cms

1

Ref.:

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

CO 537/1402

restrictions. Further urther information Please note that this copy is supplied subject

to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet

2

ins

000 13

Мой вантри гар

0607322/March. İN

RECEIVED: ན

15

Euism

146537. JP8108 1800 pada. 4/44, 0.3.88.Ltd. 58-6429.

L

SECRET

From

C.in C. Hong Kong.

DATE

7.3.46

13

TIME

1535

Interservice Gen.X by W/T

WARNING: This is an unparaphrased version of a secret cypher or confidential code message, and the text must first be paraphrased* If it is essential-to communicate it to persons outside British or Allied Government Services. [*NOTE: Messages shown as having been sent in a One-Time Pad ("O.T.P.") are excepted from this rule.] Addressed

War Office, Colonial Office, Embassy Chung King (No.37), Consult General Canton (No.12) Cabinet Offices.

2

cms

CO 537/1402

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

N

Ref.: restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright

IMMEDIATE

Following is paraphrased version of my 0607302 March passed to Canton through other channels. Begins:

In view of the precarious rice situation, it has been decided to restrict further registration for obtaining the Government ration of rice which has already been halved: the following notification will be issued at 08002 on Friday 8th March. Begins...

2. (A) Hong Kong depends for substantially the whole of

its rice supply on allocations made to this colony by the Combined Food Board in Washington. The se allocations are based on total world requirement s and available supplies, the Colony in principle receiving an allocation proportionate to its population. The allocations are made quarterly and obviously aannot take into account unpredictable increases of population due to immigration.

(B) The British Military Administration of Hong Kong has given its anxious consideration to the whole question of rice rationing in relation to the circumstances indicated above. The Administration considers that much as it would like to provide cheap rice for all who might at any time be in the Colony, its primary duty is to provide for the normal community.

(C) Hitherto rice tickets entitling the holder and his household to a rice ration at the controlled price have been issued to all comers. In view of the shortage of rice, the Administration has been compelled to issue new instructions to the Rice Controller.

(D) Under these instßuctions no new rice tickets wi11

be issued and no addition will be made to existing tickets except in the case of persons who can prove to the satisfaction of the Rice Controller that prior to the outbreak of the Pacific war they had been residents in the Colony for at least seven years, or that they have employment under the Aqministration or in an essential service.

(E) Any exceptional case will be dealt with by the Rice

Controller on its mesits.

!

(F)/.................

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