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11.
If these arguments are unsuccessful
the attempt should be made to obtain the
agreement of the Committee to the cost of the
artillery units being met out of Service Votes,
on the same basis as the rest of the garrison.
(Any suggestion that the money should come from
any Vote other than Service Votes, because the
units are needed for "internal security",
should be resisted. The danger to security
in Hong Kong arises from the enemy outside the
gates.) If the cost is met from Service
Votes,the Secretary of State should indicate
that in the circumstances it seems reasonable to
assume that Hong Kong would agree to the
proposal at the beginning of paragraph 9 above.
The Service Departments claim that the Governor,
at the Defence Committee meeting on the 23rd
July, said that Hong Kong would be prepared to
continue its defence contribution of £1m. even
though the gafrison were reduced to six major
units. Whether this is so is not clear from the
minutes. But what is quite clear is that at
the same meeting the Governor made plain that
Hong Kong would not be prepared to increase the
contribution to cover the cost of the two extra
units.
12.
If the Defence Committee decides in
favour of the proposals in paragraph 4 of D(58)1 t
the Secretary of State may wish to warn the
Committee that, in the circumstances, the
continuation by the Hong Kong Government of its
defence contribution at £lm. a year will be open
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