his position did not allow for a wife, and it took a year before he obtained a suitable post in the Lands and Mines department in the Kaduna secretariat, where he was joined by Lilian. Colby was posted to Kontagora in 1935 as District Officer, an isolated post. He was an energetic and efficient administrator, improving the roads and increasing crop production. In 1939 he became an Assistant Secretary in the Finance branch of the Lagos secretariat. He rose quickly through the ranks to be made an Administrative Secretary in 1945, in which role he acted as Chief Secretary and Governor's Deputy. This appointment was created for him by the governor, Sir Arthur Richards, and represented an unusual advancement over the heads of scores of other colonial officers . In 1947 he was awarded CMG in the Birthday Honours List. He was knighted two years later. Governor of Nyasaland Colby was appointed Governor of Nyasaland by Secretary of State Arthur Creech Jones, arriving there on 7 January 1948. This was a Class III Governorship under the Governors' Pension Act and so somewhat disappointing. It carried a salary of £2,500 per annum with a £500 duty allowance . He inherited an awkward problem of land allocation. The BCA Company owned large areas of land, some densely populated, that could not be developed without evicting the tenants. Other estates were underdeveloped, while there was a shortage of land for the Africans. A Land Planning Committee recommended that the government acquire some of this land for use by Africans. In November 1948, at Colby's recommendation, the composition of the Legislative Council was changed to include two African and one Asian "unofficials" and three officials. Colby supported greater educational opportunities for Africans, but his influence was negative. He opposed compulsory attendance, as requested by the chiefs, and supported age limits for entry into school. The latter harmed girls, who would often delay entering school until a later age. Colby accepted the position of Chief Scout of the Nyasaland Boy Scouts, and his wife became President of the Girl Guides, giving both these organisations a boost. Colby was opposed to the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland against the wish of African leaders such as James Frederick Sangala. He advised the Colonial Office to exclude Nyasaland from the planned federation, but his advice was ignored. The Conservative government pushed ahead with plans, deciding