-2-
15
3.
4
5.
6.
(4) Offices and clerical assistance.
Dame Rachel Crowdy informed the Committee that the Paddington Estate Trustees had agreed to let the Clothing and Comforts Sub- Committee have the use, rent free, subject to one week's notice, of 121, Westbourne Terrace where there was accommodation also for the Medical Sub-Committee and the Secretary.
It was decided that the house should be used also for their purposes.
The matter of clerical assistance needed by the Secretary was left to be decided by him in conjunction with the Finance Sub- Committee.
REPLY FROM CENTRAL COMMITTEE AT SHANGHAI TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S TELEGRAM OF OCTOBER 19.
Mr. Gull read the Committee the following cable received from the Central Committee at Shanghai that morning:
in
"Hope telegraph details requirements one week on receipt
reports from Committees organised other parts. Stop. Consider most important all funds and supplies purchased be sent to Shanghai Committee for allocation otherwise confusion probable. Is this being done?
The question was asked whether the Shanghai Committee mentioned the above cable was the Central Committee. Mr. Gull read a copy of a telegram which had been received by the Foreign Office from the Consul-General in Shanghai in regard to the above cable. This read
"Central Executive Committee hold first meeting yesterday.
Telegrams have been sent to various centres for formation of branch committees".
This made it clear that the Shanghai Committee referred to in the telegram was the Central Committee.
OTHER CABLE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
1.
2.
3.
Mr. Gull informed the Committee of the followi ng cables:
Cables sent by the Foreign Office to the Ambassador informing him of the remittance of £5,000 on October 29th and of £10,000 on November 11th.
Cable sent on November 5th asking for reply to the Committee's cable of October 19th and informing the Central Committee of the despatch of drugs valued at approximately £9,000.
Cable sent on November 8th informing the Central Committee that the fund totalled £60,650; that a further sum of £10,000 had been remitted and that purchases of surgical appliances and dressings valued at £10,000 had been authorised.
COPY OF A LETTER AND REPORT RECEIVED FROM MR. M.F.KEY, HON.SECRETARY OF THE HONGKONG BRANCH OF THE CHINA ASSOCIATION.
This had been circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting and its contents were noted.
SHIPMENTS.
Mr. Gull read letters which he was sending by airmail to Mr. R.G.Howe, H.M.Chargé d'Affaires and the Governor of Hongkong inform- ing them of shipments of medical supplies by the DIOMED, RAWALPINDI and BURDWAN and stating that these goods had been consigned to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire who would act only on instructions from the Central Committee in Shanghai of the Fund for the Relief of Distress in China or their representatives in Hongkong.