CO537-2187 — Page 169

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TELEPHONE

TEE-BAR 2179.

Miss Kandhon

LONdon Wall 1160

2440

協中英

會華商

CHINA ASSOCIATION.

31-37, BROAD STREET HOUSE, OLD BROAD STREET, LONDON, E.C.2.

161, SHELL-MEX House,

STRAND,

LONDON, W. G. 2.

5th February 1947

66

Dear Mr. Robertson,

57.377

On December 12th Mr. Creech-Jones was good enough to receive a delegation from this Association and to discuss with them some aspects of affairs in Hong Kong. We left with Mr. Creech-Jones an aide-memoire relating to the matters discussed, and I sent a copy of this to Mr. Gillespie, Chair- man of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, together with a brief account of our interview, in the course of which I expressed the opinion that the assurances which Mr. Creech- Jones had given us regarding the Government's view as to the future of the Colony could not be regarded as unsatisfactory.

Mr. Gillespie has now written acknowledging these papers and, in the course of his letter, he makes some comments which I think might be of interest to your Secretary of State, and I append them below.

I.D. Robertson Esq., Colonial Office,

Whitehall, S.W.1.

Yours trul

Sthicdell

CHAIRMAN.

I think everyone agrees with the points made in your aide-memoire to Mr. Creech-Jones. The question of the desirability, or otherwise, of a clear statement from the British Government that we intend to hold Hong Kong permanently is one that has been raised in the Colony many times during the course of the last year. I think I am right in saying that the majority of the Europeans here have thought that such a statement was desirable.

You in London, I think, should be able to judge the correct time for pressing for such a statement better than we in Hong Kong and if, when you feel the time is ripe, you press for it and get it, it will certainly be hailed with acclamation here, not only by the Europeans, but by the vast majority of the Chinese.

I should like to add, however, that we were all astonished to see in the 'South China Morning Post' of Jan. 16th an article taken from 'The Times' of Jan.14th in which the writer suggested that three steps should be taken in Hong Kong of which the first read as follows:

'The British Cabinet should determine the future

status of Hong Kong in consultation with the Allies'

The suggestion that the British Government should consult with anyone else as to how to deal with a Colony that has been ours for over a hundred years is distinctly aggravating.

When/

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