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in Despatch No. 96 to Hong Kong of 14 January

1958 (FED 489/400/01) from the then Secretary of

State for the Colonies. C.S. undertook to look

into the matter.

9.

Mr. Cortazzi asked for reactions

to proposals for a more interventionist policy

by the FCO and use of directions by the S of S

to save the burden on the Governor. H.E. said

that nothing would be more likely to increase

his problems than the latter device. With

regard to more active liaison with the FCO it

was essential that all the material necessary to

answer questions put by or to Ministers should

be available in the FCO and if it was not

additional arrangements should be made. He

thought that we should agree the areas of

administration in which progress was of particular

interest to the FCO and provide sufficient

material on plans relating to them to enable the

FCO to discuss the plans with the Hong Kong

Government and monitor progress on them. He

believed that such material was available in the

FCO but this could be looked at. However

it would be quite wrong to attempt to run long

Kong from the FCO, or to entertain any idea that

this was physically possible or politically

feasible. Nothing of the sort, had ever been

attempted by the Colonial Office.

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