CO537-5142 — Page 114

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Reference 07/10/H

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Copy to:- Kr. Oliver Whitley, through H

(Our telephone conversation of 12th August

H.F.E.S.

462204

15th August 1949

INFOGADOTION 1. AUG 1949 REGISTRY

refers)

Dear Mr. ardy,

Miss Coltart hes pissed me your letter to her of 18th July, and Ķi Elford, Overees Lizison, has sent me extracts from your letters of 21st July and 30th July regarding the secondment by the Hong Kong Government to us of two Chinese Programe Assistents and your suggestion of the second- ment by the BPC of a Programme Director and either e News Editor or a Pro- ername Assist it to the Hong Kong Government.

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I think it is simplest if these two propos-le are considered serer tely for resone vidch I will expl in below. The Corporation would welcome the reguler secondment of two Chinese Progrrrue Aasistonte et any one time; it ip hoped t.. t there would be mutual benefits to both parties from these secondments. Miss Coltert'e letter of 10th August Erre you full detail: of Corporation el ries and llowances; beyould hoever like to know before final agreement is given whether the members of your stoff TS ACK -- bers of any pension scheme or provident fund, ni if so whet re the employee's the em loyer's contributions, also hat propos: 1s tue Hong Kong Govern- sent would have in respect of the employer's contributions. There »re I think two possibilities;-

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e) if the member of it ff will be getting from the IBC consi lerbly

higher ssl ry then he receives in Hong Kong he should be asked while on secondment to meet both his own end the employer's contributions

b) if not, whet er the Hong Kong Government would meet the employer's

contributio.3 or expect the Corporation to do so.

The Corportion oɛnnot regard the secondment of two merberg of ita et› OF to the Hong Kong Government es connected with the secondment of two Chinese Programme ssistents as it is in fact inseparable from the wider uestion of

one: 1 demands by the Colonial Office for secondment of BBC at ff for ite verious bro-denating org nietions in other Colonies; in these c see the Fire dy established practice is for the Corporation to do whatever it can to pssist Colonial brondo^sting everywhere. It is however not egy for it to

ontemplate lrge number of secondmente owing to the double difficulty of Minding suit ble people from mong its staff and of their subee urnt re- settlemetton tasir return. Each case must therefore be juiged on its merits,