Proclamation

to

au-

The Hong Kong Citizen

Brigadier D. M. MacDougall, Chief of Hong Kong's civil affairs, in an interview in Macao stated that an attempt was being made to implement the general British policy progres- sively by utilising local people, and he indicated the recent ap- pointment to local key posts in Hong Kong, especially in the law courts, of Chinese, Portuguese and other officers. The Briga- dier is known as a man of broad outlook: moreover, he was out of Hong Kong during the occupation and in constant touch with Whitehall, so that his state- ment must be assumed to repre- sent part of the new Colonial Office idea, which aims at creat- ing greater contentment gene- rally in territories like Hong Kong. The indications which he gives are very welcome to the permanent Hong Kong residents. They encourage again the hope of securing full recognition of the existence of the Hong Kong citizen. It was appropriate that the Brigadier should have made his remarks at Macao, for there is buried that great old Hong Kong citizen, the late Mr J. P. Braga, who died during the war.

will be of no great consequence. Admiral Harcourt reserves himself the power to issue new the and presumably orders, power of veto, but with that proviso His Excellency now de- legates all governmental thority to the Chief Civil Affairs Officer, and in so doing, pays a high tribute by implica- tion to the rehabilitation Achievements of Brigadier D. M. Macdougall, and his prin- pal assistants. The set-up un- dergoes no important change in its relation to the community at large, as far as we can see, and it is a far stride from further concentration of authority in the C.C.A.O. to the re-establish- ment of civil government, as commonly understood. case, it is doubtful whether the

Mr Braga fought strenuously Colony is by any means ready for such a change-over, and it for justice for the "local lads." is quite certain that the ad- and were he still with us he There re- would have been distressed to ministration is not. mains much to be done that can hear recent complaints against be more smoothly and swiftly discrimination. In view of all accomplished by executive deci-

a few the noble utterances concerning sion and action, and months' extension of a beneve- the new World Order, there has ent dictatorship will do the Co- been some feeling of disillusion- tony no harm. As we have said ment. before, and it scarcely needs emphasis, Hong Kong will not meekly acquiesce in an attempt- ed resuscitation of the worn- out governmental machine which let us down so badly in 1941. A

In any

The explanation must be made that we are still in the period of transition back to normal, and there is a natural tendency to avoid commitments which may prejudice the future. radical reform of the adminis-At the same time it must be is essential, said that not all of the officials trative system with provision for giving the who form the civil administra- people of Hong Kong a greater tion have yet divested them- To selves of the "treaty port voice in public affairs. say more on this point would be mind": and the danger is that, to go over old ground, but it is as old officials return, they too perhaps necessary to repeat that will seek to restore old condi- it is desirable, before civil govtions, and that much of the local ernment is re-established, that

benefit implicit in the new out- stitution be clearly defined. The look of the Imperial Government will will be lost. This will mean not

the framework of the new con-

civil administration that take over the Colony can he built up to fit within it.

•

only the perpetuation of in- justice but also the reduction of administrative efficiency. More- over, this Colony never afforded easily its expensive home staffs; and if we are to go back to that luxury, with its sterling salaries, long holidays, privilege and snobbery, Hong Kong will again be heavily handicapped and the Hong Kong citizen will again be loaded with grievances against the Colonial system.

no

more

Preaching at the Cathedral on Armistice Day, the Bishop of Victoria, the Rt. Rev. R. O. Hall, touched upon the same subject. There is probably courageous, clear-thinking or far-seeing man amongst us: certainly none more sympathetic and humane. His reference to the war service of the Volun- teers and the heavy losses of "local boys" was in keeping with local thought. He too condemn- ed the social and other dis- crimination to which the Hong Kong-born have always been subjected, and he added, "Under God we dare not stay in Hong Kong unless it is our purpose to build here, as part of the great Pacific civilisation of the future, a city in which truth and free- dom and justice are not tainted hy national pride or racial fear." If we put the case at its lowest, political necessity alone demands that we build up here a Hong Kong citizenry. We cannot ex- pect full loyalty as long as we neglect local community and as long as we refuse to give the locally born full opportunity to rise to the highest planes in their professions and in the Civil Service. That must mean absolute equality, in education, in employment, in the formula- tion of administrative plans, and in all our social provisions.

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