CO129-571-16 New Territories 13-4-1938 - 12-12-1938 — Page 68

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4

October, 1938.

53852/38

SECRET

sir,

Record.

To Cov. 410.38. To B.of T.

10.38.

THE SECRETARY,

ADT AT .

I am directed by Mr.Secretary MacDonald to

acknowledge the receipt of your letter No.M.05156/38 of

the 22nd September, regarding the possibility of

negotiating with the Chinese Government for the

extension of the present lease of the New Territories

of Hong Kong.

2.

Mr.MacDonald would not himself regard the

matter as being of such urgent importance as to require

reference to the Committee of Imperial Defence at the

present time, but he would have no objection to such

a procedure, if it were generally agreed to be desirable.

If reference should be made to the Committee of

Imperial Defence, Mr.MacDonald would suggest that it

should take the form of an agreed joint memorandum by

the Departments concerned.

3. Copies of the record of the inter-Departmental

meeting held in the Colonial Office on the 26th

August a semi-official letter to the Governor of

Hong Kong and a letter to the Board of Trade are

enclosed.

4.