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CO 537/1402

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed 'Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyngh!

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Ref.:

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

CO 537/1402

Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copynight

restrictions

Further information is given in the enclosed 'Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet

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Americans and Chinese regard the supplies of rice that we and the War Office are trying to ret for Hong Kong with jealousy in view of the

act that China have asked for some 700,000 tons of rice and have been allotted only a very small fraction of this. Mr. Sanderson, the Rice Controller, told us at the London Food Council yesterday that we should have to support Hong Kong's case with full figures of population, rations etc. He also asked whether immigration of Chinese into Hong Kong could not be stopped. There was a recent Cabinet directive about this, and Miss Ruston in Eastern Department is sending over to you to-day a draft telegram to Hong Kong that the War Office have prepared.

We sent a telegram to Hong Kong two days ago asking for full supporting information for their rice requirement in the second quarter. In pressing for our requirements for the Far East to be met we shall, of course, make the point that any cuts to enable Chinese needs to be met in would have to be shared amongst all claimants and could not be directed specially to Hong Kong. In fact the London Food Council thought that Chine had not rot a very strong case because any supplies that could be sent her would be too small to be of any great help.

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21.2.46.

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