CO129-580-8 League of Nations- Medical aid for China and reduced cable rates 6-4-1939 - 5-7-1939 — Page 17

F 4218/52/10.

sir,

POREIGN OFFICE,

$.W.1.

24th May, 1939.

17

I am directed by Viscount Halifax to state that a

letter has been received from Monsieur C. 3mets, the

Secretary of the League of Nations Committee for Technical

Collaboration with China, regarding the transmission of

League of Nations telegrams from the Far East at privileged

rates.

2.

Monsieur Smets observes that when the Committee

The

had their office and base at Hong Kong it was agreed to

accord the privilege of government rates to telegrams sent

from Hong Kong on League of Nations business.

Committee have now moved their base to Hanoi and owing to

internal commercial arrangements the French Government have

been unable to grant them similar telegraphic facilities

in Indo-China.

✔

3. Lord Halifax is anxious to facilitate both the

efforts which are now being made by the League of Nationa

to reduce expenditure, and the anti-epidemic work of the

League in China which is carried out by the Committee for

Technical Collaboration with China. He will therefore be

grateful to learn the views of your company on the following

suggestion which has been put forward as a possible method

of enabling the Committee to send their telegrams to Geneva

at a reduced rate.

4. He understands that your company have withdrawn or

are about to withdraw their wireless service with Indo-China

via/

The Secretary,

Cable and Wireless Limited,

Electra House,

Victoria Embankment, W.C.2.