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(d) Respirators for the General Public.
The Committee have been interested to note the
remarks in paragraph 12 of the despatch on this subject.
They agree that, having regard to the circumstances
mentioned in that paragraph, there should be no free
provision of respirators for the general public in Hong
Kong, but that respirators should be placed on sale at cost
price for purchase by those who may want them.
(e) Provision of Respirators for Service Families.
In paragraph 13 of your despatch it was suggested
that the respirators which are to be provided by the
Government of Hong Kong for the families of the personnel
belonging to the regular fighting Services should be
obtained by the local Naval, Military and Air Force
Authorities through Service channels, the cost being
debited to Hong Kong funds. It is not clear, however,
why it is considered desirable to depart from the normal
procedure - namely that the appropriate number of
respirators should be purchased by the Government of Hong
Kong through the Crown Agents for the Colonies; and it is
considered that, unless there is some particular reason to
the contrary, that course should be followed.
If you
cmcur in this view, you will no doubt send the necessary
instructions to the Crown Agents in the matter.
4.
The Committee assume that in the allocation of
expenditure on passive defence services in the Colony, care
has been taken to conform to the general policy laid down
for the defence of Hong Kong, and that, in consequence, the
passive defence measures adopted will be mainly concentrated
on the Island, although it is obviously not desirable that
Kowloon should be excluded altogether from the programme
of such measures, since it is the intention of the Royal
Navy
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