CNFIDENTIAL:
27
The Honourable The Colonial Secretary, HLAUKUNG.
Copy to:-
The Boonomie Adviser to the Commissioner General for the United kingdom in South East Asia,
Thoenix l'ark,
The District Commissioner
New Territories,
HAONING.
TUPOBAL PUR SUOLAL AND
NEW TERRITORIES. HONGKONG
JURVKY IN THE
In accordance with your instructions
I called on Dr. Benham tie morning, when we discussed this.
1.
brought this
(a)
B
(b)
I reminded Dr. Benham briefly what had subject to the surface.
Recurrent feeling that we did not know enough, or
sufficiently precisely, the economic facta of the life of the New Territories countryman and his family.
This knowledge is desirable as an aid to good administra- tion alone.
#ressure from some quarters to
prepare for a reformation of land
tenure, so as not to lag "dangerously" behind De Communist-sponsored
refom over the border.
I told Dr. Benham that our pilot desk surveys of land tenure had tended to show that most Now Territories land is owned by small men in small quantities. I added that my impression was that the arrival of the Communis te the border had tended to crystallise more clearly the general vague feeling of "what I have I hold".
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