CO537-6564 — Page 18

Our Ref: 96038/1(15)

SECRET

36

The Church House,

Great Smith Street,

S.W.1.

23 December, 1950.

Would you please refer to Rayner's letter to Aldington (Folitical Adviser, Hong Kong) of 17th November, of which a copy was sent to you, about the re-organisation of Leslie Smith's work.

We have no comment on the proposals contained in paragraph 4 of Rayner's letter, provided that they have the agreement of the Hong Kong Government.

As regards the proposal in paragraph 5, that Leslie Smith should now concentrate on the provision to the R.I.O. in Singapore of information about what is happening in China, and on commissioning material for the R. I.0's use, we should be grateful if you could let us have more details about these duties. We should like to know, for instance, rather more about how this information will be collected e.g. what are his "contacts etc." referred to in addition to press and travellers? We should also be glad to know what type of material it is envisaged that we should commissia and from whom.

With regard to the proposal in paragraph 6 that Leslie Smith should provide R.1.0. Singapore with publicity material about Hong Kong, we assume that this will be material prepared or approved by the Hong Kong Public Relatio Department, but I should be grateful if you would confirm this.

F.R.H. MURRAY, ESQ., C.M.G.,

FOREIGN OFFICE.