CO129-571-16 New Territories 13-4-1938 - 12-12-1938 — Page 2

1 Sir G. Northcole

8/0

13. 4. 38.

Future of New Territories

Mr. Gent.P.R

2017

I attach a letter which the Secretary

of State has received today from Sir Geoffry Northcote.

Mr. Ormsby Gore would be glad to have the Department's

advice as to the reply which he should return to this

letter. He appreciates that the Treasury and the

Foreign Office will have to be consulted first.

9. Gre any

25.4.38.

x10 you signature,

• secret.

Mr. Cowell.

I am not aware of any concrete suggestion

on the lines of the ideas mentioned by Sir G. Northcote, and we shall clearly have to consult the

Foreign Office. At the same time the question of

the future of the new territories will have to be

raised, and it seems to me that the present is an

auspicious moment for doing so. I suggest that we

might send a copy of Sir G. Northcote's letter

semi-officially to Mr. Orde of the Foreign Office and Mr. Young of the Treasury, saying that we are not aware of any suggestions on the lines mentioned but that we think there might be advantages in raising the matter now and say that we shall be glad

to have their observations. It might be advisable

to send copies of the correspondence to the

Service Department and reply ad interim to Sir G. Northcote that we are consulting the Treasury and

Foreign