 Harris was appointed acting governor and Commander-in-Chief of The Gambia, British West Africa and then to the position of colonial secretary, The Gambia (1934–1940).His service was honored by The Court and the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador.The Oke family gifted a stained glass window from the Robert McCausland Studio in Toronto to Oke's church, St. Thomas', the oldest church in St. John's (NL), in memory of Harris and his parents.