Page 162
already agreed at its meeting on 30th May, 1957, that consideration should be given to the temporary stationing in Hong Kong of two Artillery regiments provided that the Hong Kong Government made a satisfactory contribution. The contribution now agreed upon is patently satisfactory and I hope that you will agree that in order to save time we need not await further consideration by the Defence Committee before going ahead with arrangements for the early move of the extra units to Hong Kong. As you know the need is urgent and it will in any case take some time
for the units to reach the Colony.
4. If you agree therefore it would I think suffice if
you reported to the Committee at some future meeting on the satisfactory arrangements now accepted by the Governor of Hong Kong. At the same time we could say that consider- ation would now go ahead in the normal way between the departments concerned on the separate question of compensation for war Department lands in Hong Kong. In those discussions I shall wish to support the Governor's views on the proper basis for assessing compensation, but we need not, I think, go into that at this stage.
5. I should welcome a very early answer as the sooner
the preliminary arrangements for the move of the addition d
units to Hong Kong can be put in hand the better,
8. I am sending copies of this minute to the Minister of
Defence and the Secretary of State for War.
Page 162
23rd
1958. "Page 162 of 283
File No. DEF 75/51/02.