20th August,
1945
23rd August,
1945
14th November
1945
19th November,
1945
on to draw attention to Mr. Attlee's reply to Mr. Astor on the 8th Novomber, 1944 (above) and concluded with a reference to a statement made by Mr. Churchill to the effect that matters affecting British Colonial territory were not to be discussed at the San Fransisco Conference or at any other meeting in connection with that Conference.
Mr. Bevin, in the course of his first speech to the House as Foreign Secretary, after referring to the circumstances in which Hong Kong was lost, said:-
we have now taken steps to receive the surrender of the Japanese forces in Hong Kong. There may still be difficulties, but they will be overcome, and I am sure that in agreement with our Chinese and American Allies our territory will be returned to us.
Arising out of Mr. Bevin's statement Mr. Attlee as Prime Minister, in reply to an arranged private notice question by Mr. Churchill as to whether His Majesty's Government were taking action to restore British administration in Hong Kong as soon as they received the Japanese surrender in the Colony, said:-
"Yos sir. As stated by the Foreign Secretary on Monday, arrangements are being made for the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong to be accepted by a British Force Commander. Plans for re-establishing British administration in the Colony are fully prepared, 11
Mr. Churchill then went on to ask:-
"While expressing gratification at the answer of the Prime Minister, may I presume that my Right Honourable Friend recells that on numerous occasions, and particularly at the Cairo Conference in 1943, His Majesty's Government had made it plain that they do not contemplate any modification in the sovereignty of His Majesty's territories in the Far East?"
The Prime Minister replied:-
"Yes Sir. I have a very full recollection of those statements and I will bear them in mind."-
The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Hall) in re ly to a question by Air Commodore Harvey as to whether he was in a position to mke a statement concerning the future of the New Territories in Hong Kong, replied:
"No Sir."
The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Hall) in reply to a question by Mr. Callaghan as to His Majesty's Government's intention regarding the future administration of Hong Kong replied:-
"A Military Administration has been established in Hong Kong under the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Harcourt, and the Chief Civil Affairs Officer, and many of his staff are experienced officers of the prewar civil administration. soon as conditions in the region permit, it is His Majesty's Government's intention to restore full civil government."
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