Gpy to Fi
ॐ
MX. CONFIDENTIAL
ADDRIVE
Sir,
1 26
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
13th September, 1938.
I have the honour to address you regarding
the celebration of the centenary anniversary of
the occupation of Hong Kong by the British which will
occur in January 1941.
2.
It will be appreciated that the choice of
the form which the official recognition of this event
should take is not easy, it being most desirable to
avoid offending Chinese national pride or sentiment
in the course of commemorating an occasion which
resulted from a Chinese defeat and in the surrender
by China of a part, however, small, of its territory.
3.
Various alternatives have been considered
in the Executive Council and that which most commends
itself to my advisers and myself is the erection by
public subscription of a life-size statue of His
Majesty the King, to be unveiled, if so approved, by
a member of the Royal Family. This would, I am
assured, meet with the unqualified approval of all
communities in this Colony as well as of the Chinese
in Kwangtung and it would be entirely appropriate
to the occasion. The unveiling of the statue would
be the focal point of several days of festivities
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,
&C.,
&c.,
&C.
Caly #.K...~8
of
45-66
file.