CO129-555-4 Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps- annual report 1934-5 6-8-1935 - 6-8-1935 — Page 5

XXOX

SECRET (2).

Sir,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

6th August, 1935.

S

1825% Sat

Enclo. No.1

Enclo. No.2

With reference to previous correspondence

terminating with Sir William Peel's Secret despatch of 1st

June, 1934, I have the honour to forward a copy of the

Annual Report from the Commandant of the Hong Kong Volunteer

Defence Corps for the year ending 15th April, 1935, together

with a copy of a letter dated 8th July, 1935, addressed to

the Under-Secretary of State, The War Office, by His

Excellency the General Officer Commanding.

2.

With regard to the third and fourth

paragraphs of His Excellency's letter, the position at

present is that the Personnel Sub-Committee of the Local

Defence Committee is still conducting enquiries as to which

European employees of the Government, exclusive of those

already in one of the two Volunteer forces or earmarked for

essential services such as censorship, anti-gas duties etc.,

could be released in a war emergency. When the Government

has received the report of the Sub-Committee, consideration

will be given to the question as to what steps should be

taken to induce those who can be released to join the

Volunteers.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&C.,

&C.,

&C.