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CYPHER TELEGRAM
Q.A.U.
HONG KONG
Dated 27th July 1940.Received 11.35 a.m. on 27th July 1940
345
IMPORTANT
No. 454.
My telegram 451. At the request of the Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council I forward the following message begins.
On the ground that it is futile and discriminatory to evacuate few thousand European women and children whilst hundreds of thousands of Chinese women and children and women and children of other races remain who cannot be evacuated anywhere Unofficial Members of the Council unanimously urge cancellation of compulsory evacuation of civilians and also urge option be granted to evacuees in Manila to return to Hong Kong instead of being further evacuated to Austra” a Because 95% of the revenue of the (omitted; Colony Gerived from Chinese communioty to enforce payment for compulsory evacuation expenses by the exercise of official majority vote will arouse stern of indignation and create a most dangerous situation in a hitherto united community. Committee of this Chamber of Commerce strongly support our appeal and express the opinion that cansellation or the evacuation order over at this late date would restore some measure of confidence and improve the deteriorating trade situation, Because of the imminence of svacuation to Australia prompt decision imperative ends ..
718
Evacuation was a Cabinet decision. Presumably it can only be reversed by the Cabinet:
CR. Whitamwork a difficult situation.
I have told Mi Gent (C.0.) that
While we
Apposed
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evacuatim in
in 31/7
31/7.
The first place, Cancellation now secure to us out of the que
HAC A 31/12
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