CO537-4998 — Page 256

OUTWARD TELEGRAM.

FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES.

94001/28/49

Cypher (0.7.F.)

IMPORTANT

TO HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham)

FROM S. OF S.. COLONIES.

Sent 15th January, 1949- 21.15 bes«

ALTER, VERIZON, "acottate in tarkastelá

cous

No.56 Top Secret.

roliai

Addressed to Gov. Hong Kong,

Repeated to Commissioner General, South Eset Asia, No.48.

High Commissioner, Federation of Malaya, No.63.

(48) m' 48 fili Your telegram No.1203 of 30th December.

3948.

Hong Kong Emergency Weasuree,

On 14th January 0.0.8. considered appreciation of Hong Kong's present situation in the light of Commanders-in-Chief Far East SEACOS 672 and the Colonial Office memorandum, copy of whicb accompanied Paskin's letter 94001/28 of 5th January to you and Commissioner-General.

49448

2.

0.0.5. reached following conclusions: --

(s) Internal Security threat may materialise before

third quarter of 1949.

(b) Most tummediate threat to Colony is vert influx of

refugees i Communist inspired strikes may occur aimultaneously. (It was pointed out to C.0.8. that auch strikes might conceivably even prenede influx of refugees.)

(c) Repercussion of such inflax on internal serurity

and administrative commitments in Hong Kong would be extremely serioun

(4) Military garriaon cinst therefore be prepared to

concentrate at present on aiding Civil Government in meeting refuges threat since possibility of nxternal aggression do more remote,

(e) Civil Authorities mut consider taking all possible

stepe to counter and control refugee problem, including erecting of wire, making arrangements for food rationing and registration, establishing refugee organisation and expanding the existing Hong Kong Police Force and Defence Force. of a separate auxiliary Police Force is considered impracticable.

Raising

( 4 ) 0.0.5. appreciate that there may be souc

political difficulty in erecting wire along land frontier obut regard such an arrangement ay a necessity if expected influx of refugees ia be be countered and controlled.