ZCZC
MILNAN 2475 OCMIAN 2475
SECRET
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
131600Z AUG
GRS 250
SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2160
OF 131600Z AUGUST 87
SECRET
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
64
72475
1
His
Haß O!!!!
13 AUG 1937
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD
MIPT: STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER TERM ISSUES: GRAND
ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
1.
I ADMIRE THE CHARACTERISTIC HONG KONG URGE TO TACKLE
PROBLEMS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AND I DO NOT LIKE THE
DEPARTMENT TO APPEAR NEGATIVE IN RESPONSE. BUT I THINK, THE
ARGUMENTS IN MIPT FOR HASTENING SLOWLY HAVE SOME WEIGHT.
2.
THERE IS ALSO A DOMESTIC CONSIDERATION. WE CAUSED SOME
IRRITATION WITHIN THE OFFICE WHEN (FOR INESCAPABLE OPERATIONAL
REASONS) WE PUT UP TO MINISTERS TRILOGY IV, COMPRISING THREE LONG
AND COMPLEX PAPERS, AND SOUGHT CLEARANCE JUST BEFORE THE SUMMER
BREAK. AT HIS OFFICE MEETING THE SECRETARY OF STATE ASKED
WHETHER ANY OTHER MAJOR PAPERS WERE IN THE PIPELINE. BOTH YOU
AND I SAID THERE WERE NOT. THERE COULD BE SOME RESISTANCE IF WE
NOW SOUGHT TO PUT UP THIS FURTHER PAPER IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
SECRETARY OF STATE'S RETURN TO THE OFFICE. THIS SHOULD NOT BE
THE OVERRIDING FACTOR: BUT WHEN IT CAN BE DONE I AM SURE YOU
WOULD AGREE THAT IT IS IN OUR INTERESTS FOR ISSUES TO BE
PRESENTED TO MINISTERS IN AN ORDERLY WAY FOR DECISION.
3.
I SHOULD ADD THAT THERE WAS ALSO A STRONG FEELING IN THE
OFFICE THAT TRILOGY IV WENT INTO INORDINATE DETAIL. IN THE TIME
AVAILABLE THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. BUT I SUGGEST THAT WE KEEP THAT THOUGHT IN OUR MINDS FROM THE OUTSET AS WE
EMBARK ON THIS NEXT EXERCISE.
CHALKER
LIMITED
HKD
MR MCLAREN
Secret