Fei:No.T.5233.
£17,
11946
[RECE REG 22 FEB 19 RUBBER AND TIN EXPORTS COMMITTEE,
8, QUEEN ANNE'S GATE,
WESTMINSTER, S.W. 21st February.1919.
294
i
IN
With reference to Mr. Grindle's letter of the 11th instant,7963, on the subject of the re-export of Tin from Hong Kong, I am uirected by the Rubber and Tin Exports Committee to invite & reference to the correspondence ending with a telegram of the 26th December last to the Governor of the Straits Settlemente (Colonial Office 61884/18), in which an arrangement was Maud for the shipacnt to Hong Kulg of such reasonable quanititige of Tin as might be required there for local use a
It was not then contemplated that Hong Kong should receive from the Straite ang Tin for re-export, the object of the restriction being the conservation of Straits Tin for other purposes.
The situation has, however, changed since that date. The need for conservation of supplies is not the same, and,us Viscount Hilmer is aware, Tin is now exportable freely from the United Kingdom to ali Restinations except those included in List 0.
In the Committee's letter of the 31st ultimo,T.5b66, they recommended that the removal of Tin to List C in the United Kingdom should be accompanied by similar measures in the Straite Sottleworte and Hong Kong; and that recommendation is under the consideration of your Department,in consultation with the Ministry of Munitions and the Board of Trade.
In these circumstances it appears to the Committee that, pending a
he Under-Secretary of State,
COLONIAL OFFICE.
pending
settlement