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brother and Mr. Kom of Jardines helping him in executive positions,
whereas Mr. Lee is carrying on alone unpaid. He has suggested that
in Mr. Cheung Tak In he has found a very reliable and very experienced
commercial man and that he should be made his personal assistant.
Mr. Cheung has been in Rice Control since September, 1945, and is now
drawing $175 per month. He has been highly recommended both by
Mr. M.K. Lo and Mr. Harkins and now by Mr. Lee. He wanted to resign
when Mr. Lo went, but he continued to work because he was promised that
a case would be put up for a rise in salary to $400 per month. I feel
that I must endorse this claim.
Mr. Lee has also asked for one clerk whose primary duty would
be to go through all the Chinese newspapers (these as you know are legion)
and take cuttings of all adverse comments about the rice situation and
also the supply situation. Mr. Lee lays much stress on this particular
point, and he claims that not only does this help him to keep in touch
with public opinion, but very often he can offset adverse opinion by
having a chat with the editor in question. He suggests we should pay
a salary of $250. Mr. Lee, as yet, has been unable to find a suitable
applicant for the third vacancy.
(v)
Trade and Industry.
In the
I have seen
admittedly
This section might eventually become part of the permanent
structure of the Government, possibly under another department.
past, part of its present functions were performed by I. & E., but
relations with merchants and industrialists were very nearly casual
a state of affairs which cannot be allowed to continue.
in America and Canada the Departments of Trade and Commerce
on a much larger scale playing a very personal part in furthering the
interests of their merchants, exporters and industrialists in foreign
countries. Abroad they gathered information and statistics and probed
the possibility of new markets and generally aided and abetted the
furtherance of trade; at home they fought the importers and
manufacturers battle against restriction and taxes and generally to
obtain the best conditions for trade.
At present owing to the peculiar circumstances of rehabilita-
tion, industry, particularly, has been thrown into very close partnership