CO129-564-9 St John Ambulance Brigade- possible use of unit in China 23-9-1937 - 3-3-1938 — Page 15

to P.S. Selwyn blarke (9)

husg

Confidential.

Dear Smith,

15

Downing Street,

14th October, 1937.

Before Sir Geoffry Northcote left England he

was given full information about the affairs of the

St. John Ambulance in Hong Kong by Colonel 8leeman, the

Chief Commissioner at the headquarters of the

association in London.

Sleeman nas since been to the

Colonial Office and has told us the whole story, with

which you are no doubt yourself familiar. As explained

to us, the difficulties centre round the person of

Morris and the position of dictator which he has

apparently built up for himself. He seems to have had

the intention of using for service in China a

substantial part of the St. John organisation and

personnel in Hong Kong. The headquarters here refused

permission for him to do so since the function of the

St. John Ambulance is confined, as you know, to the

Empire, and expeditions in foreign countries are left

to the Red Cross. Sleeman, however, impressed on us the

urgent need for the Hong Kong Government to show a very

real concern for the St. John association in Hong Kong,

N.L. SMITH, ESQ., C.M.G.,

since