(1/45) [4421B] Wt. 18047/424 50m. 7/45 C.N.Ld. 748
C. O.
Miss Rust.
102.47
54298/1/46°
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5 B
133
Mr. Betton SEE minuts.
Mr. Mayle
Mr. Rogers
Mr.
Permt. U.S. of S.
Parly. U.S. of S.
Secretary of State.
or Mr. Rogers' signature.
DRAFT.LETTER
3.H.T. WILTSHIRE, ESQ.,
MINISTRY OF TOWN AND
COUNTRY PLANKING,
(1)
32 St. James's Squ. S..1.
(1)
FURTHER ACTION.
We should be grateful for your advice in
the following connection. The Governor of
Hong Kong in a telegram, of which I enclose a
copy, has asked for the services or a Town
Planning Expert of high repute as early as
possible. We are not quite sure whether he has
in mind a Town Planner to work out a detailed
plan of development in which case presumably
it would be necessary to make an appointment
for at least 18 months or two years, or wheter
he is thinking in terms of a short visit by a
Consultant who would make a general report and
whose visit might possibly be followed by the
appointment of a Town Planner.
There was need for the replanning and
rebuilding of the old part of Victoria seven before
the war where Chinese housing conditions were
recognized as bad. The need is now still
greater and the necessity for rebuilding
occasioned by the war offers a notable opportunity
for radical improvements. As you will gather from
the Governor's telegram, however, there are
influential vested interests likely to be
involved and account must be taken of the
importance of the port and harbour in any
development of Hong Kong.
We should like to know whether, in