He worked closely with a number of colonial leaders as private secretary to the Governor of Natal ( 1896 ) , to the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago ( 1898 ) , to the Governor of Ceylon ( 1900 ) , and to the Governor of Hong Kong ( 1903 ) .
Over the next twenty years , he was private secretary to the Governor of Natal ( 1896 ) , to the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago ( 1898 ) , to the Governor of Ceylon ( 1900 ) , and to the Governor of Hong Kong ( 1903 ) .