(139) on DEF.75/51/02
Page 262
(133)
Hong Kong made a satisfactory financial
Page 262 At the Defence Committee meeting
contribution.
in July 1957, at which the Governor of Hong Kong
stated the case from the local point of view, the
question of cost was further discussed, but no
decision was reached.
7.
It is understood that the Army Council
would be agreeable to the stationing of these two
artillery units in Hong Kong if a satisfactory
financial settlement could be arranged, and it is
on the latter point that negotiations are at
present held up.
8.
The attitude of the Hong Kong Government
is that the size of the garrison when the Colony's
defence contribution was fixed at £1 million was
far greater than is now proposed, even with the
If this addition of the two artillery units.
contribution is to be increased by the cost of
the units (approximately £250,000 a year each)
the Governor will have to go to Legislative
Council for additional funds. In addition to
the point made above, Legislative Council is
acutely conscious of the fact that Hong Kong
has been left to bear unaided the very
considerable burden of the re-settlement of
refugees, and the Governor is very doubtful as
to whether he would be able to persuade
unofficial members of Legislative Council to
agree to make the addition.
the Governor feels that it would create such a
If they did agree,
If
bad and lasting impression against H.M.G. that
the effects would be permanently serious.
they did not agree, the Governor could only get
the money by using the official majority in
Legislative Council, and this would only be done
after a debate in which things said
/which