CO129-569-11 Visit of Governor of Hong Kong to Canton 11-4-1938 - 15-9-1938 — Page 14

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Excellency granted to the press, It will be noticed

that he is quoted as saying that "though considerable

damage was to be seen yet there were many bombed places

shut off from view". Fresumably Sir Geoffry Forthoote

meant by this that "many places" were shut off from view

by other houses, as the Chinese authorities have never,

in my experience, refused access to any bombed areas

to responsible persons.

3.

The principal comment I have to make on the

visit is that both His Excellency and myself were impressed

by the great interest in his visit taken by the Chinese

populace, as evidenced by the large crowda lining the

streets whenever he drove through the city, and which

gathered whenever the word circulated that he was visiting

any particular locality. I drove through the streets

with ir fughe Enatchbull-Hugessen on the occasion of

his formal visit and with Your Excellency on the occasion

of your completely informal visit. I was surprised

the marked difference in public interest towards the

Governor of Hong Kong and Sir Hughe. I am pretty aure

that the manifestation was spontaneous (i.e. neither

"arranged" nor "with ulterior motive" nor "due to the

present undeclared warfare'), and it was a convincing

proof to me of the community of interest between Canton

and Hong Kong, at least from the Canton point of view.

It will be interesting to consider how it can be best

put to account. It has on several ocassions been

remarked to me by high local officials that there is no

possibility of labour, and similar internal, troubles at

Hong Kong