5.
The fourth of Leslie Smith's duties, on the other hand, will be extended in degree and also in scope.
The directive
is:
* (a) Collecting propaganda intelligence
material for passing to R.1.0.Singapore,
Leslie Smith will concentrate on the provision to us in Singapore of reliable information about what is happening in China, from all sources available to him press, travellers, contacts, ato., both for background and for use in propaganda, overt and discreet, mainly the latter, This material will be used in propaganda to S.. Asia and to the overseas Chinese in S., Asia particularly, and not, in present circumstances, in Hong Kong. In addition to the collecting of propaganda intelligence material, he will comission and supply to Singapore for printing and publishing there, work by Chinese writers and artists, for similar use, in the form of articles, pamphlets and books, in S., Asia, and not Hong Kong (except when a suitable use arises).
6. As to the fifth of Leslie Smith's duties listed in the directive
(e) Dissemination of positive publicity and
information about British and Western Democratic achievements and practice in labour, industrial, educational and other fields; and dissemination of similar publicity and information about Hong Kong,
– it was agreed that these activities are now more properly the function of the P.R.0. Hong Kong; but the R.1.0. representative will be ready to help at any time, for example in the supplying of material made available from Singapore, and publicity about British territories in S. F. Asia; and in particular in providing R. 1.0. Singapore with publicity about Hong Kong for distribution to information posts in S.“. Asia. There is considerable need for good material of this sort
in the area.
7. I hope that the foregoing is on the general lines of the way in which you are all thinking, and I shall be most grateful for any oriticisms and additions which occur to you. If you are in agreement with it as far as it goes I would be glad if you would inform Leslie Smith so. In the meantime he is preparing to work on the above lines,
8. I am sending a copy of this letter to Jock Murray, to Ralph Murray at the Foreign office, to the Information Department of the Colonial office, and to the Regional Information Office in Singapore.
Yours ever,
(signed)
John Rayner