CO129-582-1 Administration of the port of Hong Kong 25-7-1939 - 20-1-1940 — Page 33

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C.S.0.4593/38.

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

6th December, 1939.

My dear Gent,

Many thanks for your confessional letter of

16th November, 1939, regarding the problem of the

future administration of this port.

I have asked Sydney Caine to support me in

saying that the consideration of this matter should not

be postponed 'propter bellum'. The crisis must come

in 1949 and several years of notice vill be necessary

to lease-holders. So please do your best to get me the two experts for whom I asked in my despatch No.322

of 3rd May last: the question is too closely co::nected

with our very existence, i.e. as a cheap safe port for

China, to permit of any considerable delay in its

settlement.

G.E.J. Gent, Esq., O.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.,

Colonial Office.

Yours sincerely,

(.us. houther