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18
CYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary
of State for the Colonies.
Dated 1st May, 1939.
Received 8.52 a.m. 1st May, 1959.
No.138.
F5217
My despatch Secret of April 7th 1938 and subsequent
correspondence.
Now that His Majesty's Government has announced
intention to introduce conscriptive measure in the United
Kingdom I vonture to urge further consideration of similar
action here for the purpose of local defence. This request
has strongest support of Commander in Chief and General
Officer Commanding and is unanimously approved in Executive
Council. It is essential to the defonce of this particular
fortress that the maximum garrison can be put into the field
in the shortest possible time and this is only possible
through prior allocation and training of all available man
power. Bill sent with despatch under reference has been
revised principal alternatives being Clause 5, members of
both local volunteer forces added to list of exemptions;
Clause 11, operation is limited to service in Hong Kong
Volunteer Defence Corps and no obligation to serve out of the
Colony remains; Clause 16 has been deleted so that action
under Clause 4 and following Clauses may be taken as
circumstances permit.
Your permission is sought for (1) Immediate local
announcement of impending measure (2) Passing of measure as
Boon as necessary arrangements to implement it can be made.
Conceivably it may not be necessary upon enactment
to proceed operatively beyond Clause 5 but that half-measure would remove some of difficulties militating against
recruitment of European British volunteers which is
regrettably behindhand and would enable shadow reserves to bo
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created.
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