CO537-6564 — Page 23

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Our Ref: 96038/1(15)

SET

Colonial Office,

The Church House,

Great Smith Street,

S.W.1.

ale

IS, December, 1950.

by dean mirth

We were interested to see a copy of Rayner's letter to Aldington of 17th November about the revision of Leslie Smith's terms of reference, and we were glad to note that the arrival of Murray and the transfer of Radio Hong Kong from the P.M.G. appear to have had good results in strengthening your Public Relations Department. We look forward to receiving a report that Murray has promised to send us on the re-organisation of this Department, and this will no doubt show the general lines on which it is intended that it shall function in future.

Meanwhile, we should be grateful for some rather clearer indication than is contained in Rayner's letter of how, and to what extent, you are intending to handle direct anti-Communist propaganda, Rayner's letter gives the impression that although Leslie Smith's activities in this connection are to fall into abeyance for the present, some activities of this nature are to continue, and that in special circumstances you might even still wish to make use of Smith. As you know, our dealings with the Foreign Office on the subject of anti-communist propaganda in

Hong Kong are not always easy, and it is important that we should know just how you are thinking if we are to watch your interests effectively at this end.

For the same reason, we should be glad to know your views on the arrangement described in paragraph 5 of Rayner's letter for extending Smith's activities under the heading of collecting propaganda intelligence for passing to the R. 1.0. Singapore, and

J. F. NICOLL, ESQ., C.M.G.,

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT,

HONG KONG.

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