A Spectator's Notebook
I DOUBT WHETHER Mr. Tom Dri- berg's discovery of two extremely partisan political circulars emanat- ing from the office of the Adminis- trative Secretary of Cyprus caused any raised eyebrows in the island, however much the information may have disturbed the breakfast of readers of !"'"Ids News. The Colonial civil servant in his has never been at any pains to conceal Ms opinions of those in public life, whether Politicians or journalists, who have favoured the Principle of self-determination for Cyprus. But, then, A. F. J. Reddaway is an unusual Colonial civil servant. Until the appointment of Sir John Harding as Governor, Mr. Reddaway had achieved no great eminence. But Sir John wanted to have someone who spoke Greek to advise him, and Mr. Reddaway was sent for. Sir John must have been impressed by the exemplary way in .Which Mr. Reddaway did not allow his marriage t° a Greek to have the least effect on his handling uf Greek problems. Since then his influence has Continued to increase. He has been of the greatest the to the Cyprus Broadcasting Service, in Inc readiness with which he has provided them ,w'th the texts of political commentaries designed t° infuriate the Greeks. Mr. Driberg, I see, con- forms to the convention whereby it is assumed t} tat Sir John Harding does not know what Mr. it eddawaY has been doing. This is not, I suggest, 'esry flattering to Sir John; even if it were true, Sir John would still bear the responibility for having appointed a man with so little colonial experience, „ and such vigorously partisan views, tO the most important post on the island.
Previous page
