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The difficulty now was that the Government of Hong Kong
stated they were getting opportunities of opening up
ncy services which they were anxious not to refuse, but
on the other hand, the Colonial Office felt it would
be embarrassing to the Communications Company if the
Government of Hong Kong were allowed to undertake new
services which, in some cases, would only compete with the
Company's cables. In reply to a question from Sir Philip
Cunliffe-Lister, he said he understood the Company
ought to be in a position to take over the existing Hong Kong
wireless service at a fairly early date.
Continuing, he said that the agreement with the Hong
Kong Government contained a clause regarding the provision
of a high power wireless station and if the Company shoved
their intention of either deferring
or not carrying
out this provision, then the Hong Kong Government might
perhaps raise difficulties. In answer to a further
question from Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, he said that the
Company would pay a royalty to the Hong Kong Government
in respect of the services they took over.
SIR PHILIP CUNLIFE-LISTER said he could quite sce the
objections to the Hong Kong Government opening up services
which the Company might want to suppress. At the same time
it seemed a pity to refuse offers of new services when they
occurred, and he wondered whether it might not be possible
for such offers to be submitted to the Company for their
agreement.
IR. PHILLIPS emphasised that there was mixed up in this
question the one of diverting cable traffic to wireless
traffic.
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