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OUT FILE
FOREIGN OFFICE, S. W. 1.
15th November, 1945
87
(F 9857/1147/10)
Dear Mayle,
With reference to my telephone conversation on Wednesday, I enclose a copy of the letter Sterndale Bennett received from Allison of the United States
Embassy about the return of United States business- nen to Hong Kong.
At the interview referred to in his letter, Allison said that the position as he understood it was that British business men who had been interned in Hong Kong had been encouraged on grounds of health and welfare to return to England on the understanding that in the meantime a certain degree of control over business enterprise would be exercised by the Hong Kong Government and the position would not be prejudice by the unrestricted entry of possible competitors. It now appeared however as though conditions were returning to normal more rapidly than had been anticipated and, while the United States Government understood the possible difficulties if the Hong Kong Government had entered into any kind of commitment with British businessmen, they hoped it would be possible to remove any controls as soon as possible so as to allow the entry of American businessmen who wish to go into Hong Kong. Allison made it clear that he was not making any representations and the Embassy had received no instructions to do so. He was only letting us know that this was a question which was beginning to exercise the State Department, for any action which we might think it appropriate to take. Sterndale Bennett said he would look into the matter, but as far as he remembered American banks had been allowed to start up again but he did not know what
N. L. Mayle, Esq.,
Colonial Office.
/the
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