W(B)L 51-7433
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry
No. HKK 6/548/3
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
DRAFT
LETTER
To:-
Type 1 +
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
M. P. V. Hannam, Esq.,
British Trade Commission,
P.0. Box 528,
HONG KONG.
From
H. H. STEWART
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
c.c.
A. Watson, Esq., British Leyland Motor Corpn., Berkeley Square
House, Berkeley Square, W.1.
K. D. Jamieson,
Esq., Export Promotion
Department.
BUGS CASTLES
TANAM
Miss West Two drafts to Mr. Hannam to Tari
for
sign.
We heard recently from Mr. Adam Watson
of British Leyland Motor Corporation that his
firm was exercised about the prospects for
Leyland buses in Hong Kong. As you are aware,
the two main bus companies, the China Motor
Les
Bus Company Limited and the Kowloon Bus Company
Limited operate under franchise from the
Government, their activities being governed by
two public transport service ordinances, both
of which contain provisions that any vehicle
used by the company in complying with the
provisions of the ordinances, shall be of
British or British Commonwealth manufacture.
Mr. Watson had heard that there was some
indication that this policy in favour of busßes
of British manufacture might be waived so as to
allow in buses of Japanese or Continental
manufacture.
bothe
Our advice to Mr. Watson has been that
he should not seek to make representations to
the Hong Kong Government until he was certain
that his information was correct and it occurs
to us that you will be in a good position to find
out whether the report has any truth in it or
not. You will probably also be in a good
position, if you think that this would be a
profitable course, to advise British Leyland how
to proceed in order best to promote their
business.
I am copying this letter to Mr. Watson.