CONFIDENTIAL
obtained from the Hong Kong Government confidential
report on the 1967 disturoances of which the text
of Chapter 8 is annexed. This explains well the
sort of contingencies against which the fence was
constructed without actually mentioning the fence.
J
7. In the light of the above circumstances, the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office do not share the
view expressed by the former Commonwealth Office that
the fence was simply a measure to control illegal
immigration. They share the Hong Kong Government's
view that it was, in fact, a measure to defend the
security of the Colony against an external threat,
armed at least, if not actually military, as the
annex shows, and that as such its cost should not be
a charge on the Hong Kong Government. In the view
of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Hong Kong
Government have, in fact, already met any share of this
obligation which might reasonably be attributed to
them in that they have met the cost (amounting to
approximately £69,000) of labour engaged in the
erection of the fence and of compensation paid to the
owners of the land taken over for the construction
of the fence.
8. BORDER WORKS
At an early stage during the 1967 disturbances, two
Gurkha battalions were deployed on the frontier,
where they dug in. It proved necessary for some work
to be done to protect these troops and the Army put under utaration thigulace sin
the necessary works in hand By October/November
1967, it had become evident that there was a
continuing need for the deployment of troops on the
frontier and basic requirements such as latrines, ablutions, cookhouses, observation posts, bunkers,
bumper
/etc
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