Sta 22101/12/48
IN.
luereturs of state for the Colonies.
To the Jificer Administering the Government of HONG KONG,
Dale Idom November, 1948,
NO
1160 SAVING.
x
CONFIDENTIAL.
Your telegram No. 993.
Telecommunications Transfer.
After careful consideration of the draft agreciment enclosed in your savingram No. 686, I agree, subject tó consideration of the points mentioned below, to the transfer to Cable and Wireless, Limited, of the services listed in Article 2.
2.
I note from Article 3 of the draft agreement that the Director of Civil Aviation will exercise administrative control over the aeradio services through a qualified Signals Officer appointed by the Government. I assume you are satisfied that this arrangement will guarantee the provision of services to the very high standard necessary to ensure the safety of · aircraft in view of the abnormal hazards at Kai Tak, and also that the Company will be willing and able to provide facilities to the required standard when the new airport is constructed.
3.
For the reasons given in my Confidential Circular despatch of the 14th May, I would suggest that the agreement should include a clause providing for a review of the broadcasting concession, in say three years, to enable the Government, if it is not fully satisfied with the service provided by Cable and Wireless, Limited, to consider itself resuming responsibility for the technical operation of broadcasting. You are no doubt satisfied that the Company are employing engineers qualified in broadcasting as this is essential to a satisfactory standard of efficiency. Please inform me of exact categories of broadcasting and other staff to be transferred and what arrangements are intended for that part of the broadcasting service, carried out by programme engineers, which tends sometimes to be disputed territory between the programme and the engineering departments.
4.
cers:
Please also let me know in due course of the conditions under which pensionable officers of the Government will be transferred to the Company. It is usual to retire such officers' on abolition of office teras before they are transferred.
5.
It appears to me to be essential that the draft agreement
/should