CO537-3706 — Page 243

IV.

6.

Sino-British relations

A cloud, fortunately quickly dispersed overhung Sino-British relations during the month in the shape of a repetition of the agitation of September 1946 against Kowloon City being subject to British jurisdiction. facts are as follows:

The

On November 27th for reasons of public health and danger of fire the Public Works Department of the Hong Kong Government served eviction notices on the inhabitants of some fifty-four wooden huts which had been illegally erected on Crown lands in the area of the former walled city (the old wall was pulled down by the Japanese and no longer exists), The number of persons involved was probably between some 500 and 1,000 and, as far as can be ascertained, none of these resided in that area previously nor could they be regarded as having claim to the land. Indeed some of the huts were put up and offered for rental. by people exploiting the situation. The posting of the notices which were due to expire on December 11th drew forth protests from Mr. Kwok, the Chinese Government Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, and led to an agitation in the press generally and in particular the Cantonese press on the familiar lines that the British writ did not run in Kowloon City. This agitation was echoed by undesirable elements in Hong Kong and elsewhere. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, urged on by these elements, but with obvious embarrassment, endeavoured to play the part of Diplomatic peacemaker by appealing to me to intervene with a view to obtaining a stay of execution until such time as the Chinese Government should have hit on an expedient f

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