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INWARD TELEGRAM
Speis 16.3
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
Orig. on 94001/35/49
FROM HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham)
D. 12th May, 1949.
R. 12th
11.10 hrs.
No.434
Secret.
Addressed to 8. of S.
Repeated by savingram to Commissioner General, South
Bast Asia,
H
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Governer Singapore, and Canten.
My immediately preceding telegram.
Hong Kong weekly intelligence appreciation for period ending 9th May.
There
Statement in House of Commons on 5th lay on reinforcements for defence of Hong Kong has been widely welcomed and has given appreciable fillip to morale. is, however, still criticism that this is not enough; 1t is pointed out that Garrisen when reinforced will reach same strength as in December, 1941. Anxious speculation about Communist intentions continues. No unified resistence is expected in the South to delay Communist advance and there is
On general disgust over bickerings of Generals in Canton. 6th May I made speech at Hong Kong Engineering Society, keynote of which was that we must hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I also said that we hoped that it would be possible to trade with Communist China. This speech was been widely reproduced in local Press and favourably commented upon.
Refugees frem Shanghai and the North have been pouring in during last few weeks. Not surplus of entries over departures last month was about 40,000. Question of registration of the rationed population and of others who can prove residence in the Colony for a prescribed minimum period is now under urgent consideration. Registration in frontier areas and territories is to be put in hand very shortly.
3.
Conditions across the berder remain bad and banditry is rife. On 6th occurred particularly brutal marder of two European Police Officers and one Chinese Police Corporal on Police Launch by twe members of the crow who had joined the Police Force in December, 1945. Launch was later run ashore on Chinese side of Mira Bay and arms and ammunition stolen. Affair was probably arranged by bandits with a view to obtaining arms and ammunition, though there may well be connection with Communist guerillas in the hinterland
4.
Internal situation including labour remains quiet. Recent arrivals in Colony include Tu Yuet Sen, the Shanghai
Tan Kah Kee, gangster-politician, who will be watched closely. well known Singapore Chinese, arrived on 9th May and has announced his intention to visit iberated' China to see Communism, to which he declares he is sympathetic, for himself.
/Huang Shao-Hsuing,