23 rota
Copy of minute (original on 54144/25/45) dated 20th July, 1945.
59
The desirability or not of arrang- ing for the appointment of a civilian agent of the Hong Kong Planning Unit to be attached to the Embassy in Chungking was discussed with Lt. Colonel Taylor (C.A.4), Mr. MacDougall and Mr. Rowell, (H.K.P.U), Mr. Gent, Mr. Paskin and myself on the 18th July.
2.
Mr. MacDougall said he thought that there was a need for an Officer to answer enquiries, and to collect and to re-engage ex-Hong Kong Chinese Government servants. The Ambassador had been opposed to the idea of a Branch Office of the Unit and, therefore, it had been suggested that any Officer appointed for this work should be an Officer of the Colonial Office.
3.
Mr. Gent thought that while there should be the closest contact and liaison between the Civil Affairs Administration (and later the Hong Kong Government) and the Ambassador in China when Hong Kong has been liberated, it would be premature to make such an appointment at this stage. He did not think that an Officer such as was suggested could be effective in present circumstances. This is the view expressed by the Ambassador (see extract from Mr. Sansom's report at (11)) and of Colonel Ride (12). Colonel Taylor thought that if the Ambassador's proposal of a British Military Liaison Mission to be attached to Chinese Head- quarters and to contain British Civil Affairs Officers were accepted, there might be an opportunity for the inclusion of a Hong Kong Civil Affairs Officer.
4.
It was agreed that this would be the best solution and to keep the proposal