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PRELIMINARY DRAFT
DRAFT STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE ON HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG
As the House knows, his Majesty's Government
decided early in lay that, as a precautionary
measure in the light of the developing situation in
China, the garrison of liong Kong should be reinforced
by elements or all arms. In my speech on May 5th I
made plain to the House the policy which the
Government intended to pursue and which underlay that decision (this can be expanded by quotation if desired). The Whitsun recess came opportunely to allow me to pay a visit to Hong Kong to see for myself the conditions in the Colony and to discuss
its problems with the highest civil and military authorities on the spot. I left England on
June 2nd and returned on June 14th. In the course
of my journey I was able to confer with the
authorities in Singapore and the Middle East and while
in Ceylon I had a most useful exchange of views on
defence matters with the Frime Minister, the
Hon. D.S. Senanayake.
During my stay in Hong Kong between June 6th
and June 9th I conferred with the Governor, the
Commanders-in-Chief, Far East and the local
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