4. Accordingly, the matter was further discussed in
the department at a meeting with the Governor on
24 November. The Governor who, for the reasons
stated in paragraph 7 is most anxious that the visit
should take place, then said that if it would enable
the Committee to take a more favourable view of the
proposal, he would be willing to ask his Finance Committee if they would agree, in the last resort,) to vote the funds required to meet the costs (or a share of the costs if Malaysia was also to be visited).
5.
The Governor has now reported that members of his
Executive Council have reacted favourably to the idea
that the Colony might have to meet part or all of the
costs of the visit. Any contribution by the Colony
would naturally require the formal agreement of the
Standing Finance Committee of the Legislative Council
and the actual amount involved would of course be a
consideration when agreement is sought; but the
indications are that a contribution of the order of HK$200,000 (£13,750) could be obtained without difficulty if necessary.
6. There is a precedent for the Governor's proposal. The last official Royal visit to Hong Kong (which was undertaken at the request of the Colonial Government) took place in 1961 when Princess Alexandra paid a
ten-day visit to the Colony for the Golden Jubilee
Celebrations of the University of Hong Kong. On that occasion, although the initiative for the visit came from the Hong Kong Government, it became in the event part of a tour which included a number of
Commonwealth and foreign countries.
It was
accordingly agreed that the total common costs involved (i.e. costs unattributable to any particular territory or country visited, of which the main item was the cost of transport) should be shared between Hong Kong and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Colonial Services votes in proportion to the time spent in Hong Kong and in the other territories and countries visited. (Incidental expenses such as the cost of extra dresses for the ladies, presents to be given in Hong Kong,
etc., were borne
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