NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONFIDAL
go up to £20 million.
been £15 million.
Last year it had
(majar
There were no administrative
righr
problems: the new pay scales were all plady.
He had drawn the attention of Mr. Hattersley
of improving
to the ways to
conditions, which were
not as good as for the troops in Singapore,
for instance. There was a housing problem
as in the rest of the Colony.
There was
very little military crime. The main
problem was political to give the public
confidence in the defence forces. The
authorities tried to play down the new defence
arrangements that the Pritish Government were
adopting in Asia.
22. When asked about mixing with the local
population Sir Pasil Furster said it was
difficult to arrange this though efforts were
made.
When asked about the Gurkhas he said
that they presented no problem but arrange-
spend
would have to be made for them to bet some
3 outside
time out of the Colony if they were
permanently stationed there.
Sir David Trench pointed out that the
over the
main problem with defence contribution was one
of presentation.
23. Mr. Stewart asked whether there were
other points which anyone wished to raise
with the Pritish Government.
24. Sir David Trench said that in general
there was not as much trust as there should be
between the two Governments. There weTe
many pinpricks. Of coursethe good things
did not attract attention. But basically
confidence in Pritain's friendship towards
Hong Kong was not good.
Local people felt
/that the
B