CO537-4825 — Page 60

Orig

14001/20/45

INWARD TELEGRAM

TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

Cypher (0.T.P.)

FROM HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham)

D. 23rd November, 1948. R. 23rd

器

#

09.50 hra.

IMPORTANT

No. 1068 Secrot.

Addressed to S. of S.

Ausa (3)

Repeated to Commissioner-General, Singaporo, No.118 "Centon, Fanking and 0.0.0. by savingran

Your telegram No. 1162.

China al bustion,

I do not (repeat not) anticipate refugee influx on big scale at the moment but an aware position could be changed at short notice. Those who are coming in at the present are able to look after themselves, If Communist armiso drive through to South China following are possibilities -

26

(a)

More or less peaceful occupation of towns and country with comperatively few refugees cɔaing to Rong Konge

(V) Rape o? Bhangien or other cities leading to large

influx into Hong Kong of town folk from Centon, mainly by river steamer and junk end reilmay (as long so we permit its running). They foula probably not Luanset not)cone across the border INLARDALPS LA Huge corupt group ?ruinta) acrÖDE In Landon Art Alagadg controlled by Commaalst guerillas who would have 111e difficulty in gaining control of border area without di surbing local puasent popolataong

(e)

Gomap

do des )...otely driving into Hong Kong lenge 1:30 of moon rofugees in order to create chaos inside the Colony.

I

Under

Military asoir tance would almost certainly be required inder (c) above, as there would probably ba simul teravus Communist apared strikes and unrect. (a) and (b), pelico wa'd probably be able to cope, unless there were simultaneous Communist inspired strikes.

3.

As regards caring for Chinese refugees, posi Váon is that since reoccupation : refugee population of nearly three quarters (? a wallson has already been built ay, Further inilux could be an aggravation of this problem,

Page 60Page 61