CO129-590-14 Newsletters from Sir Geoffrey Northcote- Governor of Hong Kong 21-4-1941 - 24-11-1941 — Page 26

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The

I have, therefore, insisted upon the

separation of the agricultural settlement

scheme from the dispersal scheme.

former is being considered on its own merits

which I frankly regard as meagre the latter

is under immediate preparation on slightly

different lines. Two much safer stor age

places for food reserves have been chosen in

(1) the Hong Kong Brewery, which is on the

mainland opposite the nor th-eastern end of

Lan Tao Island, and (2) Sai Kung Police

Station itself, where some sheds are being

constructed. In these places it will be

possible to keep food stores under strong

guard, at any rate until the guards have to

be withdrawn. But I do not propose to put

down food for 50,000 people at each of these

places, preferring to judge by results and to

send out further supplies as required: so the

ultimate loss of foodstuffs by looting would

be much less than it would have been under

the scheme put forward by the committee.

have written about this at some length as you

may hear of repercussions;

I

Selwyn Clarke is

kicking hard, but the General appears to have

-

no objection to my amendments of his committee's

recommendations.

Civil Service.

When it reaches you you will, I think,

agree with me that the terms of the Commission's

report on Forrest are somewhat savage in places.