CO129-591-10 Military Administration 16-1-1945 - 28-3-1946 — Page 37

5527716.

CIPHER TELEGRAM

This message will not be distributed outside British Government Departments or Headquarters or re-transmitted, even in cipher, without being paraphrased. (Messages marked O.T.P. need not be paraphrased.)

3772

CA4/BM/170

From: War Office

170EC 1946

D. T.0.

To:

C. in C. Hong Kong

131800 Desp: 140015 Dec.45 IMPORTANT

Info:

SACSEA

REPLACE (SINGAPORE)

.89240.

Cipher C...4. 13 Dec.

RESTRICTED

1.

Subject is preparation for hand-over of Military Administration to Civil. Our cipher 85632 of 21 Nov. is relevant.

680

2.

On grounds of general policy it is most necessary that there should be no delay in handover date due to failure to make necessary preparations within competence of War Office and Military Authorities concerned.

3.

Final date of handover is of course for you to determine and must be subject to preparedness of Colonial Office to assume responsibility.

In the case of both Burma and Malaya SACSEA has found it necessary to set up handover committees. You may wish to profit by experience gained

4.

in these territories, My two immediately following telegrams (not to SACSEA or ALFSEA) summarise composition and terms of reference for Burma and Malay Handover Committees.

(? filed

55217/6/45 Comporary file,

5.

Lile) and

Please advise in due course whether you propose to adopt same

procedure for Hong Kong. C.6(Tels)

Distribution by C..40

P.U.S.

D.U.S. (A)

D. C. A.

D. D. C.A. (L. G.) (3) D.D. C.A. (P. & T.)

C.4.1, 3, 4, 8, 9.

F. 5.

C.10.

Colonial Office (ir. Gent)

(Tels. Dist. Sect.) (15)