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PROPOSED TRANSFER OF WIRELESS SERVICES IN HONG KONG TO IMPERIAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS, LIMITED,
(I.C. C. 1445 and 1450.)
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603
THE COMMITTEE had under consideration telegrams from
the Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong
to the Colonial Office and replies thereto concerning
the proposed transfer of wireless services in Hong Kong
to Imperial and International Communications, Limited,
in which the Governor of Hong Kong asks that the
Colony be given a free hand to develop their communica-
tions and that negotiations with the Company be broken
off. (I.C.C. 1445 and 1450.)
MR. VERNON said that the Secretary of State
had asked him to express his regret at being unable to
attend the meeting, and requested him to take the Chair.
With regard to the first item on the Agenda, he
reviewed the negotiations which had taken place in the
past and led up to the present situation which was, that
the Colony of Hong Kong now wanted a free hand to carry
out the necessary extensions and developments and asked
that negotiations with the Company should be completely
broken off and only renewed when the future position was
clearer. Further, the Colony were insisting on the
establishment of radio-telegraphic and radio-telephonic
services with Great Britain within a period of 24 months.
The question of Empire subsidy referred to in the tele-
gram from the Governor of Hong Kong had been raised by
the Colonial office telegram mentioning the question of
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subsidy of unprofitable 'strategic" cables. The Colonial Office
desired to obtain the opinions of the Committee before
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