Extracts from hi Mh. Lampson's repart on his
tom in bhina
(Ong. placed on 52702/28
17
I
One of the subjects I discussed with the
Gover mor was the question of some form of financial
assistance to Canton. This is one of urgency to the
Canton Government, but I readily agreed with Sir C.
Clementi's opinion that the Hong Kong Goverment must
stand aside, however anxious they might be to see the
present regime in Canton more firmly established.
learnt however that informal discussions had in fact
being going on to see whether there was no possibility
of the Chinese merchants in Hong Kong raising a loan,
but from the conversations I later had with one or
two of the leading Chinese residents of the Colony I
gathered that even this was unlikely to succeed at
present as the Chinese community of Hong Kong had not
yet recovered from the effects of the boycott and the
bad conditions of trade of the last year or two:
there was also the obvious factor that the credit of
the present Canton Government is practically nil.
This question of financial aid to General Li Chai-sum
is a most important one and my feeling is that, as it is
to our interest that he should remain in power and
consolidate his position, we should certainly not dis-
courage any attempt that may be made in Hong Kong, or
elsewhere, to help him to meet his financial difficulties,
provided he can establish the necessary credit.