Government House,
Hong Kong.
7th June, 1949.
68
Dear Sidebotham,
Portsmore told me that it was suspected
at home that Follows, the Financial Secretary, was dominated by Morse, the Chief Manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, and that therefore,
since I am not and do not pretend to be a financial expert, the financial policy of this Government was largely dictated by the Hong Kong Bank. In pre-Caine days that might have been the case, at any rate to some extent, as Grayburn the then Manager of the Bank was a very dominating personality and also knew a good deal more about financial matters than did the then Financial Secretaries. That is not the case today. Follows is more knowledgeable and considerably astuter than Morse.
I believe that Portsmore shares my opinion.
J. B. SIDEBOTHAM, ESQ.
J.B.
COLONIAL OFFICE,
HONG KONG.
Yours ever,
(Sgd.) A. Grantham.
C.M.G.,