OUTWARD TELEGRAM.
FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FÖR THE COLONIES.
54247/18/49
Cypher (0.T.F.}
TO FEDERATION OF MALAYA (Sir H. Gurney)
Sent 14th July, 1949. 15.30 hrs.
PRIORITY
No.806
TOP SECRET
19-22
1.
Addressed to High Commissioner - Federation of
Malaya,
No.406,
Repeated to Commissioner General, South East Asia,
" Governor, Hong Kong, No.907.
In his telegram No.581 to Secretary of State
(repeated by savingram to Singapore) Governor Hong Kong as e resalt of discussion with Hinister of Defence asked for. experienced and well qualified Intelligence Bureau expert to examine civil intelligence system in Hong Kong.
2.
Sillitoe leaves for Hong Kong this week to discuss intelligence problems generally with Governor while Johnson is there, Decision whether any further expert advice is required by Hong Kong will be made after these discussions.
3+
Suggestion may emerge that an expert on special branch organisation is required and that Coveney should be äsked to ge to Hong Kong either on completion of his present task in Malaya or possibly quite soņË, In the latter case he would return later to finish his work in Malaya. This possibility has been mentioned to Gray. Commissioner of Police New Scotland Yard has also been consulted and would be quite ready to agree tö either arrangement. If you see no objection, I should be grateful if Coveney could be sounded as to his willingness to undertake such a visit to Hong Kong.
Should it prove recessary to ask you, to release Covency before his task in Malaya is completed; I am sure you will appreciate that this will only be becense of urgency of Hong Kong's, needs.
Distributed to:-
R. 453
Secretary of State
P.3. to Minister of State
Sir T. Lloyd
Hr. Rees Williams
Sir C. Jeffries
Sir H. Poynton Mr. Holding Mr. Paskin
.1.5.
-
Mr. Higham
Mr. 0.H. Morris
T. V.I.J. Wallace
Radford
Er. Seel
Mr. Trafford Smith
Sir H. Logan
1. W.C. Johnson
Kr. Morgan
Director General.